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 founded and runs Evergreen Construction, a New York City–based construction and renovation firm. Most people know her from Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City, where she joined as a full-time cast member starting in season eleven in 2019. Before television made her a household name, Kavovit carved out her reputation in the male-dominated construction industry, building a company that attracted high-profile clients. She's written two nonfiction books on home improvement and empowerment, plus the semi-autobiographical novel Heels of Steel (2019). In January 2021, she announced her run for New York City mayor as a Democrat, pitching herself as a builder who could help reconstruct the city after COVID-19 hit hard. She dropped out in June 2021. Her story spans construction, media, publishing, and politics. That's what makes her such a distinctive figure in New York City's business and entertainment world.

Early Life

Barbara Kavovit was born and raised in New York. Her early family life hasn't been widely documented in public sources, though she's talked about growing up around construction and building trades. Her father worked in construction, which gave her a window into the industry from a young age and shaped her career choices down the line.

Construction was a family affair. Her father's influence mattered tremendously. She cites him as a major reason she chose to enter a field where women were, and still are, drastically underrepresented. In interviews, Kavovit's described learning about building, renovation, and project management from childhood. Those skills became the bedrock of her professional life later on.

Education

She attended the State University of New York at Oswego for her undergraduate degree. SUNY Oswego gave her a solid foundation before she jumped into the construction world professionally. Published sources don't offer much detail about her specific degree program or when she graduated.

Career

Construction and Business

Evergreen Construction was Kavovit's creation. As CEO, she became one of the rare women running a major construction company in New York City, an industry that's historically been a boys' club. The firm handled high-end residential and commercial construction and renovation projects throughout the New York metropolitan area.

Her construction work brought her into contact with major clients and significant projects. One episode stands out: the demolition and renovation of Harvey Weinstein's office space in New York City following his scandal. That wasn't a small deal. In December 2020, Fortune profiled her role in the project, describing how she was brought in to gut and completely redesign the space that had housed Weinstein's production company. Vogue also covered the office redesign and stressed the symbolic weight of a woman-led construction firm transforming that particular space. Entertainment Weekly reported on it too, highlighting how the project resonated culturally within the #MeToo movement.

Beyond that high-profile project, Kavovit developed a reputation for empowering women in construction and home improvement. Her "Barbara K" brand became known for DIY home improvement tools and advice aimed at women. She built this niche through her books and media work starting in the mid-2000s.

During filming of The Real Housewives of New York City in 2019, Kavovit brought in James DeSantis from Bravo's Backyard Envy to redesign her Hamptons backyard. Media outlets picked it up, including Page Six.

Publishing and Writing

Kavovit's written multiple books. Her first two were nonfiction works focused on home improvement and empowering women in traditionally male-dominated fields. These established her voice in the DIY space and contributed to her public persona as "Barbara K."

Then came Heels of Steel in 2019, her first novel. It's semi-autobiographical, drawing on her real experiences running a construction company in New York City while navigating the social world of the city's elite circles. Resident Publications described it as the story of a female construction executive dealing with the challenges of a male-dominated industry while managing personal and professional obstacles.

The novel came out right as Kavovit was appearing on The Real Housewives of New York City, which helped drive interest in the book. She talked about it in multiple interviews, explaining how she mixed real career experiences with fictional elements. Reviews and coverage appeared in outlets like the Hasty Book List and Really Into This.

Late 2024 brought news of a new novel in the works: Murder in Modica, a murder mystery that draws on her reality television experience. She told TV Insider that the drama she went through on RHONY helped inspire the book.

Reality Television

September 2018 was when People magazine broke the news: Kavovit had joined Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City as a full-time Housewife for season eleven. On the show, she was known for her connection to longtime cast member Luann de Lesseps. Her construction background gave the ensemble cast a fresh angle they hadn't really explored before.

During her time on the show, she had friction with other cast members. Her dynamic with Ramona Singer became a regular point of discussion both on air and in the press. More recently, Kavovit fired back at what she called "nasty" comments from Singer. Multiple outlets covered that exchange.

According to Distractify, her full-time stint didn't last beyond that first season. She didn't return in the same capacity for later seasons. Still, she maintained connections to the show's world as a "friend of the Housewives" and kept showing up in franchise coverage.

When she talked to TV Insider in late 2024, Kavovit reflected on her RHONY experience. She discussed the business benefits the show brought her and also the personal toll that reality television can take. The experience left its mark on her creative work, especially on her murder mystery novel Murder in Modica.

2021 New York City Mayoral Campaign

In September 2020, Page Six reported that Kavovit was "strongly considering" a run for New York City mayor. She was 54 at the time and had been talking with advisors about the possibility.

In January 2021, she officially announced her candidacy for the Democratic primary. Multiple outlets covered the news, including Bravo's own site, which framed it as her jumping from reality television and construction to politics. People quoted her as saying "I'm the woman to do it," referring to her ability to handle the job. US Magazine also covered her entry into the race.

On January 29, 2021, The New York Times published a profile examining her candidacy and why she was running. She positioned herself as someone who could rebuild New York City after the pandemic hit, using her construction experience as proof of her qualifications. The Times noted 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."

Her campaign centered on being a Democrat, a builder, and a businesswoman. She argued her experience running Evergreen Construction and managing large projects in New York City made her the right person to oversee the city's recovery and infrastructure. Town & Country included her in its mayoral candidate coverage, pointing out how unusual it was to see someone go from reality television straight into municipal politics.

Vice ran a profile too, asking why a Real Housewives alumna was going after the mayor's office. The piece explored the bigger question of reality TV personalities entering politics in the age of Donald Trump.

Screen Rant covered the campaign as well, putting it in the context of Real Housewives cast members and what they do after leaving the show.

She pulled out of the race in June 2021, before the Democratic primary happened. Eric Adams won the primary, then the general election, and became the 110th Mayor of New York City.

Personal Life

Kavovit has a son. She's spoken publicly about juggling motherhood with her work in construction and media. According to Bustle, she's committed to both her business and her parental responsibilities. These two commitments have been recurring themes in her interviews and public appearances.

She owns property in the Hamptons. Media reports have documented this, including coverage of her backyard renovation during RHONY filming. In August 2025, Dan's Papers noted her presence at the Hamptons Concours, a luxury car and lifestyle event held at a private estate.

She's also weighed in on development issues affecting the Hamptons region. In 2021, The Guardian reported on a proposed offshore wind farm near Wainscott, New York, a Hamptons community where Kavovit has ties.

Recognition

Her career has drawn attention from major publications. Being a woman heading a construction company in New York City has earned her features in Fortune, Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, People, and Town & Country, among others.

The Weinstein office demolition and redesign got particular attention because of its symbolic value within the #MeToo movement. Fortune profiled it in December 2020 with the headline "Meet the woman who demolished Harvey Weinstein's office," and Vogue covered the redesign.

When she entered the mayoral race in 2021, major national outlets took notice. The New York Times, People, Us Weekly, Vice, Screen Rant, and Town & Country all covered her candidacy, reflecting public interest in a reality television personality seeking elected office.

Heels of Steel got coverage from the Toronto Star, Resident Publications, Swaay, Hasty Book List, and other outlets, establishing her as a figure in both business and literary worlds.

Her television and film work is documented on IMDb.