Keep Away From Booze and Women Until You're 12, Advises West Orange Centarian

Gil Seltzer celebrated his 100th birthday last weekend with a 73 guests, including his two children and two grandchildren.

Seltzer, who was born in Toronto in 1914, is the owner of Gilbert L. Seltzer Associates in West Orange. He still drives himself to work every day.

“I love my work,” he says. “As long as people trust me with their problems, I’ll be here to take care of them.”

Seltzer began his architecture career during the Great Depression. His academic program required him to have 12 months of experience in the field, but work was hard to find -- even if it was unpaid.

Seltzer eventually moved to New York City to work with an architect whom he’d worked for during all of his school vacations. “After graduation,” he says, “I got the job for good. “

Seltzer became a partner in the business, and when his mentor passed away, he became the owner. Now he specializes governmental and institutional work, which mostly means colleges and universities. He has also designed buildings for hospitals.

He’s been working there ever since, except for 4 years in the American army during WWII. Information on the Ghost Army was classified until 1996, but e spoke about the Ghost Army in a documentary on PBS, and at the Holocaust Museum in Naples, Florida.

“I kept away from booze and women until I was 12,” he says. “I don’t believe in exercise, I eat whatever I want, do whatever I want, and I don’t worry about it.”