The largest crowd for a memorial service in the history of Highland Park United Methodist Church gathered today to honor real estate legend Trammell Crow, who died last week. Even Ross Perot Jr. had to stand along one wall. For all his vision and achievement, Harlan Crow told the crowd, his father “knew he was no better than the next guy.” Yet Jim Carreker recalled a New York meeting between Crow and a high-powered lender that was interrupted when a secretary announced a phone call for the Dallas developer. Irritated, the lender asked, “Who’s it from–the White House?” “Actually,” came the answer, “yes.” A little later, Air Force II swooped in to pick Crow up. “We won’t see his like again” is a big cliche, of course. But in Trammell Crow’s case, you got the feeling at the church today that it’s all too true.
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Having had a few occasions to be around this man, I can attest to the fact that he never viewed himself as better than the next guy. He was probably the most down-to-earth wealthy person I have ever met.
One example of Mr. C’s nature was his office at the company HQ. I remember meeting with him once, and was surprised to come off the elevator and then enter a large, open room with lots of desks, not hallways and doors. He was standing in the middle of the room, visiting with someone, and after pleasantries were exchanged he invited me into his “office”….which was literally just the corner of the room! I seem to recall a glass partition, but that was it.
In a world where every big shot is usually squirreled away behind impenetrable walls and doors, he wasn’t.