When it comes to building a home, finding a competent and timely builder is essential; when it comes to building an over-the-top mansion or estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, there’s only one man to call: Mark Mariani. A 40+ year veteran of the trade, Mariani isn’t just a builder; he’s a property developer and visionary, able to turn a pasture into a personal paradise.
In what is considered “the richest town per capita in the world,” Mariani is called upon by the rich and famous to design and build homes in the 18,000+ square foot range.
In order to accomplish such a feat, and many others like it, Mariani has spent decades learning and honing his skills, growing his business, and making connections. His work ethic and a natural eye for design, combined with his experience in construction and landscaping, have made him the go-to builder in moneyed Greenwich. But how did a boy from the Bronx become the most desired developer of the world’s most opulent manor homes?
Getting Started
Although he was born in the Bronx, Mariani grew up in Armonk, New York, where he often spent more than 10 hours each day immersed in nature. He would climb trees and observe the rhythm of the natural world. In his own words, “I spent hours in the woods, both unconsciously and intentionally, registering the perfect imperfection of things around me. This was stirringly beautiful to me.”
As a young man, Mariani was called upon to contribute financially to his family; he turned to construction and landscaping jobs when he was still a preteen. These years would ultimately shape his entire career.
“The variety of work I could do in each [construction and landscaping] was endless and I discovered I was both adept and passionate at every opportunity to transform natural or structural spaces,” Mariani has explained. “My tireless energy, unwavering work ethic, and discerning eye allowed me to outlast any worker; (always older than me), and exceed my or anyone else’s expectations while running a machine or using my hands.”
By 21, Mariani realized that he was capable of starting his own construction company, and in fact had the potential to compete with or surpass the companies he had been employed by. He accepted the challenge and founded Mark Mariani, Inc.
A Step Above
For Mark Mariani, becoming an entrepreneur has been challenging and rewarding, but required tremendous courage and ambition; luckily, he has both. He is also deeply inspired and excited by landscape and home design, taking years to study and understand how every element works together in harmony. But there are other important factors that have set Mariani apart.
“I felt I could bring an entirely new language, vision, and manner of execution to both. The unconventional, harmonious, and successful nature of my work relies on unique creativity and a high level of detailed organization, no matter the project’s scope,” he says.
“I also feel comfortable not knowing something and welcome those who do. The wide-ranging, complex nature of many of our projects thus requires a team who offer ideas, solutions, and information I may not know or have. I welcome and hire those I can learn from; ensuring a more diverse, complete, and multifaceted approach to interior and exterior designs.
Lastly, the work I do requires tremendous physical and mental energy I maintain on a daily basis through a healthy, clean diet and exercise regimen…knowing that ‘health is wealth.’”
Productivity Leads to Performance for Mark Mariani
On the job site, Mariani leads a team that can total in the hundreds – every single day. In order to complete projects at the rate that he does, he often has 350-400 workers onsite at a time, working triple shifts when necessary. Mariani’s own days are full starting at 4 am.
After 12-14 hours of work, “on multiple job sites, overseeing a variety of activities by troubleshooting, running machines, and redefining/redesigning any part of a project in real-time, visiting all landscape and building sites at every phase and on an ongoing basis,” Mariani returns home to workout. His days are grueling, but he feels that this schedule keeps his mind, body, and spirit at their highest performance level and ability.
As his clients will attest to, “Mark gets up at four in the morning, so if someone comes in late, he knows it because he’s already sitting on a bulldozer and has moved a ton of something.”
Mariani’s reputation precedes him, and maintaining it is his top priority. After all, it is the key to his immense success.