81R6092 BPG-D
By: Branch H.R. No. 1332
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The life of a remarkable figure in the annals of
American business drew to a close on January 14, 2009, with the
death of legendary developer Trammell Crow at the age of 94; and
WHEREAS, Born in Dallas on June 10, 1914, Mr. Crow grew up in
humble circumstances, one of eight children of a bookkeeper; he
began taking odd jobs as an enterprising 10-year-old and later
helped his family through the Depression; after graduating from
Woodrow Wilson High School in 1932, he worked in a bank and took
night classes, becoming a teller and then studying accounting at
Southern Methodist University; he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during
World War II, serving as an auditor, and attained the rank of
commander; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Crow demonstrated bold vision with his first
real estate deal in 1948, pioneering the practice of speculative
building; he constructed a warehouse for the Rayovac Company and
added extra space, for which he later found a second tenant; his
acumen soon made him a major industrial developer in his hometown;
he built more than 50 warehouses and sculpted the commercial
landscape with numerous projects, among them the city's largest
hotel, the world's biggest wholesale trade center, and the 50-story
Trammell Crow Center and five other downtown skyscrapers; and
WHEREAS, Ever the innovator, Mr. Crow featured an atrium in
the one-million-square-foot Dallas Trade Mart, and this concept was
widely adopted for myriad prominent office buildings and hotels
around the country; his revolutionary business model enabled him to
help shape the skylines of Atlanta, San Francisco, and dozens of
other U.S. cities; the World Trade Center transformed Dallas into a
center for international commerce, while the Peachtree Center
brought dramatic growth to Atlanta's downtown; one of the first
U.S. developers to operate globally, Mr. Crow expanded his empire
to reach from Europe and the Middle East to South America, the Far
East, and the South Pacific islands; and
WHEREAS, Although many real estate developers quickly sold
off their projects for fast profits, Mr. Crow retained ownership of
the properties he built over the long term, and he was known for his
responsiveness to the needs of his tenants; at one time, he had
interests in some 8,000 properties in more than 100 cities, and he
was named the biggest landlord in the United States by Forbes
magazine and The Wall Street Journal; he also founded the Wyndham
Hotel Company and developed its chain of first-class hotels; and
WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan stepped down as chief executive
of the Trammell Crow Company in 1977, but he remained involved in
deals for some time and was long active in politics, the arts, and
philanthropy; he and his wife supported many cultural organizations
and established the Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian
Art in 1998, leaving an indelible imprint on the Dallas Arts
District, and donated funds for construction of a business school
building at Southern Methodist University; moreover, Mr. Crow
created the National Tree Trust and turned the family farm in East
Texas into a tree nursery; and
WHEREAS, A mentor to countless real estate magnates and
successful executives, Mr. Crow was a devoted family man and loyal
friend as well; members of his circle, which included business
titans and presidents, admired his wit, good humor, and optimism,
and he will long be remembered not only as a giant of commerce, but
also as a man of uncommon generosity and sterling character; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Trammell Crow and
extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife of
66 years, Margaret Crow; to his children, Robert, Howard, Harlan,
and Stuart Crow, Trammell S. Crow, and Lucy Billingsley; to his 16
grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives
and friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Trammell
Crow.