His grandfather, Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry (born 1889),executed his first independent job of constructing the Girgaum Chowpatty pavement around 100 years ago.Pallonji (Cyrus's great grandfather) had started a small construction firm in partnership with an Englishman, Littlewood , called Littlewood Pallonji and Company. It was one of the firms involved in constructing the Malabar Hill reservoir. Later, Pallonji welcomed his son Shapoorji into the business.Pallonji died in 1921