LUKE AND SARAH MADIA, THE CHILDREN OF FRANK MADIA | PHOTO BY GREG SCIULLI

With his head of thick silver hair and a matching goatee, Frank Madia cut a memorable figure.

The founder of Madia Homes Inc., a custom home builder and developer based in the North Hills, often dressed in a black leather blazer, with a gold chain around his tanned neck. Thanks to his sharp sense of style, his Italian-American heritage — and his uncanny ability to get things done — he was known to his many friends as “The Godfather.”

“He would make stuff happen. He always knew a guy — but not in a bad way,” says his daughter, Sarah Madia. “If anything, he was always helping people. If someone needed something done, not even house-related, he would help.”

His other nickname was the “Mayor of Wexford,” a moniker bestowed on him because of the amount of people who would call out his name in greeting, or come up to shake his hand as he dined at his favorite restaurants in the North Hills.

Whether it was guiding people on their careers, their marriages, or leading them to church, Frank — known for his larger than life personality — wasn’t shy about giving advice, either, often personally setting people on the right paths to achieve their goals.

It was from a well-earned wisdom.

Growing up on the North Side, Frank was a tough kid with a propensity for getting into trouble. Frank’s father, unsure about where his son was heading in life, got him a job with what was then known as Pittsburgh’s Port Authority Transit. It was a stable job, his father told him, and came with a good pension.

But Frank didn’t see his future there.

Setting his youthful scrapes aside, Frank buckled down and earned his real estate license. He was aided in his studies by his first wife, Jean — who died in 2019 — as well as by his great faith.

“In his early 20s, my dad had a big turnaround,” Sarah says. “He became a Christian and literally his whole life turned. He put everything on his faith, even his business.”

A natural dealmaker who used his street smarts to his advantage, Frank excelled in real estate, becoming one of the region’s top sellers. Jean also obtained her real estate license and, after Frank earned his broker’s license, the couple ran their own brokerage firm.

As he became more familiar with the home construction process, Frank decided to try his hand at building — and Madia Homes Inc. was born.

“He started with some small houses, modular homes,” Sarah says. “Then, over time, the houses got bigger and he became known as a custom builder.”

Responsible for a number of home developments in the North Hills, Madia Homes is perhaps best known as the builder behind the stately Heights of North Park neighborhood in Pine. Frank also lived in the Heights before building his elegant final home, which he shared with his second wife, Missy, on a plot near North Park two years ago.

“I think the consistency of the quality of the build is what Madia Homes is known for,” says Luke Madia, Frank’s son. “He would develop the ground and put in the roads and the infrastructure. He’d take it really from just a field to a finished community.”

That legacy of quality, consistency and respect for others is what Luke and Sarah will carry on in their father’s name.

After a short illness, Frank died in May at age 71. Although Luke, who obtained his real estate license while still in high school, had already taken over most of the company’s day-to-day business, he now fully oversees Madia Homes, including its commercial side. A successful Realtor with RE/MAX Select Realty, Sarah remains involved with the family business.

The siblings intend to honor Frank as they join forces with Pittsburgh Magazine to build and celebrate the 2025 Ultimate House.

Established in 2015, the Ultimate House has recognized six “ultimate” homes. Its 7th will be built at Madia Home’s new Four Seasons neighborhood in Hampton. The modern, coastal-inspired home, is projected to be complete by the fall of 2025.

Throughout the construction process, Ultimate House will partner with Pittsburgh’s best brands and businesses to showcase the “Ultimate” in residential living today.

Once staging is complete, the home will open to the public for two weeks of tours, with all ticket proceeds benefiting UPMC Children’s Hospital’s Free Care Fund. Since its inception in 2015, Pittsburgh Magazine’s Ultimate Houses has raised more than $370,000 for the fund.

“What I’m looking forward to is showing what our company can do, because we’re one of the last few truly custom home builders,” Luke says. “Being able to show the quality of our product and our new community is great, but it really will help some kids in need.”