PETER P. POMPONIO Sr.

POMPONIO PETER PAUL POMPONIO, SR. (Age 78) A local developer, who along with his brothers headed a multimillion-dollar realty and construction empire, erecting the first high-rise office buildings in Rosslyn, Crystal City and Washington, DC, passed away on January 23, 2013 at his home in Rockville, MD after a long battle with brain cancer. As executive officer of Pomponio Brothers Realty & Construction and CEO of National Realty & Construction Company, Mr. Pomponio designed, built and managed more than 18 high-rise properties throughout the region in the 1960s. At its peak, Pomponio Brothers' construction and real estate conglomerate was one of the largest in the metro area, employing more than 2,000 employees. Their influence was initially seen in Rosslyn where they established seven buildings, parking garages and elevated walkways; the most notable building being the Architect Building. Bill Hogan's 1982 Regardie's magazine cover article "The Men Who Made Rosslyn" credited the Pomponio Brothers Realty & Construction Company with the renaissance of Rosslyn. The Pomponios also built National Center, now known as Crystal City. There they constructed the Hilton Hotel, Buchanan House apartments, and five additional office buildings. In the District, the Pomponios built six structures, the most unique is Columbia Plaza apartments which was begun by John McShane but was finished by the Pomponio Brothers when McShane began construction of the Kennedy Center. Columbia Plaza frequently provides the photo backdrop for the Kennedy Center. From 1960 to 1970, the companies experienced unprecedented growth becoming the nation's largest consumer of a multitude of construction products, including white cement. Integral to the success of their operation was their company ownership of the trade products they used to build their buildings, including their own elevator, pipe, and window wall companies. Devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, creator of skylines, culinary master, loved and respected by all who knew him. Mr. Pomponio was born in 1934 in South Plainfield, NJ to Louis J. Pomponio, Sr. and Donata Rose Paolicelli Pomponio. He moved to Virginia at an early age and was raised in Arlington County where he attended Washington-Lee High School, along with his twin brother, Paul, and their older brother, Louis. He graduated from Fork Union Military Academy in 1952 and attended the University of Richmond. Mr. Pomponio was predeceased by his parents in 1985 and 1993 and by his brother, Paul, in 1999. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Carolyn Cowdin Pomponio; their children, Peter Paul Pomponio, Jr. and daughter-in-law, Jane Pomponio of Port Tobacco, MD, Susan Pomponio Callery and son-in-law, Bill Callery of Warrenton VA, Carol Pomponio, and Sharon Pomponio, both of Arlington VA; and eight grandchildren, Eric Eitel and his wife, Anjelica, Christian Tyler Pomponio, Jenna Pomponio, Colleen Callery, Bridget Callery, Daisy Louise Xiu Yu Pomponio, Jeremy Patterson and Jonathan Patterson; and two great-grandchildren, Jennifer and Sean Eitel. He also leaves behind his brother, Louis Pomponio, Jr. of Sterling, VA and sister, Gloria McKeever of Fairfax, VA. A memorial gathering for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, January 29 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Pumphrey's Funeral Home, 300 W Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. A Mass of Celebration will be held on January 30, 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 3513 N Street NW, Washington, DC. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, 100 North Charles Street, Suite 234, Baltimore, MD 21201.A memorial gathering for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, January 29 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Pumphrey's Funeral Home, 300 W Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. A Mass of Celebration will be held on January 30, 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 3513 N Street NW, Washington, DC. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, 100 North Charles Street, Suite 234, Baltimore, MD 21201.