714 Lady Street
Site of M.B. Kahn Construction
Russian immigrant Myron B. Kahn (1887-1966) arrived in Columbia in the 1920s and established the general contracting business of Sellers and Kahn in 1927. Following the firm's dissolution in 1934, the House of Peace member founded M. B. Kahn Construction Company, which initially specialized in building private residences and mid-sized businesses and institutions, including the House of Peace Synagogue and Tree of Life Congregation. The company eventually shifted to large-scale projects, including shopping malls and banks.
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Portrait of Myron B. Kahn. Image courtesy Alan Kahn
Under the leadership of M. B. Kahn's son, Irwin (1912-1990), the firm also erected 27 buildings at the University of South Carolina from 1935 to 1985. The family-owned business continues to operate today under the leadership of Kahn's grandson, Alan, who was instrumental in constructing the Jewish Community Center in Northeast Columbia, which carries the name of his mother and father, Katie (1914-1973) and Irwin (1912-1990). Further additions by M. B. Kahn Construction to the city's skyline include the Columbia Convention Center and the Richland Library Main Branch.