In 2010, my partner Joseph Cohen and I began a new adventure as co-founders of East River Partners, LLC. ERP is a private equity investment and real estate development firm. What this means is that our company combines the roles of investment manager and real estate developer to seamlessly deliver the best service possible.
We focus our attention in neighborhoods with strong demand. We are especially known for our work in New York’s brownstone neighborhoods, often doing gut renovations to provide modern living while maintaining the unique, original features of the properties we develop.
Our Team
I, Jody Kriss, am a Principal and Co-Founder of our company. In my 20-year career, I have focused on real estate development and financing, but East River Partners was the first time I branched out and did my own thing instead of working with other developer companies. Previously, I worked for APC Realty Advisors and the Athena Group, to name a few
Joseph Cohen (also Principal and Co-Founder of ERP) has been involved with investing and developing real estate for the duration of his career. Before co-founding East River Partners, Joseph worked on projects in New York, Florida and New Mexico. Previously, he served as head of acquisitions for Maxx Properties and as an executive for Zeckendorf Development. He also co-founded Elliot Watson Companies in Sarasota, among many other impressive positions.
Barbara Nicolini-Kriss is our Director of Sales. She practiced corporate and M&A law in Bologna, Italy, after earning her Masters in Legal Affairs, International Law and Italian Civil Law. Ms. Nicolini-Kriss is an expert at interior design, sales and project management. She is an intrinsic part of the team’s day-to-day activities.
Our Approach
Our approach includes three “buckets.” These are investment management, property development, then finally condo marketing and sales.
Our unique investment strategy gives our investors a competitive edge in the competitive property market of New York City, and our partners enjoy hassle-free diversification thanks to our various projects.
We have an experienced development team who excel in all facets of development, from construction to law to interior design.
Because we have an in-house marketing team, our buyers deal with the same people every step of the way, which they’ve said is much appreciated.
Our approach makes us a unique type of investment and development firm, and gives us the opportunity to create the best possible properties for our buyers, while also fulfilling the needs of our investors.
In total, we have done about 15 deals now. Most are completed, but some are still in the works. The focus and attention to detail we put into every project set our quality standards high, and we are proud of all we’ve accomplished in the past 8 years. Our buyers are never settling for second-best when moving into our properties.