The short man syndrome

Add downtown developer Barry Shy to the ranks of little guys who try to act tough. In an extremely long Business Journal profile, Shy fesses up about the short thing:

A slender 5 feet, 4 inches tall, Shy is known as a fiery, impatient personality who doesn't back down from anyone. He recently commissioned a mural of the downtown skyline for the lobby of his latest apartment property that features lions protecting his buildings, presumably from his adversaries. They've accused him of everything from mortgage fraud and shoddy construction to destroying historic property. A few recent legal disputes cost him tens of millions of dollars.

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Shy acknowledged that his slight stature bothered him in childhood, especially in sports. But it also contributed to his drive to succeed as a self-made entrepreneur who wouldn't have to answer to others. "For a woman to be short it is not really that big of a deal; for men, being short - it's a bummer," he said. "Short men are discriminated against as much as a woman being way overweight."

Not counting evictions, Shy and his businesses have been involved in more than 100 civil court cases over 12 years. Supporters say he's just a misunderstood immigrant entrepreneur.