Background
Levitt was born into a Jewish family who were originally poor immigrants from Russia and Austria, his immigrant grandfather was a rabbi from eastern Europe. As President of Levitt & Sons, the real-estate development company founded by his father Abraham Levitt near the start of the Great Depression, William Levitt oversaw all aspects of the company except for the designs of the homes they built. Design duties fell to William's brother Alfred.
Prior to World War II, Levitt & Sons built mostly upscale housing on and around Long Island, New York. During the 1930s, they built the North Strathmore community at Manhasset, New York on the former Onderdonk farm. After returning from the war, during which he served in the Navy as a lieutenant in the Seabees, William Levitt saw a need for affordable housing for the returning veterans.
Read more about this topic: William Levitt
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