1929
Real estate attorney Abraham Levitt founds Levitt and Sons, Inc.  Sons Bill and Alfred serve as President and Chief Architect and Planner, respectively.

AUGUST 2
Levitt and Sons, Inc. commences construction of the foundation of the first home the company ever built at 308 Princeton Road in Rockville Centre, N.Y.
1930
AUGUST 2
Levitt and Sons, Inc. celebrates its first year in business, in which the company built a total of eighteen homes.
1941
Construction begins on Oakdale Farms in Norfolk, Va.  Levitt and Sons first employs its reverse-assembly line construction process on the two-bedroom, one-bath detached units for military personnel.
1942
Construciton of Oakdale Farms completed.  750 units were constructed.
1947
Construction of homes in the community that would come to be named Levittown begins in the Island Trees area of Nassau County, N.Y. Homes are offered on a rental basis only.  The firm perfects its reverse-assembly line construction process.

OCTOBER 1
First residents Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Bladykas move into 67 Bellmore Road in the Levitt community at Island Trees.  Monthly rent is $60 and the home could be purchased after one year of occupancy for $7,500.
1948
JANUARY 1
Levitt and Sons officially designates its community at Island Trees as Levittown.
1949
MARCH
New homes in Levittown are now offered for sale, resulting from the passage of the 1948 Housing Bill, which Bill Levitt had lobbied to pass.  The Housing Bill eased mortgage requirements by extending terms to 30 years, allowing as little as 5% down, and no down payment for veterans.  The "House of Levittown" Exhibit Center and sample homes are located on Hempstead Turnpike and the 1949 homes sell for $7,990. 
1951
NOVEMBER
Levittown, N.Y. completed with occupancy of the 17,447th home in that community on Tardy Lane.
DECEMBER 8
Levittown, Pa. sample homes and Exhibit Center open on U.S. 13 in Bristol Twp.
1952
JUNE 23
First residents John and Philomena Dougherty move into a Levittowner model at 67 Stonybrook Drive in Levittown, Pa.
1954
Levitt and Sons, Inc. celebrates its 25th anniversary.  The Jubilee model is developed and eventually offered at Levittown, Pa. in commemoration.
Alfred Levitt leaves Levitt and Sons, Inc.  He later founds LevittHouse Corp. and builds single-family home communities in Suffolk County, N.Y., as well as apartment buildings in Queens and Long Island.
1955
Levitt and Sons purchases land in Burlington County, N.J. and begins planning the next Levittown.
1957
Levitt and Sons purchases the Woodward Estate, known as Belair, in Prince Georges County, Md. in preparation for a fourth Levittown.
DECEMBER
Concrete slab for Job No. 17311 placed in Levittown, Pa.--the last house to be constructed in this community.
1958
Levittown, Pa. completed with occupancy of the 17,311th home.
JUNE 7
Levittown, N.J. sample homes and Exhibit Center open on U.S. 130 in Willingboro Twp., Burlington County, N.J.
OCTOBER
First residents in Levittown, N.J., Leo and Joan Mount, take occupancy at 51 Sussex Drive in Somerset Park. 
1960
OCTOBER 8
Belair sample homes open in Prince Georges County, Md. on the former Woodward horse-breeding estate.
The opening of Belair represents the company's move toward a decentralized operation, establishing management of simultaneous smaller, more diversified projects on a regional level.
Levitt and Sons, Inc. begins trading as a public corporation on the American Stock Exchange.
1962
AUGUST 20
Abraham Levitt dies at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.  He was 82.  By this time, the firm that Abraham Levitt had founded 33 years earlier had built over 60,000 homes along the East Coast.
c. 1965
Sample homes and Exhibit Center for Garfield Park sections relocate to Rockland Drive off Pennypacker Drive and U.S. 130 in Willingboro, N.J.
1966
FEBRUARY 10
Alfred Levitt dies at age 54 of a heart attack at his home in Kings Point, N.Y.  In addition to serving as Chief Architect and Planner for Levitt and Sons through 1954, he also established LevittHouse Corp. and built apartment buildings in Queens, N.Y. and later, with sons Andrew and John, single-family homes in the Central Islip, Holbrook, and Islandia areas of Suffolk County, N.Y. 
1967
Levitt and Sons opens Levittmark home furnishings store in the former Levittown Exhibit Center building on Route U.S. 130 in Willingboro, N.J.  The Willingboro store was the first of a possible ten-store chain that would be created near the larger Levitt communities.
MAY
Levitt and Sons debuts its first community of townhouses in Rittenhouse Park at Willingboro, N.J.  The homes are priced from $12,990 to $16,990, returning to the market that serves families earning as little as $7,000 a year--a market few builders still served, and the one that made the previous Levittowns--and Levitt and Sons--successful.
JULY
Bill Levitt strikes a deal with International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation to sell the company for $92 million (including $62 milion in ITT stock).  Bill's agreement states that he would be employed by ITT for at least five years at a minimum annual salary of $175,000.  Levitt and Sons, Inc. would become a subsidiary of ITT.  Along with the sale of the company is also the transfer of exclusive rights to use the Levitt name, and all goodwill, trade names, and service marks assoctiated with it--including the registered names of Levitt and Sons and Strathmore, as well as the common-law trademark Levittown.  A non-compete clause in the deal prohibits Bill from building in the United States for ten years.  In addition, the agreement prohibits Bill from building under his own name.
1968
Levitt and Sons, Inc. becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation.  The subsidiary is renamed ITT-Levitt, Inc., however, the subsidiary is shortly renamed Levitt and Sons, Inc.  The new corporation is registered in Delaware.
1970
Levitt and Sons establishes Levitt Building Systems, Inc. as its modular home building subsidiary in Battle Creek, Michigan.  The addition of modular townhouse units to Levitt's site-built line is intended to reach potential homebuyers who have been priced out of the housing market.
1971
ITT is ordered to divest itself of several of its subsidiaries of its choosing (United States v. ITT), as the result of an anti-trust ruling.  Among the companies ITT chooses to sell is Levitt and Sons, Inc.  The corporation is overseen by a trustee, Victor Palmieri and Co., for the next several years.
Levitt-Bosch Aymerich, S.A. is created in Spain.
1972
Bill has left ITT Levitt and Sons, reportedly because he was not as involved with overseeing operations of the company as he had expected.  The company name is retained, however, and communities are constructed and sold by Levitt Residential Communities as a subsidiary of Levitt and Sons, Inc., which, itself, is a subsidiary of ITT.  Communities are advertised and marketed under the shortened name and logo of "Levitt."
APRIL
ITT is permitted to reatain certain real estate interests related to its development operation of Palm Coast, Fla.  Palm Coast was developed by an ITT subsidiary, created prior to ITT's purchase of Levitt and Sons. Once Levitt and Sons was purchased by ITT, the Palm Coast subsidiary was renamed ITT Community Development Corporation and became a subsidiary of the new ITT Levitt and Sons.  Under the terms of the divestiture, ITT was permitted to retain ITT Community Development Corp.
1973
APRIL 25
Levitt-Bosch Aymerich breaks into Spain's housing market with the opening of its first community, Monteclaro.  667 homes were eventually constructed in the community.
1974
With the details of ITT's divestiture of most of its Levitt and Sons assets settled, Bill Levitt signs a letter of intent to buy back Levitt and Sons and operate it under its original name.  Trade estimates value the of company at a maximum price of $30 million, and possibly as low as $10 million.  Prior to the sale of the company to ITT, it recorded sales of $94 million, with a profit of $4 million in its last year of independent operation.  In 1973, under ITT's ownership and investment, the company increased sales to $250 million, but lost $14 million.
1975
NOVEMBER
Bill's covenant with Levitt and Sons, Inc. (ITT) is revised.  Bill agrees that until June 1977, he would not enter into any business venture associated with residential real estate.  After that date, he would be free to return to the homebuilding business.  However, he was not permitted to use the Levitt name in any business venture as a trade name.  He was free to use his own name in association with his ventures, provided that it would not be likely to promote confusion with Levitt and Sons, Inc.
1976
JULY
Certain assets of Levitt and Sons, Inc. are transferred to the Levitt Corporation.  Levitt Corp. is set up to be stand-alone entity with the eventual goal of selling a company from which ITT would be completely divested. The new company--and ITT's liquidation of major Levitt and Sons, Inc. assets--continues to be overseen by the Trustee.  Certain assets from Levitt and Sons, Inc. remain with the ITT subsidiary, which is left intact under the Levitt and Sons name.
Bill Levitt founds Levitt Industries, Inc. and International Construction Corp. (ICC) to promote interests outside the U.S.  He issues a press release promoting a project in Nigeria.  The project is adminsitered by ICC.
1977
ITT chnages the name of the Levitt and Sons, Inc. subsidiary (now separate from Levitt Corp.) to LSI United Corp.
JUNE 30
The non-compete clause in Bill Levitt's agreement with ITT expires and Bill is now free to return to the homebuilding industry in the U.S.  However, he is still prohibited from using the Levitt name as a trade mark or in any manner that would be likely to create confusion with the trade name of Levitt and Sons.  He may use his own name as a corporate officer in a business venture. 
1978
FEBRUARY
Starrett Housing Corp. purchases Levitt Corporation and establishes Levitt Homes, Inc. as a Levitt Corp. subsidiary.  Communities and homes are advertised and marketed under the Levitt Homes name, though offered through a separate Levitt Homes subsidiary, Levitt Sales Corp.
Bill Levitt founds International Community Corporation, and announces plans for a $600-million "Levittown" near Orlando, Fla.

Bill Levitt also issues a statement that Starrett's acquisition of Levitt Corp. is "totally confusing the general public and business community" and that they are asking "who and what is the real Levitt."
1979
Bill Levitt and his companies are sued by Levitt Corporation (Starrett) and LSI United (ITT) for violating the revised 1976 covenant with Levitt and Sons, Inc. (ITT):  Levitt Corporation and LSI United Corp. v. Willam J. Levitt, International Community Corporation, and International Construction Corporation (Levitt Corp. v. Levitt).
1984
Bill Levitt announces plans to build Villa Poinciana outside Orlando, Fla.--a $2-billion project consisting of 26,000 homes on 7,000 acres of an existing project called Poinciana.  The new project would be the largest ever planned in the U.S.  Eleven models were to be priced from $39,900 to $59,900 (while the average price of a new home in the U.S. was $100,100).  The community would be developed by Capital Communities Corp., a joint venture between Bill Levitt and Old Court Savings and Loan.
1994
Bill Levitt dies.  He is survived by his wife, Simone, and two children from his first marriage, William and James.
1997
Levittown, N.Y. celebrates its 50th anniversary.
1999
Levitt Corporation (Starrett) is purchased by BankAtlantic Corporation.  The name of the company is retained and the corporation becomes a subsidiary of BankAtlantic.
2002
Levittown, Pa. celebrates its 50th anniversary.
2003
DECEMBER 31
BankAtlantic Bancorp, Inc. spins off Levitt Corp. as a public corporation.  The two are now separate legal entities.
2004
JANUARY 2
Levitt Corp. begins trading on the NYSE.
Levitt and Sons, LLC is established as one of Levitt Corporation's subsidiaries to develop residential home communities.  Other Levitt Corp. subsidiaries are involved in master planned communities, commercial real estate, and construction of time-share vacation resorts.
2007
NOVEMBER 9
Levitt and Sons, LLC and 37 of its subsidiaries file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in Fort Lauderdale.  Its parent company, Levitt Corporation, and Levitt Corporation's other subsidiaries remain "financially strong," according to the Levitt Corp. web site, and are not affected by the filing.  According to a press release from Levitt and Sons, "excess supply, particularly in previously strong markets like Florida, has led to downward pricing pressure for residential homes and improved and unimproved land."  Further, the company's homebuilding operations are concentrated in the Southeast, which is "going through an unprecedented slowdown after years of strong growth driven in part by speculative activity by investors."  Levitt and Sons had previously downsized its Tennessee operations in 2006 in anticipation of a downturn.
2008
MAY 27
Levitt Corporation changes its name to Woodbridge Holdings Corporation.  The parent company of Levitt and Sons, LLC, retains its other subsidiaries while Levitt and Sons, LLC is in receivership under Kurtzman Carson Consultants, LLC.  According to published reports, the name change reflects corporation's future direction, which will involve investments both within and outside the real estate industry.  The name change is also part of a plan to distance itself from the Levitt and Sons, LLC subsidiary.

JUNE 7
Levittown, N.J.
(now Willingboro) celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Levitt and Sons
  H I S T O R Y   A N D
      C H R O N O L O G Y
For the complete listing of Levitt companies and subsidiaries, please refer to the Levitt Communities page.
THE LEVITT AND SONS LOGO:
an Evolution and
Return to Tradition...

 


Levitt and Sons, Inc. logo with Levitt and Sons coat of arms (c. 1947)

IMAGE COMING SOON...
Levitt and Sons, Inc. logo with Strathmore coat of arms.


Levitt and Sons, Inc. logo with Levittown coat of arms for Levittown, N.Y. and Pa. years (1947-1957).


Levitt and Sons, Inc. logo with Levittown coat of arms, redesigned for final year Levittown, Pa. (1957).


Levitt and Sons, Inc. logo redesigned for Levittown, N.J. (1958-1964).
See variation below for 35th Anniversary logo.


Levitt and Sons, Inc. logo (1965-1972).


Levitt Residential Communities, Inc. (ITT) logo (1972-1976).


Levitt Homes (Starrett) logo. (1976-1999).


Levitt Homes Corporation of Puerto Rico logo (2004).


Levitt and Sons, LLC logo (2004).


Levitt and Sons, LLC logo (2007).

Variations on the company logo...


Levitt and Sons, Inc.-QUALITY - INTEGRITY - EXPERIENCE (c. 1964).


Levitt and Sons, Inc.-Our 35th Year (c. 1964).


Levitt and Sons, Inc.-Since 1929 (c. 1965).


Levitt and Sons, Inc.-Our 40th Year (c. 1969).


Levitt Residential Communities, Inc.-YOU CAN TRUST Levitt (c. 1973).

Other Levitt Logos...


Levittown, Pa. (1951-1956).

IMAGE COMING SOON...
Levittown, Pa. (1957).


Levittown, N.J. (1958).


Levitt and Sons of Puerto Rico, Inc. (c. 1963).


Levitt and Sons of Florida, Inc. (c. 1963).


Levitt and Sons of France, Inc. (c. 1963).
Source: Olivier Fauveau


Levitt France, Inc. (c.1965).

IMAGE COMING SOON...
Levittmark Home Furnishings (c. 1965).


Levitt and Sons Realty Corp. (c. 1970).


Levitt Building Systems, Inc. (1971).

IMAGE COMING SOON...
Levitt Mobile Systems, Inc. (1971).


Levitt Canada, Ltd. (c. 1972).


Levitt and Sons of California, Inc. (c. 1972).


Levitt-West, Inc. (c. 1972).


Levitt-West, Inc. (c.1973).


Levitt-Bosch Aymerich, S. A. (c. 1973).


Levitt and Sons of New England, Inc. (c. 1973).

IMAGE COMING SOON...
Levitt Property Management Corp. (c. 1973).


International Community Corporation (c. 1978).


Capital Communities Corporation (c. 1984).

Page last revised 20 January 2013.