SUPP O RTING PRATT
WHY I GIVE: Daryl M. Rosenblatt
D
aryl M. Rosenblatt (B. Arch.’77) credits Pratt Institute for preparing him for a successful career, first as an architect whose projects included the development of a $500 million space for Smith Barney and later as a real estate manager responsible for the administration, maintenance, and capital improvements on properties throughout New York City. Having
(B. Arch. ’77)
attended Pratt with the support of a scholarship, Rosenblatt shows his appreciation for his education through annual gifts to The Fund for Pratt, allowing the Institute to allocate his gifts immediately to priorities such as student scholarships. “I believe those within the school can best decide how to use my gift,” says Rosenblatt. “The way President Schutte has transformed the campus into the most beautiful one in New York City emphasizes how well financial decisions are being made.” Rosenblatt’s appreciation for the Pratt campus stems from his lifelong love of architecture. He began building models at the age of eight, and set his sights on Pratt’s School of Architecture after his first high school summer job at Sidney Philip Gilbert & Associates, P.C., the firm established by Sidney Gilbert (B. Arch. ’62). Although Rosenblatt was accepted at other schools as well, the generous financial support the Institute offered him made Pratt a clear choice—a decision borne out by his subsequent graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania as well as by his later professional experience. “I discovered over the years that while most students in other schools learned the theoretical side of architecture, Pratt students were always more aware of what actually held buildings up—which was a tremendous asset professionally,” says Rosenblatt. “The less a firm has to train someone, the better it is for business.”
Photo: René Pérez
Rosenblatt also finds that the practical nature of his Pratt architecture education serves him well in his new role as a partner in the family real estate management firm, which was started by Rosenblatt’s father-in-law, Saul Miller. “Given apartment building requirements in New York City, it’s essential to know the details of building maintenance. Thanks to my Pratt architecture training and the architecture career it afforded me, I’m aware of the nuts and bolts of running a building, which is invaluable.” In addition to supporting The Fund for Pratt, Rosenblatt and his wife also created the Susan Miller & Daryl Rosenblatt (B. Arch. ’77) Design Studio in Higgins Hall in memory of his late daughter, Nina Jillian Rosenblatt, and father, Nat Rosenblatt, and in honor of his sons, David, Noah, and Eric.
Like Daryl Rosenblatt, Harold Behl supports Pratt in recognition of the role the Institute played in his life. He established the Reggie Behl Drawing Award in honor of his late wife, Regina “Reggie” Behl (B.F.A. Art Education ’43), an accomplished artist and art educator who specialized in quick sketches. To read about Behl and other dedicated members of the Pratt community, visit www.pratt.edu/donor_profiles.
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