about
M.B. Hearn Architecture creates homes that bring you joy, serving you now and for generations to come.
People Are at the Core of All That We Do
At M.B. Hearn Architecture, we feel we are your architect for as long as you own your home.
We are often asked to work with our clients on second and third projects and sometimes more. We have designed homes for their grown children, extended family members, best friends, neighbors.
We’re passionate about making your life better, designing your dream home with you, and and seeing those dreams realized throughout the entire process.
We Have the Professional Relationships to Make Your Dreams a Reality
Architecture and design are important, but so are relationships. That’s why Mary and her team have created great relationships with talented builders, developed an exemplary reputation with local zoning officers and planning and zoning boards, and fostered trust with other relevant professionals in the construction field.
These relationships not only make our work more fulfilling, they offer us a balance, helping our clients reach their goals. Budgeting, prioritizing, scheduling – these are best served by the entire team bringing the project to life. We often say that we want to minimize surprises during construction.
M.B. HEARN ARCHITECTURE LLC
We Ask the Right Questions to Design Your Home
At M.B. Hearn Architecture, we start every project by asking the key questions that allow us to see your dream home as clearly as you do, and then listening to you. Listening is important. You will be paying for the build, living in the home, maintaining its upkeep. The result is a detail-oriented schematic design process that’s targeted, personalized, and outcome driven.
Mary often states, “It’s your land, it’s your home, it’s your investment – we are here to make the most of it for you.”
We Have Valuable, Local Experience
Working in a specific locale is intentional. We take to heart the individual municipality’s zoning rules, the logistics of the locale, and the neighborhood’s fabric. We have years of experience working through the zoning and permitting processes in these local towns. We know what is important to the individual zoning boards – what we’ve gotten passed and what we’ve struggled with getting approved. We have great respect for and great relationships with the local zoning board secretaries who make everything happen.
Mary spent years on both Wall Township’s Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment. This experience helps her understand the mindset of a Zoning Board, the give and take of the application. Mary is comfortable seeking variances when they make sense for all involved.
About Mary Hearn, AIA
Mary was born and raised in Wall Township, NJ. At Wall High School during her sophomore year, her art teacher asked her what she intended to do with her art skills. She told her teacher she thought about pursuing the profession of engineering because she loved math almost as much as she loved art. Her art teacher encouraged her to pursue the field of architecture, where she could put both skill sets to good use. Mary did just that. She attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and holds a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree. She interned at a prestigious architectural firm in Delray Beach, Florida, her fourth year at Tech and went back to work full time with the same firm, once she graduated. She moved closer to home five years later to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, where a lot of her college friends lived. Two years later, Mary found herself back at the Jersey Shore where her family was and still is today. With professional license in hand, Mary’s first job back home was starting as a draftsperson at a small architectural firm in Lakewood, NJ. Eight years later, January 1, 2000, she purchased that firm, made it her own, and moved it to Wall Township. The office remained in Wall for ten years before moving to Belmar, New Jersey, where it stands today.
Mary grew up in Wall and, thanks to her mother’s encouragement, she attended church every Sunday morning in Spring Lake. That short drive to church every Sunday was filled with glances of the beautiful homes in Spring Lake: curved-arch front door portals, graceful porte-cocheres, stacked insetting porches, ornate window head details, unique period window grille patterns – magic!
Education
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech)
Bachelor of Architecture
Registrations
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards 1990
- Professional Architect Florida 1990
- Professional Architect New Jersey 1992
- Professional Architect New York 2002
- Professional Architect Pennsylvania 2010
- American Institute of Architects 2006
- USGBC Member – LEED Accredited 2009
Professional Experience
- 2000 – Present MB Hearn Architecture, LLC Belmar, NJ
Architect, Principal, Owner - 1992 – 2000 DCS Architecture Lakewood, NJ
Project Architect - 1990 – 1992 Zivic & Hurdle Architects Fairfax, VA
Design Architect - 1986 – 1990 Currie Stubbins Schneider AIA, PA Delray Beach, FL
Design Architect - 1985 – 1986 Leonard J. Currie, FAIA, AICP Blacksburg, VA
Work/Study Architectural Intern - 1984 – 1985 Currie Stubbins Schneider AIA, PA Delray Beach, FL
Work/Study Architectural Intern
Meet the Team
