Portland's Art DeMuro of Venerable Properties is the developer of record for the Millpond portion of the Gateway Master Plan in Astoria. Kirk Fausett has been manning the Astoria office for Venerable as the Millpond development materializes (See LCB March, 1999). Fausett, an Astoria native, got DeMuro involved in the community three years ago as the Gateway Master Plan began taking shape. "That is my talent," said Fausett, referring to his ability to bring parties together to make development happen. "That is what I'm good at."
As we go to press with this issue, Fausett has left the office of Venerable Properties and launched his own firm, Fausett Commercial Real Estate. His first effort under the FCRE umbrella will be to develop his own building, at 2911 Marine Drive in Astoria.
"I bought this building a year ago in preparation for this,"
said Fausett. The building, two floors of 3,400 square feet each,
was originally built in 1918. It currently houses the Christian
Bookstore, but will soon also be home office for Clatsop Community
Action, perhaps some heated mini-storage space, and FCRE.
According to Fausett, FCRE will offer four things to the real
estate community: 1. Commercial and investment real estate brokerage,
2. Fee-based commercial property management, 3. Fee-developing
and 4. FCRE-owned development projects, like the building pictured
above.At first the FCRE office will include only Kirk and his wife, Wendy Fausett. Eventually some office staff may be added. "For now, it is really a family business," said Kirk. Kirk brings with him local commercial listings from Venerable Properties, and he is obtaining his contractor's license.
