Harrison Towers, Memoirs of a Mogul (Glass Towers Trilogy) (6 page)

Six years later, it is 2002
I’m thirty-two years old and I am moving to Oregon, which is on the west coast between Washington and California. It was a big leap for me to take but one of which is already paying off. I had a tip some time back on several parcels that are on reclaimed land and is now able to be developed. I seized the opportunity and decided I would move out here to oversee the many projects that I am going to develop over the next several years. My financial advisor Scott
advised
me against this dramatic move. I told him I trust my gut. It is a risky venture but I am sure that with hiring the right team of contractors and keeping on budget, I will obtain the yield I am seeking.

My first project is a small condo based resort on the central-coastline right on the Pacific Ocean. I have already rented a small beach bungalow where I plan to set up as my home base in a neighboring small town, Cannon Beach.

On the recommendation of a business associate, I hire myself a contractor with an impressive resume. Karl Halverson. He immediately informed me that this project would come with a hefty price tag with all of the geological studies, zoning, permits, materials and sub contractors. I’m not sure if he was trying to scare me or simply attempting to up the price. I challenged him back with keeping on schedule and budget and he will be the recipient of a generous bonus upon completion. That must have done the trick as over the next two years he not only worked hard to stay on budget. There were some significant overages in the structural framing budget, we managed to stay on track in other areas. The project only exceeded the original completion date by three months. It is almost unheard of to be so close to deadlines. I feel like I am on a high that nothing can match, nothing.

During my time away from the construction site, I took up surfing. The Oregon coast has excellent waves but the water temperature is like an arctic freeze even during the summer. Like a complete rookie or kook as the surf shop owner called me, I bought a board and then headed straight out to the water wearing only my swim trunks. With no prior experience wielding a surfboard, I was in for a complete shock to the system with ample shrinkage. It was straight out of a Seinfeld episode. Talk about being a fish out of water. I did not even get past the break before I couldn’t feel my fingers or toes anymore. There was no way I would ever learn to surf under those conditions. After my body thawed out, I headed back to the surf shop with my head hung low. I took the shopkeeper up on two things, outfitting me with wet suit gear and then I signed up for his expert instruction. Over the duration of the construction project, I became pretty good at surfing…for a
kook
.

Toward the end of the construction project, I went into Portland and looked at more property for purchase. More reclaimed property that I had discussed with my broker, Olivia Castor. She has been a broker in the Portland market for over twenty years with a reputation that precedes her. I hired her over the phone hoping she would perform for me. She has exceeded my expectations in finding me property within the Portland Metro area that doesn’t fall under problematic zoning and geological issues. With urban growth boundaries an ongoing issue, it is not a small order to fill.

Lady luck has been smiling on me for quite some time. In early 2004, I manage to purchase properties in three separate locations that are within a five-mile radius of downtown Portland with the fourth property being located smack in the middle of town. An old derelict building that has just gotten new zoning which allows for hotel use. We will do a complete tear down but will save the front to retain the historical façade. The building has been condemned for over nine years prior and had become a cesspool of vermin and vagrants. I have the vision of turning it into a boutique hotel with an international flare. I project completion on this project to be sometime within the next year. I hired Karl Halverson to oversee the project. It is likely that I will continue to use him for the future work providing he carries on with sticking to deadlines and budgets.

The other land I purchased will have to wait. I have a large piece of land that I plan to develop into a small upscale subdivision. Olivia suggested I open it up as a Street of Luxury Homes and pattern it after the already existing Street of Dreams. I figure why not. It will only give my company Towers Holdings more clout. I don’t plan to break ground on that project for another few years. I am unsure as to what I am going to do with the riverfront property I also purchased. Previously viewed as wasteland, city developers made the property available for development as an urban renewal project. I jumped at the chance, as it is prime South Waterfront property. That is as far as I have gotten with it. When I consulted with my architect about the possibilities, it became clear to me that it would be over one-hundred million to complete a massive tower construction project on this land. Due to funding, I have to wait until I either have enough investors or my own resources to go forward.

In the meantime, I have my broker seeking out other opportunities for me. I have the dream of owning my own vineyard and have her actively on the lookout for something in either the Columbia River Gorge region, which is about an hour’s drive East of Portland, or Southwest of Portland in the Willamette Valley. Either location has good growing conditions though the Gorge is much more windy, which might make an opportunity for me to use my newfound surfing skills and take up kite surfing.

I am sitting at a coffee shop, pondering my next move when someone catches my attention, it’s a woman who looks a hell of a lot like Marion. It isn’t her, but it sure looks like her. I sometimes wonder what life would have been like had I gone ahead and married her. I sure would not be sitting here with all of this immense success under my belt. I know for a fact she would have held me back.

She was right about one thing, we both are already wealthy by birthrights, but I had to make my own way. I was determined I would not be another rich boy who took over the family business with nothing else to show for him. Now, I do realize that I would not be where I am today with my successes without having had all the education and start up funds available to me. Especially for the money I borrowed from Mr. Devereaux, but I took what I started with and made myself into the success that I am. As it stands, my net worth is in the upper hundreds of millions. I have invested, developed and sold over a billion dollars worth of property in New York, Montreal, California, and now Oregon. I find myself incredibly satisfied with my achievements, though it has come at a personal price. I am lonely with no one to share this with.

In weak moments, I have thought about calling Marion and picking up where we left off. But, the instant my mind wanders there, I remind myself of all the reasons I broke things off with her to begin with. Only in the bleakest moments of weakness does my mind wander like that. Usually after a long day and a couple of drinks and an empty cavernous condo with an even lonelier empty bed. Good thing she is getting married so I no longer have to fight my weak moments.

My phone ringing on the table pull me out of my thoughts once again. I look at the caller ID and see that it is my broker. I wonder what she wants.

“Harrison Towers.”

“Mr. Towers… so glad I caught you, it’s your amazing agent Olivia.”

I smile, “My amazing agent eh. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I think I may have found the perfect location for your vineyard!” She sings into the phone.

Now she has my attention. “ Really? Where is it?”

“It’s near Hood River, just past the Bridge of the Gods.”

“Excuse me…the what?”

She laughs, “The Bridge of the Gods. A bridge connects Oregon to Washington over the Columbia River. The name is in reference to a local Native American legend about the original natural dam that gave way after the water washed much of it away. Anyway, when the steel bridge was built, it was constructed at the same site as the original dam and that’s how it got named that.”

“Hmm, that’s actually very interesting. Sounds like an intriguing area. Tell me about the property.”

“It is thirty-five acres with the homestead taking up close to five of that. So you would have close to twenty-eight acres with setbacks that you could use for the vineyards. The house is set atop a knoll and overlooks a small valley.”

“What style is the house? Are there any outbuildings?”

“Yes, there is a barn and horse stables as well as a three stall equipment shed. The house is kind of Mediterranean style but I have to warn you it needs some serious work. The land is also underdeveloped and has a lot of overgrowth. You will definitely have your work cut out for you but I think it could be a contender. Do you want to take a look?”

“Another undertaking. I will have to think about it, I had kind of hoped for something with more bones.”

“Sure I understand, I just thought that for the price and the amount of land, it was a shoo-in for you.”

“Tell me, what is the price and any terms or contingencies of any sort?”

“The price is over a hundred thousand below your budget and it is free and clear. In fact, it is an estate, the previous owner passed quite some time ago and it has been in limbo while the family fought over what to do with the property. You go in and offer cash, I would be willing to bet you could knock off another hundred and fifty thousand, which would cover a piece of equipment you need to buy.”

I chuckle. “Ok, I will at least take a look, but no promises. I still maintain that I would prefer less of a project considering I have been in nothing but project mode for the last three years. Speaking of which, since the last time we have spoken, any luck on selling those last two condos at Cannon Beach Surfside?”

“I was hoping you would forget to ask.” She laughs, “I am still waiting to hear back from their agent, the buyer’s lender is dragging their feet. Until we hear back, we are in a holding pattern. As for the vineyard, when do you want to go out there?”

I look at my watch and notice it is only 4:30 PM, “How about now?”

“Wha…what? Now? Well, I suppose we could do that. I have an appointment this evening but I could move that to the morning…it will take at least an hour to get there though and with the traffic, I am afraid you won’t get much in the way of sunlight.”

“That’s okay, it’s not sunlight I am after, I want to see the sunset. You said it’s on a knoll. Then perhaps it has spectacular sunsets.”

“Well, perhaps you are right. Okay then, let me make a few calls and we can go.”

“I will pick you up in twenty minutes then.”

“Oh, okay that sounds perfect. I’ll just come down to the curb in twenty then.”

As I pull up to the curb, Olivia is just leaving the building. I come to a complete stop and watch her walking my direction with a large smile on her mature face. I am thirty-four and I would wager a guess that she is at least forty-five. She is a beautiful and sexy woman in a Mrs. Robinson way. Built like an old-fashioned woman with a traditional hourglass shape. Her features remind me a little of Sophia Loren with dark brown glossy hair, wide brown eyes, full lips and a proportionate nose. She is sophisticated yet sexy as hell. I never really noticed her in this way before, it must be my loneliness getting the better of me. I know better than to ever mix business with pleasure but if I were to, she would definitely be fun to take for a spin. I hop out of my car and head to her side to open the door for her. She smiles a brilliant smile and then settles into her seat while expressing her thanks.

Once we are heading down the road, she gives me instructions to get us on the right road to head out of town. Caressing the leather seat with her hand, “Wow, this is really a beautiful car, it smells new.”

“Yes, I just got this a couple months ago. I negotiated a great deal with the Range Rover Company and got if for a decent price.”

“Well I like the black with the tan interior, its sexy…if fits you.”

What a little minx. I do believe she is flirting with me.

An hour into the drive and we approach our destination, just as the sun is starting its decent behind us.

“So we are almost there, I hope we can beat the sun.”

“As long as it’s less than ten minutes away I think I will get my sunset.”

The drive up here is gorgeous as soon as we left the metropolis about fifteen miles outside of Portland city limits. Most of the drive East on highway 84, you can see the Columbia River as it snakes along parallel with the highway. I have always been rather partial to water. I grew up in a grand mansion that has its own private lake. I always dreamed that I would have my own lake or live riverside someday.