Nelson C. Rising, a Los Angeles-based developer and political and civic leader, died on Thursday, February 9 at his home in Pasadena due to Alzheimer’s, according to family. He was 81 years old. “From Mission Bay to projects that helped revitalize Downtown Los Angeles. Nelson Rising spearheaded iconic developments that transformed neighborhoods across California. He cared deeply about California and Californians,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

During a career spanning more than five decades, the companies Rising led crafted iconic projects such as Los Angeles’ 72-story Library Tower – now the U.S. Bank Tower, the Playa Vista neighborhood and tech hub in LA and Mission Bay, the largest mixed-use development in San Francisco history.

Rising was very active in California politics, serving as campaign manager for U.S. Senator John Tunney and was the statewide Finance Director for Senator Ted Kennedy’s bid to be the Democratic Presidential nominee in 1980. He also had a longtime association with former LA Mayor Tom Bradley, serving as his campaign chairman in each of his mayoral victories beginning in 1973.

At the time of his death, Rising served as Chairman Emeritus of Rising Realty Partners, an environmentally conscious real estate investment and operating company headquartered in LA. Before launching Rising Real Estate Partners in 2011, Rising led some of the West Coast’s most prominent development enterprises, including Maguire Thomas Partners, Catellus Development Corporation and MPG Office Trust, Inc.

Rising also served in a host of civic and philanthropic roles, including Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and Chair of the Real Estate Roundtable think tank. He was part of the Rebuild LA effort after the 1992 LA Riots and a board member of the Irvine Company. 

Connect Media honored Nelson Rising with the company’s life achievement award at Connect LA in 2017.

Nelson C. Rising is survived by his wife Sharon, their two sons Christopher and Matthew, daughter-in-law Anna-Christine, three grandchildren and his sister, Charlotte Conway.