Peter Kaplan, editor who built the New York Observer into a must-read for Manhattan’s movers and shakers, died Nov. 29 from cancer. He was 59.

peter kaplanFounded by Wall Street banker Arthur Carter in 1987, Kaplan guided NYO’s coverage of the arts, finance, media and society during a 15-year that ended in 2009.

Real estate developer Jared Kushner bought the salmon-colored weekly in 2006, which has a circulation in the 50K range.

Kaplan’s departure occurred during a round of budget cuts and a shift of the broadsheet to a tabloid format.

He went on to become editorial creative director at Conde Nast’s Traveler and editorial director at Fairchild Fashion Group (Women’s Wear Daily, Footwear News and Fairchild Books).

Prior to NYO, Kaplan was a New York Times reporter who covered the TV business, executive editor of Manhattan, inc and executive producer at Charlie Rose’s chat show on PBS.