Kishner, Irwin, 1933-2017

Irwin Kishner was born in 1933 in Brighton Beach, New York and lived there until he was 13 years old, when the family relocated to Miami, Florida. Irwin graduated from high school and went on to earn his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 1954 and his law degree from the University of Miami in 1958.

In 1960, he moved to Las Vegas to work with his uncle, Herman Kishner. An early development project for them was a motel across the street from the Frontier. Soon, Irwin was building the Somerset Apartments on Kishner Drive, near the Riviera, just north of Convention Center Drive.

Between 1962 and 1966, Kishner developed the remainder of the short street with the opening of the Somerset House motel, Somerset Gardens apartment complex, and the Somerset Shopping Center. In the 1970s, it was Kishner’s leadership of Temple Beth Sholom’s Building and Planning Committee that completed the Ruby Kolod Recreation Center.

Kishner’s philanthropy and leadership extended to many community organizations, some of which were: Las Vegas Rotary, Boys and Girls Clubs, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority, United Way, Opportunity Village, Child Haven, March of Dimes, National Conference of Christians and Jews.

Irwin was a father to two daughters: Joanna Kishner and Sharon Kishner, both of which were born in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Kishner passed away in 2017.