Mark Solit

1947 - 2022

Mark Solit
1947 - 2022
Mark Solit, Army veteran, real estate developer, and resident of Orinda, CA died unexpectedly on January 5, 2022. Mark was 74 years old.

Mark is survived by his wife Maria, his 3 sons Micah, Nicholas and Matthew, his daughter Elisa, and his grandson Trevor.

Mark Richard Solit was born in Boston, MA in June of 1947. He grew up in Scarborough, NY and graduated from Scarborough Day School in 1964. Mark was enrolled at Columbia University, but was drafted by the United States Army to serve in the Vietnam War in 1967. He served as a 2nd and then 1st Lieutenant in the 1/506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Mark was cited with several honors during his time in the Army, including a National Defense Service Medal, a Bronze Star Medal for Valor, and a Purple Heart. Mark returned to the U.S. to finish his service at Fort Ord in Monterey, CA in 1972.

Mark returned to school after his service and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1974 with Phi Beta Kappa honors. He went on to obtain a Juris Doctor at Golden Gate University and was admitted by the California State Bar as a licensed attorney in 1978. He worked as the in-house counsel for a construction company before realizing his dream as a real estate developer.

Mark worked in real estate development in the Bay Area from 1983 to 2022, leading and supporting several major developments including the Embarcadero Center West Expansion, the Hyatt Resort Incline Village, and the Moscone Center Expansion. Using his legal expertise, he helped to secure entitlements for many of his projects including the Shutters on the Beach Hotel in Santa Monica and the Hyatt Carmel Highlands Inn. Most recently, Mark worked for Tao Capital Partners as the Director of Real Estate. He was dedicated to his work and loved the excitement of working with a large team and seeing projects come to fruition.

Mark had several passions and causes he cared greatly for. Mark contributed a significant amount of time and resources to Swords to Plowshares, a Bay Area nonprofit organization, and served on the board of the organization for two years. He worked hard to help veterans in need, including a dedicated effort to provide labor opportunities for vets on his construction projects.

Mark was a devoted husband and father. He enjoyed nature, the outdoors and hiking, and loved the natural landscapes of Maui, Carmel Valley and Mt. Diablo. His favorite times were spent with his family, watching sports, seeing his kids grow up, and relaxing with his loving wife. His sharp sense of humor made him a joy to be around, and he will be greatly missed.