Harlem Real Estate Developer Eugene Giscombe Dead at 76

Harlem, NY — Harlem real estate player Eugene Giscombe, also known as the unofficial "Mayor of 125th Street,” died Sunday after suffering a brain aneurysm. He was 76.

Giscombe founded Giscombe Realty Group in 1982, which soon became one of the neighborhoods leading real estate firms, said a press release sent to Patch.

Giscombe Realty Group offered a wide array of services to Harlem residents including real estate management, consulting, leasing and development.

Giscombe was following in the footsteps of his grandfather, developer Lawrence Giscombe.

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At a time when Harlem wasn't a trendy new area, Giscombe believed that “prime real estate exists past 96th St.," said the press release.

Giscombe Reality Group owned nearly 500,000 square feet of property on Harlem's 125th Street during three decades of business dealings in the neighborhood. Some of the buildings included Chase Manhattan Bank, Fourth Federal Savings and Loan, New York State Supreme Court, Bechtel Infrastructure, Beth Israel Medical Center, the Harlem Commonwealth Council, New York College of Podiatric Medicine and The Jewish Theological Seminary, according to the press release.

Giscombe didn't just keep his business in Harlem, he was also an active member of the community. He was an active member of the 125th Street Business Improvement District, Community Board 10 and The Greater Harlem Real Estate Board.

Giscombe is survived by his wife Shirley and children Lesley, Susan and Lasalve.