Nicholas Silvers, Dov Barnett, Colin Rankowitz and Sam Sparks

Many projects in Tavros Capital’s current pipeline happen to be near New York’s iconic waterways, but that appears to be a coincidence.

“We think that people are naturally drawn to water, and many of the views that make your experience in New York distinct are the views surrounding different bodies of water,” founding partner Nicholas Silvers told Commercial Observer. “I don’t know if we decided to find only water views.”

The leaders of the privately owned real estate investment firm have left little else to chance.

Over the past year, Tavros Capital has been developing 3,400 apartments and condo units across three different sites on the banks of the East River.

Those include the Gowanus Wharf project, a 2,200-unit cluster of five luxury apartment buildings Tavros has been creating with Charney Companies since the canal-adjacent neighborhood’s rezoning passed in 2021. A year ago, the two firms closed on two loans totaling $145 million for their site at 175 Third Street, the largest building in its campus.

Last summer, Tavros, Charney and Incoco Capital secured $525 million in construction financing to move ahead with a 55-story, 600-unit condo skyscraper on Jackson Street in Long Island City, Queens. By February 2026, Tavros had acquired a 1-acre site at Manhattan’s 250 Water Street for $143 million on which it plans to build another 600 units.

Its strategy has been to identify what it calls “dynamic” neighborhoods conveniently close to transit and to utilize affordable housing tax incentives to build larger projects.

Perhaps most importantly, Tavros wants to add wellness amenities and tenants that make its projects a welcome addition to the area. Chelsea Piers, the renowned recreation center, is a tenant at the Queens and Manhattan sites, while Life Time Fitness will be coming to 175 Third Street.

“People are thirsty for community,” partner Colin Rankowitz said. “In a world where it’s easy to find yourself isolated in social media, it’s certainly a motivating thought when thinking of what types of amenities to include.”