The stabilized asset fund will promise investors moderatereturns from income and appreciation, while higher returns could beachieved in the development and corporate repositioning ventures.The funds were outlined during the company's recent presentation toinvestors and analysts.p>Company officials hope to sign up jointventure partners by the end of the year. They also predict thefunds will deploy their capital over a two-year period.

The joint ventures are part of a strategy aimed at capitalizingon First Industrial's size-—73.2 million sf in a portfolio worth$3.4 billion—-and serving "corporate America" that prefers to focuson its business rather than manage real estate. "This is sort ofthe unveiling of the car we've been working on the last couple ofyears," says president and chief executive officer MichaelBrennan.

Meanwhile, the company rolls out its "two-hour rule" this week,which fines employees $50 for failure to return calls to tenantsand brokers within that time limit. The money will be donated tocharity.