Uri Kaufman

Uri Kaufman is the CEO of Harmony Group, a commercial real estate investment and development company headquartered in Albany, New York. He founded the firm to merge his dedication to historic preservation with a vision to revitalize overlooked neighborhoods. Through Harmony Group, he focuses on transforming aging industrial buildings into functional residential spaces that honor their original architecture while contributing to long-term community renewal.

With his business partner, Ira Schwartz, he has developed a reliable record of identifying undervalued properties and converting distressed assets. Together, they have successfully handled complex development projects nationwide, consistently demonstrating their ability to navigate challenges and deliver results.

Kaufman began his professional journey as an attorney in Long Island after earning his law degree with honors from New York University School of Law in 1989. His transition into real estate followed the loss of a legal job, which opened up new opportunities for him. He saw great potential in Upstate New York, where many historic buildings appeared ideal for conversion into residential lofts.

That realization led to the establishment of Harmony Group. Since then, he has focused on restoring historic structures and equipping them with modern amenities for today’s residents. His work has received recognition on both the state and national levels. Kaufman is skilled at aligning stakeholders, securing historic tax credits, and incorporating union labor while keeping projects compliant and on schedule.

In addition to his work in real estate, he is also an author. In April 2025, he published American Intifada: Israel, the Gaza War and the New Antisemitism, which explores recent shifts in attitudes toward Israel. Earlier, in 2023, he released Eighteen Days in October: The Yom Kippur War and How It Created the Modern Middle East. That book was based on more than twenty years of research, including site visits, interviews with veterans, and an analysis of thousands of declassified documents. With the help of a research team, he translated records from Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, and German. Significant publications and respected public figures praised the book.

His writing has also appeared in Foreign Affairs, Newsweek, The Jerusalem Post, The Independent, and other outlets. Kaufman completed his undergraduate education at Queens College (CUNY), supporting himself by attending night classes.