Quick Facts
Biography
Louis M. Haffen (1854–1935) was a two-time Bronx Borough President from 1898 until 1909. Of German-Irish descent, he was a member of the Democratic Party and the son of Haffen Brewery founder Matthias Haffen, an immigrant from Bavaria.
While borough president, Louis Haffen worked with Michael J. Garvin. Garvin is credited with the design of the Haffen Building and the Bronx Borough Courthouse (built between 1905 and 1915), but a scandal arose when it was discovered that Garvin was not the architect. Oscar Florianus Bluemner was the real architect, and the allegations of plagiarism and fraud in relation to who designed the courthouse forced Louis Haffen's resignation from office amid accusations of cronyism, fraud and corruption.
As Borough President he selected contractors in 1897 to pave Jerome Avenue. Three sections of the road were to be remodeled, costing the Bronx about $136,505.
He died on Christmas Day, 1935 and is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City.