Alexander A. Beiro

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Alexander A. Beiro, 80, a construction company founder and philanthropist who chaired the Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals from 1974 to 1987, died Sept. 4 at his home in Alexandria. He had bile duct cancer. Mr. Beiro started Alexandria-based A.A. Beiro Construction in 1963. During the next 25 years, his projects included Metro stations at King Street in Alexandria, Friendship Heights in Chevy Chase and Bethesda.

The firm also completed renovations at D.C. General Hospital and the D.C. jail and the concrete work for the original Washington Convention Center.

In 1992, the company won a protracted legal battle against the District government over work on an $8 million vocational school for the disabled at H Street and New Jersey Avenue NW in the mid-1980s.

In 2002, the D.C. Contract Appeals Board ruled in the company's favor after years of appeals by the city.

Alexander A. Beiro, 80, a construction   company founder and philanthropist who chaired the Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals from 1974 to 1987, died Sept. 4 at his home in Alexandria. He had bile duct cancer.                                                        (Family Photo)

Alexander Aloysius Beiro was born in Manhattan, N.Y., and raised in  Alexandria. He graduated from  St. Johns College High School in Washington and from Catholic University with a degree in civil engineering in 1952.

After two years in the Army, including Korean War service, Mr. Beiro was a construction project manager in the Midwest.

Starting in the 1980s, he became a financial supporter of the Community for Creative Non-Violence, a Washington homeless shelter started by activist Mitch Snyder. He also built Heritage Hill, an affordable housing development in Orange, Va.

Through his family foundation, started in the 1990s, he gave to charities and helped students in need of college tuition.

He also sponsored baseball teams participating in the Alexandria Little League as well as an annual essay contest at St. Rita Catholic Church's elementary school in Alexandria, with the winner in each of the nine grades receiving a new bicycle. A fitness enthusiast, Mr. Beiro helped many of his construction company employees learn skiing and racquetball. In his 70s, he took up yoga. He also learned Spanish, French, Italian and Mandarin during his travels.  After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. 2001, he began studying Arabic.

His wife of 42 years, Jean O'Connell Beiro, died in 1997.

Survivors include nine children, Ruth M. Dale and Daniel L. Beiro, both of Woodbridge, Noreen A. Beiro of San Francisco, Gregory M. Beiro of  McLean and Alexander A. Beiro Jr., Christopher J. Beiro, Jennifer G. Beiro-Rockveille, Sara Beiro Farabow and Mary T. Beiro, all of Alexandria; three sisters, Joan Neuses of Alexandria, Mary Simpson Williams of Manassas and Anne G. Beiro, a Catholic missionary in India known as Sister Mary Bruno; and 13 grandchildren.

-- Adam Bernstein