KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2011 / NEWS 7A --family. Doug Jr. said people would base their judgment of his family on what his dad does in business. It will be a smaller, more efficient office space, he says. Fifty-five high-end lofts will spread over the next five floors, including 10 studio apartments, 35 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom apartments. Compton aims to keep the lofts similar to traditional lofts, with stained concrete floors and nine-foot exposed ceilings in living rooms and bedrooms. The lease will come with a parking spot in the existing garage next door and access to the health club downstairs. Compton expects the lofts to be filled with young professionals and students. First Management has already had calls from prospective tenants, and it hasn't even started advertising yet. If everyone who has inquired about the apartment so far signs a lease, one-third of the lofts will be filled. When completed, the building will be as tall, if not taller than, the U.S. Bank building next door. Moving his headquarters to downtown is somewhat symbolic and counters what critics have said about Compton's previous projects that invested more time and money away from downtown, such as the rural land development of Bauer Brook Farms or the development of Saddlebrook Townhomes near Sixth Street and Folks Road. Though some Lawrence residents are upset with the height of the new building and the loss of the vacant lot where Thursday night movies and concerts were held in the summer, many like the project because they think it will invigorate and bring more people to downtown. "It was nice to go to a meeting to request a permit and not have anyone protesting it," Compton said. Bittenbender said it wasn't a controversial project because most Lawrence residents wanted to keep downtown strong, and this project would definitely help. "When you have a downtown that doesn't have employees there and it doesn't have people moving there 24/7, then there's not going to be a demand for retail" she said Compton is also hoping to renovate the Masonic Temple, 1001 Massachusetts St., downtown into a wedding venue after being approached by the owner of Maceli's, a local caterer, through a local real estate broker. Compton said he had met with the owner of Maceli's several times, but the project depended on whether he could secure property tax concessions from the city. The tax concession would allow First Management to increase the value of the building without having to pay higher property taxes for a designated time period. BEYOND BUSINESS With the responsibility of managing a large and growing company, Compton admits he suffers from pressure and stress. Over the last few years, he has found an outlet in jogging a couple of miles every morning. The more stressed he is, the longer he runs. He said he had also tried to be better about taking vacations and getting away once a month. Though he missed out on spring break with his wife and three kids this year, he did take a break from working to attend the games Kansas played in this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament. Following and supporting Kansas men's basketball is one of his only hobbies. He bought season tickets in 1984 and has had them since. Until a few years ago, it was rare for him to miss a home or away game. Another of his hobbies is working on the farm and taking care of his family's six dogs. The Comptons have three Chihuahuaus, a French bulldog, a golden retriever, a great dane, horses and a cow on their ranch on the north side of Lawrence near Free State High School. "He's a big animal lover," said Doug Jr., Compton's oldest son and a KU sophomore. "I never remember growing up without a dog in the house." Doug Jr. graduated from Free State High School in 2009 and now helps out with video and practice for the men's basketball team. This year was his first year living in Highpoint, 2001 W. Sixth St., one of his dad's apartment complexes. But he doesn't get a free pass on rent just because his father owns the building. "I've got to work for it," he said. "He doesn't give me anything for free." Encouraged by his father, Doug Jr. started mowing lawns, watering flowers and pulling weeds for First Management in the eighth grade. When he was old enough to drive he cleaned pools during the sum- "I liked it," Doug Jr. said. "It taught me a work ethic from a young age." Doug Jr. said that while he was growing up, his father often put in 12-hour days at work. When he did get home, he would often play basketball with his sons for hours. "He loves hanging out with his family," Doug Jr. said. "Usually his days are just so stressful, it's nice to come home and take your mind off everything that's going on." "When I was younger, of course I would let it get to me, because no little kid really knows how to deal with that," Doug Jr. said. "You have to learn to adapt to it." Doug Jr. said his family was very open and everyone could speak his or her mind. Some critics of First Management speak openly about their dislike for Compton and his business practices, which can be tough on his "We ate family dinners almost every night," he said. "That was a big thing. Everyone come together for dinner at the end of the daw." Despite being close with his kids, Compton said none had shown interest in being a landlord. "I think it's because they see their dad come home every night worn out," he said. Doug Jr. is majoring in sports management; Chase, 17, is interested in the arts and will graduate from Free State High School soon; and Lily, 11, will complete the sixth grade in May. Bittenbender recalls a time she visited Compton at home because she needed real estate papers signed and he had broken his foot and was on bed rest. Lily came in from preschool, excited, and interrupted their meeting. Bittenbender said Bittenbender said a lot of dads, if they were in a meeting, would have said, "Later," or "Not now." "She goes, 'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!' Look at my art!" Bittenerbader Instead, Bittenbender said Compton stopped, inspected Lily's work and chatted with her for a few minutes before she decided to go upstairs. Then he and Bittenbender continued their meeting. "His kids and his family are a very, very high priority for him," she said. "A lot of men would have handled that very differently." A GOOD FRIEND Compton's friends describe him as driven in business, but more relaxed in a personal setting. When Dreiling, Compton's former loan officer, and his wife bought their first house, they had an ordinary, cheap-looking mailbox. But one day he came home and found a custom-made mailbox that looked like a miniature of their new house. "He didn't say he did it or anything," Dreiling said. "Somebody told me and said that he put it up. It was one of those deals that he was always there to help things out. He's just a good quality guy." keys if his car broke down and has always talked about the value of maintaining relationships. Hatfield, one of Compton's business partners, said Compton would be the first to throw him a set of "Over and over, he always tells me, 'Jeff, you got to maintain relationships,' Hatfield said. "That's the key to business. That's the key to life. You maintain relationships." Drelling said Compton followed his own advice in this area. "What I admire about Doug is, there's a lot of guys that have new partners on every new deal," Dreiling said. "He's had the same partners for a lot of years. It tells you something about a guy, that if you go back to the same person, and if you put money into him and it's getting return, it's been a good relationship." Hatfield thinks Compton's success in business has a lot to do with his character. "Obviously you don't find people that build companies in really this small of an amount of time and be able to balance it all," Hatfield said. "I think it's just part of who he is. He has the right morals and values and I think it's something that's just innate in him. He's a self-made guy. He went out and did it and made it happen." WORK HARD. PLAY HARD. Doug Jr. said his father's motto was "Work hard. Play hard: If you want to have fun, you have to earn it." Based on that motto, Compton has worked hard, earning him a suite at Kansas football games, courtside seats at Kansas basketball games and a large, southern-style house. The Wellington native who raised pigs to buy his first truck can now afford the 1959 blue Corvette in which he drove friends Bill and Cindy Self in the parade celebrating the Jayhawks' victory in the 2008 NCAA men's national championship game. He drove Larry Brown in the same convertible in the parade celebrating the 1988 title. "I think we've created a good company with First Management, and I think we employ a lot of good people," Compton said. "I think we've done good things." Not everyone in Lawrence agrees, but "Lawrence's landlord" stands ready to defend what his company does and build what he thinks people want. Doug Compton has been steadily changing the face of Lawrence for 30 years — and he's not about to stop. Edited by Dana Meredith KANSAN FILE PHOTO Doug Compton drives friends Bill and Cindy Self in the parade celebrating the Jayhawks' victory in the championship game of the 2008 NCAA men's basketball tournament. He drove a 1959 blue corvette convertible, the same car in which he drove Larry Brown after the national championship victory in 1988. FIRST MANAGEMENT'S LAWRENCE PROPERTIES AND CURRENT TENANTS HOUSING Canyon Court, 700 Comet Lane Chase Court, 1942 Stewart Ave. Highpointe, 2001 W. Sixth St. Parkway Commons, 3601 Clinton Parkway Saddlebrook Townhomes, 625 Folks Road Abbotts Corner, 410 and 414 W. 18th St. Applecroft, 1734 W. 19th St. Arkansas Villas, 942 Michigan St. Briarstone, 1010 Emery Road Carson Place, 1121 Louisiana St. Coldwater Flats, 413 W. 14th St. Chamberlain Court, 1733 Ohio St. Hawthorn Houses, 3600 W. 24th St. Hawthorn Place Townhomes, 2300 Hawthorn Drive MacKenzie Place, 1133 Kentucky St. Melrose Court, 1605 Tennessee St. Overland Pointe Townhomes, 5245 Overland Drive Oread Apartments, 1201 Oread Ave. Ocho Court, 1743 Ohio St. Parkway Townhomes, 3520 W. 22nd St. Regency Place, 1301 Louisiana St. Rollins Place, 1403 Tennessee St. Stadium View Apartments, 1040 Mississippi St. Ten Ten Lofts, Ecke building, 10th and Massachusetts streets --- KANSAN FILE PHOTO Ten Ten Lofts, Ecke building, 10th and Massachusetts streets BUSINESSES - Current First Management office, 601 N. Iowa St. - Future health club and First Management office, 901 New Hampshire St. - T-Mobile, 1700 W. 23rd St. - Dollar General, 1811 W. Sixth St. - Kief's Downtown Music, 823 Massachusetts St. - Jock's Nitch, 837 Massachusetts St. - The Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St. - Great Harvest Bread Company, 807 Vermont St. - The Buckle, 805 Massachusetts St. - Arizona Trading Company, 736 Massachusetts St. - Habitat for Humanity Restore, 800 Comet Lane - Dr. Anderson, GSR Construction, Chappell and Yarn Bar 932 Massachusetts St. - PromptCare and Free State Dermatology, 3511 Clinton Parkway - Twin Oaks Strip Center including Pyramid Pizza, Juice Twin Oaks Strip Center, including Pyramid Pizza, Jayhawk Food Mart, Kathy's Alterations and Watson's Barber Shop, 701 W. Ninth St. RESTAURANTS Runza Restaurant, 2700 Iowa St. Spangles Restaurant, 3420 W. Sixth St. Esquina, 801 Massachusetts St. Pita Pit, 1011 Massachusetts St. Pyramid Pizza, 1029 Massachusetts St. Encore Café, 1005 Massachusetts St. Dempseys, 623 Vermont St. Biemer's BBQ, 2120 W. Ninth St. 3 Spoons, 732 Massachusetts St. Ingredient and ibar, Ecke building, 947 Massachusetts St. Cielito Lindo, 815 New Hampshire St. 7 East 7th St. 845 Iowa St. 1040 Vermont St. 429 N. Iowa St. Masonic Temple, 1001 Massachusetts St. 734 Massachusetts St. Contributed photo Contributed photo Doug Compton (bottom left) poses for a family portrait this winter with his wife Lara, son Chase, 17. (back) and daughter Lily, 11, and son Doug Jr., 19, (front row).