LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eli Broad, the billionaire philanthropist, contemporary art collector and entrepreneur who co-founded homebuilding pioneer Kaufman and Broad Inc. and launched financial services giant SunAmerica Inc., died Friday in Los Angeles.

He was 87.

Suzi Emmerling, a spokeswoman for the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, confirmed his death to The Associated Press.

She said Broad died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after a long illness.

It was Broad (pronounced brohd) who provided much of the money and willpower used to reshape Los Angeles’ once moribund downtown into a burgeoning area.

He played a central role in building the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Broad also spent millions on medical and scientific research programs at UCLA, USC, UC San Francisco and Harvard.

He is survived by his wife and two sons.