Times change. Values don’t need to.
In 1971, the late Harlan Noddle founded Noddle Companies, an Omaha-based real estate
development company that would soon play a key role in in the city’s changing fabric.
Since its inception, Noddle Companies has assembled more than 150 office, retail and
mixed-use developments across 17 states. The firm also manages a portfolio of properties
totaling more than 8 million square feet, making Noddle one of the Midwest’s largest
developers of community shopping centers and office buildings.
Today, Harlan’s son Jay Noddle is driving the ship. After years in the industry, he became
president and CEO in 2003.
Leading the vision
Much has changed over five decades, especially the use of digital technology in building design and project planning. The company has strategically grown into a master developer for ever larger scale projects posing complex live-work-environmental impacts.
“Our company has developed a particular expertise as a master developer – in being the group that sees an opportunity, identifies and rallies the stakeholders, builds a team both externally and internally, and guides a process of visioning and implementation,” Noddle said. “Subsequent to that, we lead the effort for zoning and entitlements, oversee the design and delivery of the infrastructure and take responsibility for making deals with developers to bring their specialty uses to a place.”
Master developer expertise was arrived at “not by accident,” he said “but out of necessity.”
“We wanted to grow and so we had to find ways to sell our services. In a lot of cases we had to figure out what the industry needs,” Noddle said.
What hasn’t changed is the firm’s basic drive beyond bottom line success to make a
positive difference where it works. That community focus, paired with business ethics,
is derived in large part from Noddle’s father.
“My values of honesty and integrity are certainly ones he helped shape. A sense of
community and a desire and commitment to put back into the community – I got a lot of that
from him. We try really hard to do the right thing for the communities we work in and
Omaha’s the most special of the communities because it’s home.”
A guiding framework is key.
“Our approach is shaped by a sense of direction. What does the community need from an
economic development perspective? Because that’s the business we’re in;We’re in the
economic development business, which is jobs and tax base and what I call
offerings-opportunities for business and entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes to grow.”
None of it happens without an intentional process.
“It requires being more inclusive, transparent, patient and tolerant in the equation. It requires
reaching out and having a group to help you shape and form a project and thinking about it
from a place-making perspective.
“Place-making is really pretty simple, if you let it be,” he continues. “That was another thing
my dad focused on:keeping it simple. You can do the most complicated project in the world,
but keep the process simple. Those might sound like mutually exclusive concepts, but they’re
really not.”
Regarding projects as community assets is central.
“The goal of creating a community asset is a simple pathway of following what a community
wants and needs, what it will use and what makes sense,” he said. “Then it becomes pretty
clear.”
Aksarben Village: The epitome of collaboration
Among Noddle’s signature master developer projects is Aksarben Village, whose buildout will be complete once the coveted HDR world corporate headquarters tower is erected in 2019.
With $800 million worth of mixed-use investments on track to reach a billion, Aksarben Village is a model of cooperative interests.
“I would submit to you Aksarben Village is becoming known as one of the best examples of collaboration in the industry anywhere in the country.”
The site was once a popular destination with a thoroughbred horse racing track and civic-sports-arts coliseum. Once both venues were closed and razed, the prime piece of real estate begged for a new life.
“When we started dreaming about what it could be, one of our guiding principles was to create a community asset that would become as important and meaningful for the community for the next century as the previous uses were for the prior century,” Noddle explained. “We developed a group of stakeholders, brought them together, and they represented community, academia,
business,and it’s been pretty remarkable to see what has happened.”
UNO adopted The Village as its south campus, with ever expanding dorms, offices,
classrooms, and the adjacent Baxter Arena. Aksarben Cinema is a busy multiplex. Stinson
Park is a well-used recreation and event space. Food, health, technology, insurance, and
engineering-architectural businesses operate in the Village.
“It’s been very gratifying to be in the middle of it,” Noddle said from his company’s on-site
office.” There are 15,000 people active here on a daily basis, so the activity in this part of
the city has picked back up. It’s a total reactivation.”
Many players came together to give the the Village’s diverse tenant roster a chic, tidy,
unified look. In fact, fourteen different individual development projects have been built using
the same set of comprehensive design guidelines and principles, Noddle said.
“It’s the same methodology we’re using for our River’s Edge project in Council Bluffs. It’s the
city, the state, the county, Iowa West Foundation and several developers and we’re working
through it just fine. The same methodology will be used for West Farm.”
West Farm: A $1.2B “once in a lifetime” project
Once Noddle Companies proved its master developer stripes, others came calling. Today, Noddle Companies is taking the lead role as master developer for two new mixed-use projects, including the River’s Edge project in Council Bluffs, and the $1.2 billion West Farm project in Boys Town.
“When Council Bluffs and State of Iowa leadership saw what we were doing at Aksarben Village, they sought us out,” he said. “The West Farm project came about in a very similar way. In need of a
new campus, Applied Underwriters sought us out.”
He continues: “What’s been remarkable is that our first meeting was the first week in
February 2016; By July 2017, that land has been acquired, completely planned, zoned,
entitled. The infrastructure’s been designed. It’s out for bid. We’re grading the property.
There are businesses of all shapes and forms making commitments for investment there
of one style or another: the City of Omaha, the State of Nebraska, Douglas County, the
Village of Boys Town, the NRD. We got it done in record time with a lot of collaboration.”
The 500-acre West Farm will encompass a broad mix of residential, office-retail, green
spaces, trails and gathering spots. It’s the latest iteration of partnering to create a lasting
cityscape imprint.
Noddle describes West Farm as “a once in a lifetime opportunity in the life of a
development company”and “a once in a few generations opportunity for a community.”
“The land is great ground. It’s a fabulous location. The infrastructure’s essentially in place.
There’s great neighborhoods all the way around,” Noddle said. “It truly is the hole in the
neighborhood, but it’s big enough to build a whole community. We believe there’ll be about
a 15,000 to 18,000 resident population there when we get done.”
It’s apt a company whose projects helped Omaha blossom will again grow the city’s horizons.
Creating and sustaining community assets remains paramount.
Teamwork makes the dream work
Collaboration and communication make it all work.
“You can look around the metro Omaha landscape and see a lot of larger projects that required
collaboration and coordination by a lot of players,” he said, noting a slew of projects including the
riverfront redevelopment, the Gallup campus, the National Park Service regional headquarters, the
First National Business Park, One Pacific Place, the FBI’s new regional headquarters, and Kiewit
University, to name a few.
With that track record, Noddle said, Applied Underwriters had faith Noddle Companies
would deliver.
“Applied’s leadership said, ‘Let’s develop this together,’ and they had the patience, the
means, and most importantly the vision and desire to do it. And so they are a client, a
partner, and what I call a sponsor, and it’s a great relationship.”
Other decision makers also bought into Noddle Companies proven track record.
“When we looked at the various organizations, entities, and boards that needed to
provide an approval, there was a high level of trust there.”
Having a longtime partner in First National Bank helps.
“We were a borrower and then the master developer of its business park,” Noddle said.
“We built their building and garage. That led to us assembling all the land and relocating all
the businesses for the First National Tower,parking structures and child development center.
“What’s neat about it is that we’re a vendor and a client. We have a few of those relationships,
but none quite as significant or as strong as First. You learn a lot about somebody when they
make a presentation in the boardroom and advise you to think through a project.”
Noddle said it’s no accident these deeply rooted relationships extend over decades.
“It’s common cultures, business philosophies, ethics, commitment to the community – all of
the above.”
“I think our (company) culture and philosophy is fundamentally the same. The types of
projects we work on and the conditions under which we work are so much different than
before. But we’ve been able to maintain our fundamentals: our desire to own things
long-term,to make a difference in the community, to do business with our neighbors and to
take a lot of pride in our work.
“Particularly the mixed-use or larger projects are places for the community to use and live,
work, play, learn. And so you’re looking beyond just a simple investment, and well beyond
just one building. You’re looking at an entire area and what can it be, what can it do and how
can it serve the community.”
He concedes his lean team is in an enviable position.
“We’re really lucky to work on, partly own, and continue our involvement with projects that I
think truly have changed how we live and work in this community.
“And all the while, we have an operating portfolio in 11 states, so we’re busy everywhere.”
Wherever new growth opportunities emerge, Noddle Companies stays poised and nimble to
act.
“We keep our eyes open.”
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