2016 Women in Real Estate: Katie Devlin

Katie Devlin, TLM Group

Name: Katie Devlin

Title: Project Manager

Company Name: The TLM Group, LLC

Email: [email protected]

Years in real estate: over 30 years, mostly on the design/construction side of the industry

Telephone: 212.239.7780

How did you get your start in real estate?

I am a licensed and registered Architect and have been working in and around real estate my entire career. Everything from building / lot analysis, to rezoning property for change of use, to lot consolidation processes, to site / geotechnical condition reviews, to creating construction drawings, to administering construction processes, to close out and sign off, all of it is interesting to me. Being involved in projects from start to finish is the most fun.

What real estate associations or organizations are you a member of?

AIA, USGBC, CanstructionNY, Inc.

What recent project or transaction are you most proud of?

There are a few that were most interesting for a variety of reasons, but all had an amazing mix of team members who strove for the best outcome and all were successful. One project was a million plus square feet of multiple phase, multiple (existing) building infrastructure upgrade and fit out for a financial firm in downtown and midtown Manhattan, one was a ground up, mixed use new building for a telecom company that included rezoning property for change of use, lot consolidation processes, and difficult site / geotechnical conditions in Hell’s Kitchen, and the last one is a ground up, new technology and office building for a broadcast company that connected the new building to their existing transmission facility via an underground tunnel on Long Island.

What recent honor, achievement or recognition has meant the most to you and why?

I am President of Canstruction, NY, a 501c3 not for profit organization, and we were a Finalist in the 2016 EANYC “Deals of Distinction” Award in the non-profit / small category. Canstruction New York Inc. is the organization behind the annual design/build competition event in which teams of architects, engineers and students design and build giant structures made entirely out of full cans of food. The food is donated to City Harvest after the event is taken down. To be recognized for the work that the Canstruction NY Committee does by industry executives was a huge honor.

What have been some of the benefits of being a mentor or having a mentor?

Being a mentor, whether formally or informally, is the “pass it on” concept that my grandparents instilled in us. Having a mentor, whether formal or informal, meant that I could take advantage of their “lessons learned” and have a leg up for the next occasion.

Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why?

My dad, who was a (Math) geek long before it became fashionable. He repeatedly told me, my siblings and my friends, that “There is nothing you can’t do. Figure out what you want to do and figure out how to get paid to do it.” His unwavering belief in his daughters, nieces and our female friends made it easier for me to have confidence in my knowledge and ability to work as a female in a male dominated industry.

What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you?

To treat people the way that you want to be treated.

What is the best advice you have received and who was it from?

The first architectural firm that I worked at sent me to review the construction phase of a project in Lancaster, PA when I was only a few years out of school. The more senior architects assured me that I should not succumb to any intimidation by the contractor for providing an immediate answer to any question raised on site. They made it clear that giving a speedy response to a complicated question was never the right thing to do. They gave me the confidence to ask questions and find out exactly what the issues were and take the time to provide the best response to unexpected conditions.