Morton “Mort” La Kretz, a proud UC alumnus and dedicated advocate of environmental causes, died Jan. 31 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 100.
A man who devoted his life to changing the world for the better, La Kretz was born in Chicago in 1926, but his family soon relocated to California. He grew up in the Los Angeles community of Boyle Heights and considered himself a true L.A. native.
La Kretz earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCLA in 1948 and never forgot his alma mater. His generosity took the form of a wide range of thoughtful gifts to UCLA over several decades. Throughout his lifetime, he gave more than $35 million to the university — primarily to the College and the campus’s conservation and sustainability efforts. His positive impact on the community and on the planet has been immense.
After graduating from UCLA, La Kretz embarked on a career as a general contractor before moving into real estate development. He founded Crossroads Management and oversaw a portfolio of industrial, commercial and residential properties throughout the Los Angeles Basin. He took the name for the company from “Crossroads of the World,” a historic set of buildings in the heart of Hollywood. One of the city’s most beloved properties, this architecturally significant shopping center on Sunset Boulevard was once threatened with demolition, but La Kretz stepped in to save it.
Advocating for ‘a healthier, sustainable planet’
As his success grew over the ensuing decades, he developed a passion for ecology, sustainable development and the health of the planet — all areas that became focal points of his life’s work and generosity.
“Mort La Kretz lived a life defined by purpose, generosity and a profound concern for the world we share,” said UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk. “His support for UCLA advanced research, education and environmental stewardship in ways that will resonate far beyond our campus. His legacy will benefit generations to come.”
An ardent advocate for environmental issues, La Kretz believed deeply that human ingenuity could help steer the world onto a better path. As he put it: “Creating a healthier, sustainable planet is the key focus of my philanthropic work.”
Uniting his interests in the natural and built environments, he funded the construction of La Kretz Hall, dedicated in 2005, which houses UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES). The groundbreaking building was the first on campus to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
The UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden — on whose board La Kretz served — also held a special place in his heart. He first visited it as an undergraduate to gather water for a biology class experiment. Years later, he traveled to Costa Rica on a popular field-study tour led by UCLA professor Mildred Mathias, for whom the garden is named and who served as its director from 1956–74.
La Kretz’s generosity enabled the renovation of the UCLA botany building, which stands inside the botanical garden and was renamed the La Kretz Botany Building in 2018. In addition, he provided funding for the La Kretz entrance to the garden and the La Kretz Garden Pavilion, a beautiful welcome center and mixed-use venue within the garden’s grounds.
Helping preserve California’s biodiversity — with science
To further understanding of the challenges facing the state’s ecosystems — and help develop new ways to overcome them — La Kretz served on the IoES advisory board and established the UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science. Administered through the IoES in partnership with the National Park Service, the center is a pioneer in science aimed at preserving California’s rich biodiversity.
“Few individuals have had as monumental an impact on environmental research and education at UCLA as Morton La Kretz,” said Tracy Johnson, UCLA’s dean of life sciences. “He was a man of endless curiosity, true vision and deep generosity who has made, and will continue to make, a wide range of important work possible.”
In 2018, La Kretz was awarded the UCLA Medal — the university’s highest honor — to recognize his impact on the campus and community. Presenting the award, Chancellor Emeritus Gene Block said of him, “The true measure of a life is not what you get, but what you give. The seeds he has planted for the future will indeed benefit generations to come.”
Beyond his dedication to UCLA, La Kretz will also be remembered for his generous giving to UC Santa Barbara, where he and his daughter Linda Duttenhaver established the La Kretz Research Center at Sedgwick Reserve — a site for ecological education and study at UC Nature’s Sedgwick Reserve in the Santa Ynez Valley — and provided support for students and faculty conducting research there. More broadly in Los Angeles, La Kretz provided the initial funding for the La Kretz Bridge, a 325-foot-long cable suspension bridge that allows pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians to cross the LA River between Griffith Park and Atwater Village, and contributed to numerous other causes, including TreePeople and Hall of Sciences at Cal State Los Angeles.
A strong advocate for the role of business in building a greener future, La Kretz was committed to organizations that seek to conquer environmental challenges by unlocking innovation. In partnership with the nonprofit AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, he created and funded the La Kretz Blue Economy Incubator, which focuses on technology companies developing sustainable business models connected to the ocean. He was also a major funder of the downtown L.A. headquarters of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, which champions an inclusive green economy.
La Kretz is survived by his daughters, Linda Duttenhaver and Margaret Blume. “My father was a remarkable man,” Duttenhaver said. “He had a tremendous impact on UCLA, the environment and our city, and touched the lives of so many people. His contributions have made the world a better place and will benefit generations to come. I am so proud of his achievements! While our family is devastated to lose him, he leaves so much of himself behind in the many projects, institutions and structures that bear his name across UCLA’s campus and our city.”
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