Barbara Kavovit

Barbara Kavovit
Born	born 1966
Birthplace	New York, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Businesswoman, author, reality television personality
Known for	The Real Housewives of New York City
Alma mater	State University of New York at Oswego

Barbara Kavovit, also known as Barbara K, is an American businesswoman, author, reality television personality, and former political candidate. She is the founder and CEO of Evergreen Construction, a New York City–based construction and renovation firm, and gained wider public recognition through her appearances on Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City beginning in its eleventh season in 2019. Prior to her television career, Kavovit established herself in the male-dominated construction industry, building a business that counted high-profile clients among its roster. She is the author of two nonfiction books focused on home improvement and empowerment, as well as the semi-autobiographical novel Heels of Steel, published in 2019. In January 2021, Kavovit announced her candidacy for the 2021 New York City Democratic mayoral primary, positioning herself as a businesswoman and builder who could help reconstruct the city in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. She withdrew from the race in June 2021. Her career has spanned construction, media, publishing, and politics, making her a distinctive figure in New York City's business and entertainment landscape.

Early Life

Barbara Kavovit was born and raised in New York. Details about her early family life remain limited in published sources, though she has spoken publicly about growing up with an awareness of the construction and building trades. Her father worked in the construction industry, which exposed her to the business from a young age and influenced her eventual career path.

Kavovit grew up in an environment where construction was a family affair, and she has cited her father's influence as a formative factor in her decision to enter a field where women were — and remain — significantly underrepresented. In interviews, she has described learning about building, renovation, and project management from an early age, skills that would later form the foundation of her professional career.

Education

Kavovit attended the State University of New York at Oswego, where she completed her undergraduate studies. Her time at SUNY Oswego provided her with a foundation before she entered the construction industry professionally. Specific details regarding her degree program or graduation year have not been widely documented in published sources.

Career

Construction and Business

Kavovit founded Evergreen Construction, a New York City–based construction and renovation company. As the CEO of the firm, she established herself as one of the few women leading a major construction company in New York City, an industry historically dominated by men. The company specialized in high-end residential and commercial construction and renovation projects throughout the New York metropolitan area.

Kavovit's construction career brought her into contact with a range of high-profile clients and projects. One of the most notable episodes in her professional history involved the demolition and renovation of Harvey Weinstein's office space in New York City following his downfall amid sexual assault allegations. In December 2020, Fortune magazine profiled Kavovit's role in the project, describing how she was hired to gut and redesign the space that had been associated with Weinstein's production company. Vogue also covered the redesign of the former Weinstein Company office, noting the symbolic significance of a woman-led construction firm transforming the space. Entertainment Weekly similarly reported on the project, highlighting its cultural resonance in the context of the #MeToo movement.

Beyond the Weinstein office project, Kavovit cultivated a reputation as a businesswoman who sought to empower other women in the construction and home improvement fields. Her brand, "Barbara K," became associated with DIY home improvement tools and advice aimed at women, a niche she developed through her books and media appearances beginning in the mid-2000s.

In 2019, during the filming of The Real Housewives of New York City, Kavovit hired James DeSantis of Bravo's Backyard Envy to overhaul the backyard of her Hamptons property, a project that received media coverage in Page Six.

Publishing and Writing

Kavovit is the author of multiple books. Her first two published works were nonfiction titles focused on home improvement and women's empowerment in traditionally male fields. These books established her as a voice in the DIY home improvement space and contributed to her public persona as "Barbara K."

In 2019, Kavovit published her first work of fiction, Heels of Steel, a semi-autobiographical novel. The book drew upon her experiences as a woman running a construction company in New York City and navigating the social dynamics of the city's elite circles. Resident Publications described the novel as a story centered on a female construction executive navigating the challenges of a male-dominated industry while dealing with personal and professional obstacles.

The publication of Heels of Steel coincided with Kavovit's appearance on The Real Housewives of New York City, which helped generate public interest in the book. She discussed the novel in multiple interviews, noting that it blended real experiences from her career with fictional elements. Reviews and coverage appeared in outlets including the Hasty Book List and Really Into This.

In late 2024, Kavovit announced that she was working on a new novel titled Murder in Modica, described as a murder mystery drawing upon her experiences in reality television. In an interview with TV Insider, Kavovit stated that the book was inspired in part by the drama she experienced during her time on RHONY.

Reality Television

In September 2018, People magazine reported that Kavovit had joined the cast of Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City as a full-time Housewife for the show's eleventh season. Kavovit was known on the show for her connection to longtime cast member Luann de Lesseps, and she brought her construction industry background as a distinctive element to the program's ensemble.

Kavovit's tenure on the show was marked by interpersonal dynamics with other cast members. Her interactions with Ramona Singer became a recurring subject of discussion both on and off the show. In more recent coverage, Kavovit publicly responded to what she characterized as "nasty" comments from Singer, an exchange covered by multiple media outlets.

According to Distractify, Kavovit's time as a full-time cast member was limited, and she did not return for subsequent seasons in the same capacity. However, she maintained a presence in the show's orbit as a "friend of the Housewives" and continued to be referenced in media coverage of the franchise.

In her interview with TV Insider in late 2024, Kavovit reflected on her time on the show, discussing both the positive exposure it provided for her business ventures and the personal challenges that came with reality television fame. She noted that the experience had a lasting influence on her creative work, particularly in inspiring her murder mystery novel Murder in Modica.

2021 New York City Mayoral Campaign

In September 2020, Page Six first reported that Kavovit was "strongly considering" a run for mayor of New York City, noting that she was 54 years old at the time and had been discussing the possibility with advisors.

Kavovit formally announced her candidacy for the 2021 New York City Democratic mayoral primary in January 2021. The announcement was covered by multiple outlets, including Bravo's website, which noted her transition from reality television personality and construction CEO to political candidate. People magazine reported on the announcement, quoting Kavovit as saying "I'm the woman to do it" in reference to her qualifications for the office. US Magazine also covered the announcement, noting Kavovit's entry into the race.

The New York Times published a profile of Kavovit's candidacy on January 29, 2021, examining her motivations for running and her platform. The article noted that Kavovit positioned herself as someone who could help rebuild New York City in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on her experience in the construction industry. The Times profile observed that Kavovit "struggled at times to win over her castmates on 'The Real Housewives of New York City'" and now "aims to have better luck with voters."

Kavovit ran as a Democrat and framed her campaign around her identity as a builder and businesswoman. She argued that her experience running Evergreen Construction and managing large-scale projects in New York City gave her practical qualifications for overseeing the city's recovery and infrastructure needs. Town & Country included Kavovit in its coverage of New York City mayoral candidates, noting the unusual path from reality television to municipal politics.

Vice also profiled the campaign, examining the question of why a Real Housewives alumna would seek the mayoralty. The article explored the broader phenomenon of reality television personalities entering politics in the wake of Donald Trump's political career.

Screen Rant covered Kavovit's campaign as well, situating it within the context of the broader Real Housewives franchise and its cast members' post-show endeavors.

Kavovit ultimately withdrew from the mayoral race in June 2021, prior to the Democratic primary. The primary was eventually won by Eric Adams, who went on to win the general election and become the 110th Mayor of New York City.

Personal Life

Kavovit has a son, and she has spoken publicly about balancing motherhood with her career in construction and media. According to Bustle, Kavovit is dedicated to her business and her role as a parent, and these dual commitments have been a recurring theme in her public appearances and interviews.

Kavovit maintains a property in the Hamptons, a detail that has been documented in multiple media reports, including her hiring of a landscape designer for her Hamptons backyard renovation during the filming of RHONY. In August 2025, she was noted among attendees at the Hamptons Concours event, a luxury car and lifestyle gathering held at a private estate, as reported by Dan's Papers.

Kavovit has also been involved in discussions regarding development issues in the Hamptons region. The Guardian reported in 2021 on controversies surrounding a proposed offshore wind farm near Wainscott, New York, a community in the Hamptons area where Kavovit has connections.

Recognition

Kavovit's career has attracted attention from a range of media outlets. Her profile as a woman leading a construction company in New York City has been the subject of features in Fortune, Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, People, and Town & Country, among other publications.

Her work demolishing and redesigning Harvey Weinstein's former office space received particular attention as a symbolic act within the cultural context of the #MeToo movement. The project was profiled by Fortune in December 2020 under the headline "Meet the woman who demolished Harvey Weinstein's office," and by Vogue, which covered the redesign of the space.

Kavovit's entry into the 2021 New York City mayoral race garnered coverage from major national outlets including The New York Times, People, Us Weekly, Vice, Screen Rant, and Town & Country, reflecting the public interest generated by a reality television personality seeking elected office.

Her novel Heels of Steel received coverage in the Toronto Star, Resident Publications, Swaay, Hasty Book List, and other outlets, establishing Kavovit as a figure in both business and literary circles.

Kavovit's filmography and television appearances are documented on IMDb.