Take 10 With Paul Niles

Grassi & Associates partner Paul Niles joined the company in 2000, finding a kindred spirit in Mark Grassi's approach to business and building. Like the rest of the team, he is collaborative and values the relationships he develops with clients, architects, and subcontractors. In addition to taking pride in the high-quality private estates and boutique wineries that Grassi is known for creating, Paul enjoys life in Napa Valley and Northern California. In his leisure time, he cycles the back roads of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties, leaving the built world behind.  

GA: Why did you choose a career in construction? 

PN: I started to study architecture in school but quickly realized I didn’t have the creative talent required; they tend to steer kids like me to engineering, which was okay, but it didn’t inspire me. While in college, I worked for a small contractor doing various tasks; after a couple of years, I realized there was a legitimate career in this industry. I had found the perfect mix of creativity and problem-solving that drew me to architecture initially.

GA: What drew you to work for Grassi & Associates? 

PN: I worked as a project manager for another contractor when I met Mark Grassi in 1999. I was captivated by how he prioritized quality in the work and his values for owning and operating a business. To say we were like-minded is an understatement; he was doing everything how and why I hoped the building industry could be.

CADE Estate, Photo: Adrian Gregorutti

GA: What have been some of your most rewarding projects?

PN: Twenty years ago, a client asked us to build a winery in addition to their home, which was nearly complete; at the time, we were known for crafting high-quality residences, not wineries. Since then, we’ve built many. Interestingly, a winery is typically much more visible and accessible than someone’s home, so it’s much easier to show the finished product. We get to build unique projects, and showing them off is fun.

GA: Which has been the most challenging? 

PN: I know it’s cliche, but the most rewarding is often the most challenging. Our venture into the boutique winery world has been and continues to be complicated. In most cases, we’re inserting an industrial processing facility into a fine luxury home environment, no small feat considering that no one wants to see or hear the ugly parts, yet it all needs to perform flawlessly.

GA: Which architectural styles do you admire? 

PN: I love modern architecture. The vision, complexity, and challenge of understanding every detail before you even start is compelling. Everything has a purpose; it’s intentional, never just a product of circumstance.

GA: What do you enjoy most about living and working in Napa Valley?

PN: Ha, look around! People travel from all corners of the earth to visit Napa for a few days; we get to live here. Not only that, we get to see the very best this region has. 

GA: As an avid bicyclist, what is your favorite ride?

PN: In Napa, it’s Mount Veeder and/or Cavedale Road on the Sonoma side, hopefully both. These days, my favorite is the gravel roads around our weekend getaway near Mendocino. There are no cars, and the thick forest opening up to the ocean is incredible!

GA: What is the most adventurous thing you’ve done?

PN: My wife and I, our very young one and three-year-old daughters, set out on a nomadic journey many years ago with a pickup truck, borrowed RV trailer, and everything we could carry. We didn’t know where we were going or what to do when we arrived. Not knowing a soul, we landed in St. George, Utah, and decided to stay. We returned to Napa four years later, but we fondly remember that time; it’s a unique and stunning area.

GA: What are you most excited about at this time in your life?

PN: We have a two-year-old grandson; I have to say that’s far more exciting than I ever imagined. I also have the luxury of working with some extraordinary people.  They take on more responsibilities running the business, which frees me up a little. I still love building and working; I’m not ready to retire, but having more time to play is pretty cool. 

GA: Song you can listen to on repeat?

PN: Springsteen’s Born to Run.  The complex but complete story it tells is everything music should be, in my opinion.  It is extraordinary to read Bruce’s autobiography about that time and where he was in his career when he wrote it.  Having little experience writing and no major success until then demonstrates his phenomenal raw talent.

Bruce Springsteen, Asbury Park, NJ, 1979, Photo: Joel Bernstein