Deborah Bauerremembers driving up anddown an area known asStone Oak Parkway in theearly ’90s, sensing that itwould be a wonderful placefor development.
Back then, however,Stone Oak Parkway wasnothing more than a numberof paved streets, “but withtons of potential,” she recalls.
“There were very fewhouses. All the streets werein, but you could drivealong Stone Oak Parkwayand never see another caror go through a stoplight,”Bauer says. “It was like awide open blank sheet. Ithought it was an amazingpiece of property becauseit had these beautiful HillCountry views. So I gotsome investors from Austinand we started buying here.”
Much has evolved sincethe 1990s, and Stone OakParkway as we know it is abustling mecca of upscalehomes and apartmentcomplexes, row after row ofretail stores, medical officebuildings, trendy nightclubs,restaurants and traffic.
Bauer also has grownby leaps and bounds ona professional scale overthe past decades. Very fewwomen, in fact, do what shedoes for a living.
As president and owner ofDrake Commercial Groupin the heart of Stone OakParkway – 19310 StoneOak Parkway to be exact– she deals in raw landtransactions as a commercialreal estate broker servingclients in Texas.
Her success story beginsin Austin during the 1980s,when shewas a single parentraising two children andobtained her real estatelicense to earn a living.Shortly after going to workfor a builder selling homes,her career blossomed.
“I loved working withpeople, and everything justclicked. I was getting toknow CEOs, who would askme to find them incomeproducingproperties, whichled to finding land for thebuilders that I had workedfor and developing masterplannedcommunities,”Bauer says.
After amassing a numberof important businesscontacts and a solid resume,Bauer opened her owncompany in 1988. However,she chose not to includeher name in the companymoniker.
“Life was different forwomen–owned businessesin the ’80s,” Bauer says, “andsince I was dealing with landand with large developersmostly from Austin andother parts of the stateand the country, I chosea strong name: the DrakeCommercial Group. I namedit after the Drake Hotel inChicago.”
In 1991, Bauer openedan office in San Antonio,and in 1994 she built anoffice on Stone Oak Parkwayand moved the companyheadquarters from Austin toSan Antonio. In a nutshell,Bauer scouts for land forbuyers and then arrangesdeals between buyers,investors and developers.
“I’ve been blessed throughthe years to work on largetracts of land and to go inand work with engineers andland planners to achieve thebest master plans,” she says.“It’s nice to drive throughand see these beautifulhomes, apartment complexes,wonderful retail centers andschools all come together.”
Her portfolio could filla notebook. In additionto being credited for thedevelopment of much of StoneOak Parkway, Bauer has hertentacles all across the city,including the recent sale andmarketing of a 2,000–acremaster plan on the far WestSide and a current projectinvolving 300 acres at thesoutheast corner of Interstate10 and Loop 1604. She’s alsobeen the force behind thedevelopment of the CottageEstates and Vineyard Estatesin the Dominion, to name afew.
Gordon Hartman, founderof Gordon Hartman Homes,has worked with Bauer formore than 10 years. “She isnot only a business associate,but we’ve also become goodfriends,” Hartman says.“She can present the factson properties very welland will do what it takes tofollow through to make dealshappen.”
Bauer’s right–hand man issomeone dear to her heart.It’s her 36–year–old son,Travis Bauer, company vicepresident, who joined DrakeCommercial Group in 1995after graduating from theUniversity of Texas at SanAntonio with a businessdegree.
“For me, it’s the greatestgift to work with yourchildren,” she says, “and it’sgreat to have someone I cantrust and depend on, andclients appreciate how heworks.”
Travis says he has enjoyedworking with his motherover the past 10 years. “Ourfamily has always had a veryclose relationship, and I havethoroughly enjoyed learningthe business from one of thebest,” he says. “I have alwayshad a great deal of respect forthe way she handles herself inthe business. She is withouta doubt one of the hardestworking people I have everbeen around. She truly has alove for the business and forputting deals together.”
Outside of work, Bauerenjoys spending time withher 6–year–old grandson and4–year–old granddaughterby her daughter, Shelly, wholives in Colorado Springs,Colorada. She also enjoysvacationing where there is“blue, blue water and whitesand,” including Florida andthe U.S. Virgin Islands.
For Bauer, the joy andsatisfaction in her work comesfrom waking up each morningand knowing that no deal willbe the same as the one shebrokered yesterday or the daybefore. “I have to give all thecredit to the Lord for guidingme and opening doors for me,”she says. “If you work hardand do things right, you’llbe blessed, and you have togive back to the communitythrough charity. As much isgiven, much is expected, andI think staying grounded andtreating people the way youwant to be treated are the keysto success.”
