Lyricist Ira Gershwin lived in this building and paid $300 a month rent in 1930 according to the U.S. census. Ira Gershwin, in collaboration with his brother George, created some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. The brothers penned more than a dozen Broadway shows. Their final project "Porgy and Bess", initially a box office failure, has come to be considered The American Opera by many. With the passing of his brother in 1937, Ira went on to work with other composers including Jerome Kern and Harold Arlen, with whom he created "A Star is Born." Ira Gershwin was the first songwriter awarded the Pulitzer Prize for drama "Of Thee I Sing" (1932). He passed away in 1983.