The Klar Organization

The Klar Organization
TypePrivate
IndustryReal estate development
Founded1947
FounderHenry Albert Klar
HeadquartersEast Meadow, New York
Key people
Steven Klar (President)
Websitewww.klarrealty.com/index.html

The Klar Organization (also known as Klar Realty, Klar Homes, Klar, and historically as Henry A. Klar Realty) is an American real estate development and marketing firm best known for its residential developments throughout the New York metropolitan area.

Description

Headquartered in East Meadow, New York, the Klar Organization is a family-owned company that develops and markets real estate developments.[1] It primarily markets and develops residential homes and neighborhoods, primarily specializing in the sales and development of single-family residences, townhomes, and condominium and cluster-type developments.[1] It is one of the largest home-building firms based on Long Island.[2]

Klar is also known for constructing affordable housing and retirement communities.[3][4][5][6]

As of 2026, the President of The Klar Organization is Steven Klar.[1][7]

History

Early years, 1947–1975

The Klar Organization was established as a real estate company in Bayside, Queens, in 1947, as Henry A. Klar Realty.[1][8] Founded by Jewish[9] businessman and real estate attorney Henry Albert Klar, the company soon began selling homes to veterans and families, and working with developers as their sales agent – in addition to coining the name "splanch" for the then-new type of house, which had risen to popularity in the metropolitan area about that time.[9][10] In 1954, the growing company opened a branch office in Huntington, in Suffolk County.[8]

By the early 1950s, Klar Realty was the sales agent for large-scale developments being built across Long Island by major developers.[2][11] Among the developments were the Creative Homes-developed Freeport Terrace development in Freeport with 110 homes, the 55-home Hilltop Estates development in Syosset, and the Merrickana Apartments in Jamaica, Queens.[11][12][13]

In 1969, Klar moved to its present headquarters on Hempstead Turnpike (NY 24) in East Meadow.[9]

In 1975, Henry Klar retired as President – which, by then, had sold in excess of 40,000 housing units – and handed the company to his son, Steven Klar, who subsequently renamed the firm as The Klar Organization.[2][9]

The Klar Organization, 1975–present

Following Steven Klar becoming the company's president, The Klar Organization began to plan and build residential developments of its own – with a focus on condominiums, single-family homes, cluster-type developments, affordable housing, and 55-and-over communities – by the early 1980s, with early developments including the second half of The Summit at High Point condominium development in the Village of North Hills.[14][15][16] The company also continued marketing developments and homes and serving as the sales agent for other developers' projects, such as for The Birchwood Organization and its Birchwood at Bretton Woods condominium development in Coram.[15]

By the 1990s, the company was continuing to market, develop, and sell housing units and developments, in addition to acquiring developments from banks after their original developers declared bankruptcy, including the 500-unit Waterways at Moriches development – a 55-and-up community originally planned by Waterways Development Corporation.[4][17] Other developments planned, built, and completed by Klar during this time included The Links at North Hills (located within the Village of North Hills), Long Meadow (located within Dix Hills), and Pond's Edge at Muttontown (located within the Village of Muttontown).[18][19][20]

By the 2000s, the company – by then among the largest of its type on Long Island[2][14] – began expanding off Long Island, targeting Upstate New York and Florida as additional markets to develop and open new offices within. The company also completed the 500-unit Waterways at Moriches community about this time. This trend continued into the 2010s and 2020s, with new developments including Hidden Ridge at Scarsdale in Scarsdale, and Willow Wood at Overton Preserve in Coram.[14][21][22]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The Klar Organization - Committed to Excellence Since 1947". www.klarrealty.com. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 McDermott, Maura (2014-12-20). "Gloria Klar, who helped sell LI homes after WWII, dies at 94". Newsday. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  3. ↑ Gootman, Elissa (2001-02-25). "An Affordable Home? Huntington Fills the Bill". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  4. 1 2 Shaman, Diana (1997-12-14). "In the Region/Long Island; Reviving Housing Projects Halted by Foreclosure". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  5. ↑ Paquette, Carole (2001-03-04). "In the Region/Long Island; Veteran Developers Turn to Co-ops for Older People". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  6. ↑ "Stone Ridge Estates – Dix Hills NY". stoneridgedixhills.com. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  7. ↑ Winslow, Olivia (2011-01-12). "Attorney Michael Axelrod dies at 63". Newsday. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  8. 1 2 "Henry A. Klar Realty Opens Suffolk Branch". The New York Times. 1954-12-18. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Weingrad, David (2015-01-07). "Gloria Klar, home developer and artist". Herald Community Newspapers. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  10. ↑ Shaman, Diana (1993-12-12). "In the Region/Long Island; Buyers Learn That Resales Aren't Always Bargains". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  11. 1 2 Feeney, Regina. "LibGuides: Freeport History Encyclopedia: F". libguides.freeportlibrary.info. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  12. ↑ "Backyard 'Homework' in Golf Made Possible at New Colony; Three-hole Golf Course in Backyard Available at New Colony in Syosset". The New York Times. 1957-06-30. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  13. ↑ "The Merrickana Apartments, 88-05 166 Street". dlc.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  14. 1 2 3 Paquette, Carole (2004-06-13). "IN THE REGION/Long Island; Creating Housing When Land Is Scarce". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  15. 1 2 O'Haire, Hugh (1982-10-24). "CONDOMINIUMS SOUGHT BY WEALTHY AND SINGLE". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  16. ↑ Shaman, Diana (1986-08-17). "ON LONG ISLAND; A New Way of Life for 16 North Hills Acres". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  17. ↑ Shaman, Diana (1999-02-07). "In the Region / Long Island; On South Shore, a Wave of Waterfront Development". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  18. ↑ Shaman, Diana (1992-09-13). "In the Region: Long Island; Stalled North Hills Complex Back on Track". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  19. ↑ Catalano, Joe (June 6, 1997). "Builders Set Their Designs On Alluring Home Models". Newsday. p. D2. Retrieved June 27, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Feigenbaum, Randi (September 19, 1997). "More Families Want Piece Of American Dream To Be Brand-New". Newsday. p. C2. Retrieved June 27, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ Dorbian, Joseph (May 6, 2016). "Townhomes, Estates Go Up In Westchester" (PDF). The Wall Street Journal. pp. M4G. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
  22. ↑ "Willow Wood at Overton Preserve". Willow Wood at Overton Preserve. Retrieved 2026-04-25.
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