His father, William, was born in Bessarabia. Melvyn together with his brot- her, Robert, they advanced The William Kaufman Organization and Sage Realty Corporation, started by their father William, to the level of one of most respected and honored real estate ventures in New York City and the entire country. As a young man Melvyn learned the construction business "the hard way", by working for his father as a day laborer. It was from this early experience that he rea- lized that he had found his true love- architecture and construction. Melvyn attended New York University and Long Island University. This was interrupted by his military service as an infantry soldier in Europe in World War I. After the war ended Melvyn did not return to school. Instead, he went to work for his father. He started his career as a builder of shopping centers and small commercial buildings, but the company's and his attention soon turned to bigger things in the booming postwar economy of New York City - the high rise office building. In the early 1950's WKO built its' First New York City buildings, 711 Third Avenue and 405 Park Avenue. Several years later 777 Third Avenue followed and over the next several decades continued to develop large New York City office building projects. These include 437 Madison Avenue, 767 Third Avenue, 747 Third Avenue, 127 John Street, 77 Water Street and 17 State Street.