Charles Vincent Paterno, born Canio Paternò, August 4, 1878 – May 30, 1946, was an Italian-born American real estate uptown and Harlem developer. He was called the “Napoleon of the Manhattan Skyscraper Builders.”

Life and career

Born in Castelmezzano, in the Italian region of Basilicata, to Giovanni Paternò, a real estate businessman, and Carolina Trivigno, Paterno relocated to the United States due to financial problems caused by an earthquake that destroyed a construction project that his father was involved with.