Gantt, Harvey B. (Harvey Bernard), 1943-

Harvey Bernard Gantt was born in Charleston, S.C. on January 14, 1943. He studied at the University of Iowa (1960-62) before transferring to Clemson University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1965. Gantt interned at Odell Associates in Charlotte prior to entering graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which he received a Master of City Planning degree in 1970. Upon graduation from MIT, Gantt served as director of physical planning for Soul City, N.C. and as a visiting lecturer at UNC at Chapel Hill.

Since 1971, Gantt has been a partner in the Charlotte architectural firm of Gantt Huberman Associates. He became a member, by appointment, of the Charlotte City Council in 1974 following Fred D. Alexander's election to the North Carolina General Assembly. Gantt was elected outright in 1975 and 1977. Gantt first ran for mayor in 1979, losing in the Democratic primary to Eddie Knox. Following another term on the council (1981-83) as mayor pro-tem, Gantt was elected mayor of Charlotte in 1983 and re-elected in 1985. He lost to Republican challenger Sue Myrick in 1987.

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