Uri Kaufman is the CEO of Harmony Group, a commercial real estate investment and development firm headquartered in Albany, New York. He founded the company to merge his interest in historic preservation with a mission to revitalize overlooked communities. Through Harmony Group, he focuses on repurposing old industrial properties into residential spaces that maintain their architectural significance while supporting long-term neighborhood renewal.
Alongside Uri's business partner, Ira Schwartz, he has developed a consistent record of identifying undervalued properties and transforming distressed assets into productive developments. Together, they have undertaken and completed highly complex projects nationwide, demonstrating their ability to navigate the challenges of large-scale redevelopment.
Kaufman began his professional path as an attorney on Long Island after graduating with honors from New York University School of Law in 1989. After losing his first job early in his legal career, he redirected his focus to real estate. He saw particular promise in Upstate New York, where he identified numerous buildings with architectural value that he believed could be converted into modern loft residences.
Harmony Group grew from this vision. Since its founding, the company has specialized in restoring historic structures and modernizing them with updated living spaces and amenities. His efforts have earned recognition, including awards at the state and national levels. He is known for bringing together stakeholders, securing historic tax credits, and ensuring union labor is utilized—all while delivering projects on time and within regulatory standards.
In addition to his work in real estate, Kaufman is an author. In April 2025, he released American Intifada: Israel, the Gaza War and the New Antisemitism, which explores current attitudes toward Israel. He previously published Eighteen Days in October: The Yom Kippur War and How It Created the Modern Middle East in 2023. That book draws on more than twenty years of research, including battlefield visits, interviews, and analysis of declassified records translated from Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, and German. The work received attention from major media outlets and public figures.
His writing has appeared in publications such as Foreign Affairs, Newsweek, The Jerusalem Post, and The Independent. He earned his undergraduate degree from Queens College (CUNY), attending night classes while working. He now lives in Lawrence, Nassau County, Long Island, with his family. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, biking, and playing hockey.
Uri Kaufman remains committed to both historical research and community redevelopment, continuing to build on his dual passions through writing and real estate development.
