Obituary: Alvan Lampke

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Alvan Gerald Lampke (“Al”) passed away peacefully on April 7 at Greenwich Hospital after a brief illness. He was 90 years old.

Al was an architect and developer, well known in his community for developing residential housing in the rapidly growing city of Stamford during the 1960s through the 1990s. In addition to meeting the emerging housing needs for post-war veterans, Al later spearheaded an innovative housing model in New Haven for adults living with mental illness.

Al was born in Brookline, Mass. to Mildred Karras Lampke and Arthur Lampke. He grew up in the Coolidge Corner neighborhood of Brookline, Mass. and attended the Devotion Elementary School and Brookline High School. After serving in the U.S. Army as a medic, he earned a BA in Math from Syracuse University in 1949.

He went on to pursue his passion for architecture, first at the Rhode Island School of Design and a year later at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Architecture and Planning. In 1953 he earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from MIT.

Al’s loyalty to friends and to his almae matres was evident in his lifelong participation in reunions with classmates from elementary school through MIT.

Early in his career Al worked at the architectural and design firm Perkins & Will. His entrepreneurial spirit and arrant support from the love of his life, his wife Carol, propelled him to set off on his own. Before long he was designing and building houses with Stamford developer, Norman Fieber. Two decades later he convinced his closest friend Bob Lichtman to leave a comfortable executive-level corporate position to launch a new building venture. Together they created a successful partnership, developing award-winning single-family homes and condominiums in Stamford and Greenwich.

Al also designed and built two of his own contemporary homes; one in Revonah Woods in Stamford, where he and Carol raised their three children, and the other in Greenwich. Marianne and Peter, two of his children, worked with Al on their personal homes, bestowing a unique opportunity to share the family passion for design and construction.

Peter and Al also partnered in a residential building business; they built homes in Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan and Ridgefield.

All three of Al’s children continue their artistic pursuits, nurtured wholeheartedly by the spirit of both parents.

Al was known for his extraordinary optimism, generosity, sense of humor and adventure. He was a boating enthusiast and longtime member of Indian Harbor Yacht Club. For many years he boated around Long Island Sound, adventured up and down the east coast, the Hudson, and through the locks of the Erie Canal. Carol and Al were avid travelers. Their favorite trips included a safari in Kenya, many visits to Europe, and a complete journey around the world by sea.

Al was the architect, long time Board member, and angel funder with Carol of The Parent’s Foundation for Transitional Living and 130 Howe Street in New Haven, two private nonprofit residences for adults living with mental illness.

Over the last several years he and Carol spent most of their time between Greenwich, New York City, and Bermuda. Together they enjoyed theater, concerts, food and, most importantly, being with family and friends. They were members of Temple Shalom.

Al is survived by the love of his life and wife of 65 years, Carol, three children, Peter, Michael, and Marianne, daughters-in-law Cheryl and Lisa, granddaughter and delight of his heart Miranda, beloved sister Charlotte, and his nieces and nephews with whom he valued close relationships: Margie and husband Steve, Roberta and husband Seymour, Sandy, Ken and wife Nancy, Don and wife Marilyn, and his great nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life is planned for May. In lieu of flowers, please consider charitable donations in Al’s memory, made payable to: 130 Howe Street, Inc., 130 Howe Street, New Haven, CT 06511.

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