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By Philip Newman
Peter Kalikow, the real estate magnate who has just been appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, has been well-acquainted with the transit lines serving his native Queens since his youth when he took the subway to school.
Kalikow, who had served as MTA vice chairman for two years, was appointed by Gov. George Pataki to succeed E. Virgil Conway, who is retiring.
Kalikow spent his formative years in Queens. The home of his parents was in Forest Hills and he attended PS 3, PS 169 in Bayside, IS 157 in Forest Hills and then rode the subways to a private high school in Jamaica, a spokesman for Kalikow said.
Kalikow has expressed support for further improving the Long Island Rail Road and favors construction of a Second Avenue Subway and the East Side Access plan to bring Long Island Rail Road trains into Grand Central Terminal by means of the 63rd Street tunnel.
Kalikow, a graduate of Hofstra University, is president of H.J. Kalikow & Co. He entered the real estate business in 1967, became president of the firm in 1973 and took over the Kalikow business interests upon the death of his father in 1982. He is the third generation to preside over his family’s 75-year-old real estate company.
Kalikow is also a member of the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the boards of New York Presbyterian Hospital, Hofstra University, the Grand Central Partnership and is active in numerous real estate organizations.
He is a former owner and publisher of the New York Post.
Kalikow was presented the Peace Medal, Israel’s highest civilian award, in 1982 for his years of aiding Israel’'s development and accorded the Humanitarian Award of the American Jewish committee in 1987
Kalikow is married to the former Mary Typaldos Jacobatos. They have a son, Nicholas Alexander, and a daughter, Kathryn Harold.
Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 136.
