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V O L . X X I I I N O. X X I I I T wo and a half years after transforming an Art Deco-era newspaper building into Portland's boutique Press Hotel, developer Jim Brady is tweaking the story line. e 54-year-old Florida native has teamed up with Press Hotel co-owners Dennis and Chris Ruppel to form Fathom Cos., a 100-employee entity that will operate the Press Hotel with a real state development arm that Brady will oversee. "We will look to grow Fathom with other hotel developments and management contracts going forward," Brady says in his Exchange Street offi ce, down the street from the Press Hotel. His desk is surprisingly uncluttered for someone with so much on his plate, including his fi rst venture in Biddeford, as he seeks other projects in Portland. He's ready to start a new chapter after a four- year push to redevelop the historic 10-acre Portland Co. site at 58 Fore St, successfully navigating the project past neighbors' and preservationists' objec- tions. He moved it forward with rezoning, defeat- ing a city-wide referendum, negotiating a historic district and getting a master development plan approved. With one last set of local permits to get, construction could start next spring. Looking back, Brady says it may have made sense to reach out to neighbors before buying the land, but the experience hasn't dampened his enthusiasm. "You have to feel good about what you're doing, and I feel very good about what I've been doing in Portland," he says. "I pride myself on doing good- quality developments that I think are going to be good for this region, good for jobs, and good for growing the tax base." From sailing to real estate Property development is a second career for Brady, a former competitive sailor and silver medalist in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, where he met his future wife, Julia, a bronze medal winner that year. e medals, now "tucked away in some drawer," come out for occasional talks to groups like SailMaine. e couple moved to Yarmouth in 2000 from Auckland, New Zealand, after Brady had competed in the America's Cup yacht race. At the suggestion of his Olympic teammate and Bangor native Kevin Mahaney, Brady switched to real estate and the two started Olympia Development, a Portland group focused on upscale commercial and mixed-use development. Brady served as president for nearly P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY I pride myself on doing good-quality developments that I think are going to be good for this region, good for jobs and good for growing the tax base. Jim Brady President and director Fathom Cos., Portland Making waves in the property world Fathom Cos. 80 Exchange St., Suite 30, Portland President and director: Jim Brady Employees: 100 Contact: www.fathomcompanies.com Press Hotel developer starts new chapter with Fathom Cos. B y R e n e e C o r d e s O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 18 Jim Brady, co-manager for CPB2, at the former Portland Co. complex at 58 Fore St., a 10-acre waterfront site that will be redeveloped with residential units, retail, offi ces, restaurant, hotel and marina.

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