SL_PROFILE_Meridian_Bank_0221_FINAL_Layout 1 2 / 22 / 21 5 : 33 PM Page 1 D PROFILE BUILDINGUP big job , and all the way through to couples who Exceptional construction , skillful site location , were just married and maybe just had a baby . ” and a close relationship with Meridian Bank fuel Connecting the Dots TierView owes its success to factors such as TierView Development’s rise in Philadelphia . smart decision - making , skillful site location , and high - quality construction . Patrino can think b y P H I L G I A N F I C A R O | p h o t o g r a p h y b y J E F F A N D E R S O N of another factor that has helped power the company’s early success : TierView’s relationship with Meridian Bank . Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Malvern , Meridian Bank has grown organically to nearly $ 2 billion in assets . Known for its quick and flexible approach to deploying capital , Meridian finances the entrepreneurs , businesses , and robust development activity which char - acterize the Greater Philadelphia region . When TierView was making the jump from 10 - to 20 - unit projects to a 50 - unit project , the company sought financing from upwards of 30 banks . The general reaction among those prospective banks , as she recalls : “ We’re not taking the risk . ” Enter Meridian . James McIlhinney , general contractor for TierView , introduced Patrino and Low to Clarence Martindell , Executive Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Lending . “ We were able to go through Jenn’s history to see how her smaller units were built , handled , TierView Development’s Jenn Patrino and Meridian’s leased up , and stabilized , ” Martindell says . Clarence Martindell discuss forthcoming development projects . “ Moving to larger units was the next logical step for TierView . We saw that she had assem - bled a great team , from architects to legal advi - enn Patrino’s ascent began 18 years ago , as a 19 - year - old living in the sors , but it was also about knowing Jenn and San Francisco area . At the time she was working three jobs to make ends meet as how she really manages every aspect of the she put herself through college . Her then - boyfriend worked for a construction company J company . ” amid a building boom in the Bay Area , and the builder needed help answering phones . Patrino calls Martindell a “ great partner ” Patrino’s boyfriend encouraged her to take the job . She did . because he has a similar background in devel - “ In the first couple days , I realized the woman doing the bookkeeping wasn’t getting the opment , which gives him an intimate under - job done , ” Patrino recalls . “ She wasn’t opening mail or paying bills . One of the keys to my standing of TierView’s business . success is that I’m bossy and nosey . So , I went to the boss of the company and told him “ When I was getting my start going from what I saw and that I could do better . The boss let her go , and I took on the job without any construction to development , Clarence met with bookkeeping experience . ” Roger and I about banking and finance , ” she Within a few years , Patrino was running the company . She continued her steady rise , adds . “ He helped us get familiarized with Philadel - driven by qualities any industry leader would need to thrive — namely , intelligence , vision , phia , as I had never been to Philadelphia before . attention to detail , adaptability , and old - fashioned hard work . He was so generous with his time , and gave us These same qualities provided the bedrock upon which Patrino and her business the lay of the land . He showed us pieces of the partner Roger M . Low built their residential and commercial real estate company , TierView business and how to connect the dots . ” Development . Founded in 2012 , TierView has grown to approximately $ 100 million in assets under management in Philadelphia and Austin , Texas . The firm has earned a reputation for All Bases Covered social responsibility as it creates distinctive spaces that have a durable aesthetic appeal . While Patrino credits Martindell and Meridian “ One of my goals in business was to provide people something better than what they for financing her projects when other banks think they can afford , ” Patrino says . “ I want to provide tenants with an environment that is wouldn’t , Martindell views their relationship home . We do rental apartments with commercial space on the ground floor — one - , two - , differently . and three - bedroom flats , but a typical - size apartment is between 600 and 700 square feet . “ Jenn’s probably overly thankful for us , ” We’re trying to target someone fresh out of college , maybe somebody who just got their first he admits . “ The truth is that her track record SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2021 42 |