Ardie Tavangarian

Founder, Arya Group

Who will Tavangarian fight with next?

“The gentleman builder” had a legal battle with Cher over a house this firm was tapped to build in Malibu in 1996. Cher terminated her agreement with his Arya Group, according to the complaint. Arya sued for breach of contract, and a California appeals court eventually ruled that Arya could enforce its claim. 

In 2013, the developer was in contract to buy wealthy advertising executive Jack Roth’s Pacific Coast Highway property for $20 million. It led to Tavangarian imposing a mechanic’s lien to assert control over the property. The parties fought in court for years, eventually reaching a settlement. Tavangarian’s West Los Angeles-based Arya Group has developed dozens of ultra high-end projects, from residential homes to public works like galleries at the Getty Museum and hospitality properties such as Bernardus Lodge and Hotel Maya. 

His clients have included actress Elizabeth Taylor, novelist Jackie Collins, film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg and Hard Rock Café co-founder Peter Morton. Tavangarian has developed and sold a number of homes for more than $100 million. An architect by training, Tavangarian worked with the late Frank Gehry and Richard Meier. He founded Arya in 1981. Real estate is in the family DNA. Tavangarian’s wife Tania is a broker who has long served as Arya’s CFO. Two of the couple’s four daughters work as brokers at The Beverly Hills Estates.