By Ruth Longoria

A colossal white crane — with an American flag waving in the breeze atop the platform arm — lifts huge concrete and steel forms and transports them through the air. The broad front blade of a bulldozer pushes gravel and dirt, flattening and maneuvering the earth.

Moving to the steady hum of engine roars and metallic clinks, more than a dozen crane workers, dozer drivers and construction workers in hard hats and brightly colored safety vests perform various muscle-building tasks within the confines of the cyclone fenced enclosure.

It was a typical work day last week, on the downtown corner of 77th Avenue S.E. and S.E. 27th Street, the site of what is beginning to take shape as the foundation and form of The Mercer — what will be a set of two, five-story retail and residential structures. A block northwest of there, slightly more advanced actions take place on the construction of Island Market Square and, across the street from that, the 7800 Plaza lot lies in its fenced enclosure waiting to be disturbed into similar progressive and productive revelry.

And, within a few blocks, inside the U.S Bank building, sits the office of Dollar Development, where company president and Islander James Cassan pulls the paperwork strings that keep his construction project moving.

Cassan is the face behind The Mercer development. However, it’s a face seldom seen by the public, since Cassan prefers not to be in the limelight of press and publicity. He also is a busy man. Though Cassan’s southern drawl can be heard on his cell phone answering message saying: “I can’t talk with you right now; but I do want to talk with you,” Cassan rarely spares a moment to discuss himself or his involvement in the project, which consumes his days. In between construction meetings, talking with workers, planners and others involved in the development, or rushing off to catch an airplane, he has little extra time.

But despite his hectic work week, Cassan doesn’t just live for business. Cassan and his wife, Doris, have lived on the Island since 1967, and have three adult children, all graduates of Mercer Island High School. For the past 15 years or more, the Cassan family have been active in their church, Mercer Island Covenant Church, where James and Doris Cassan teach children’s church — for kids in pre-kindergarten to second-grade — during the Sunday morning service.

“Kids gravitate to him; James is very personable,” said Julie Steel, a pastor at Mercer Island Covenant Church. “He’s been a volunteer of mine for years and he’s always willing to help, time-wise, financially, or in any way. He’s a real servant.”

Cassan also is involved in the international student program at the church, which meets Sunday afternoons, Steel said. “There’s a ton of other things he does, but he’s very modest and doesn’t want to show off.”

In addition to church involvement and spending time with his family, which Cassan said, he doesn’t want to talk publicly about, he does say he enjoys recreational activities, such as playing golf and painting, primarily in oils. He also likes to run. He recently finished the Island’s Rotary Run 8k with a time of 1:02:38. Though he won’t tell his age, he competed in the 65 to 69 year old men’s category.

Cassan said he and his family enjoy living on the Island, and that’s why he enjoys doing business here and why he decided to build the Mercer in the downtown Town Center.

“We live here, and we’re very happy here,” Cassan said. “So, we wanted to build — and we are building a quality project.”