We sat down with Ben Yorker, Vice President of Development at Northwood Ravin, to explore the journey that led him to this role, the challenges and rewards of shaping communities, and the ever-evolving nature of the industry. From an early passion for architecture to the decision to take ownership of their vision, Ben shares valuable insights on what it takes to bring projects to life, maintain their relevance over time, and foster collaboration across teams. Whether you’re an aspiring developer or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes of real estate, this conversation offers a deep dive into the art and science of all thing’s development.
How It All Started
For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about building design and place-making. Initially, my passion led me to a career in architecture. However, it didn’t take long to realize that architects rarely get to make the primary decisions. I learned instead that the clients and owners get to make all the decisions, and this is appropriate given that they take all the financial risk. With that in mind, I decided that if I truly believed in my own vision, I should be willing to bet on it. I should “put my money where my mouth is”, so to speak. That’s when I decided to move to the owner’s side.
A Day in the Life
Two of the things I like best about development are: 1. no two days are the same; and 2. you can always expect surprises. These two things are especially true with new projects. When a project is in the early stages, we will spend a lot of time testing and validating what we can place on the site. Though we begin with educated guesses on this subject, we don’t know for sure how until our consultants start to map things out in scaled drawings. As we receive feedback from them, we will often have to tweak our vision, and these adjustments will ripple through our business plan.
During this same period, we will also learn more about the site’s physical characteristics (such as environmental history and soil conditions) and property entitlements (or land rights). Here, too, we make new discoveries that require more tweaks. In some cases, we might have to adjust our design approach. In some cases, we might have to pursue a variance to the existing zoning. Sometimes, we actually have to go back to the Seller to negotiate new deal terms that address a new wrinkle.
I enjoy that the early stages of a project require a lot of flexibility and creativity. I gain a lot of satisfaction from solving problems on the fly.
Adapting Spaces and Evolving Needs
One of our fundamental tenets at NWR is that we generate more value for all stakeholders (investors and employees, alike) when we maintain ownership of our properties for a long period. We view this as a competitive advantage we have over our peers who are competing for the same investment dollars, tenants, and skilled employees.
It obviously takes a lot of work to keep these properties at their peak. Cleaning and maintenance are two obvious considerations. But over time, we sometimes need to also revisit a concept or rethink an amenity. Some of you may remember that at one time we had a dog daycare operation at our Village at Commonwealth property. This was just before COVID when most professionals regularly commuted to the office. For about a year, this amenity was very popular with pet-owners who worked at the office all week long. When COVID hit and our residents had to “shelter in place”, the need for an on-site dog daycare/dog-walk service all but disappeared. Suddenly, we found ourselves with a large, useless amenity. After consideration, we decided to completely redesign that space and convert it into a large co-work amenity that interconnected with the existing café and game room spaces.
I’ll say that even when we don’t have significant disruptive events like COVID, we’re always studying and learning. I can’t say enough about how much we value the observations and feedback from our site teams. They watch as trends come and go and as behaviors evolve. They let us know when something is not having the impact that maybe it once did. And in turn, we collaborate with them on how to improve.
High Risk, High Reward
What is most rewarding in my role is collaboration with my team. Most especially, I love the collaboration that takes place between development and property management. The longer I spend in my role, the more I realize that a completed property is just a blank canvas. As a developer, I have intentions and expectations about how the spaces, amenities, and features will be perceived and used by the public. But it’s only a launching point.
When our property teams take over, they find ingenious and imaginative ways to take advantage of the various features we’ve included. They are experts on reading their communities and determining what activities, events, and experiences speak most directly to them. As I watch them “paint the blank canvas”, it plants ideas for how to design the next property. It’s a continuous loop, and I love the give-and-take.
What It Takes to Excel in Development
Truthfully, anyone can learn the basic skills to be a developer. For me, it’s more a matter of personality traits and affinities. Here are some specific examples:
- Design: Do you have very strong opinions and feelings about architecture and place-making?
- Human Behavior and Psychology: Do you often think about human behavior, social trends, and how communities function? Do you enjoy thinking about the details that make people feel happy in their surroundings?
- Passion and Drive: Are you passionate about your goals and visions, and do you have a very strong desire to see those visions become real?
- Patience and Tolerance for Change: Do you like taking on large projects that take many years? Do you like “wearing numerous hats” at work? Are surprises scary, or do you sometimes welcome them as a chance to pivot to something new?
- Interpersonal Dynamics: Do you enjoy collaboration? Do you experience a special kind of satisfaction when someone surprises you with a cool idea you hadn’t already thought of? Are you satisfied with directing experts as opposed to being an expert yourself?
- Demeanor: Are you a serial optimistic, and can you, nonetheless, also appreciate those around you who remind you of the risks and concerns?
If you answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then you’re probably doomed to become a developer.
The Excitement of New Development
The entire development process requires creativity. Even in the late stages of lease-up, new challenges can pop up and demand some kind of creative approach. That said, I do love the early stages of a project when we are crafting and perfecting the “big idea”. I love to think about the mood, style, features, and amenities, that are going to serve as touchstones for the entire project. It’s really fun to choose the key themes and conduct a deep dive into how we can fully carry them out. Our properties will always be luxurious and upscale. However, you’ll notice that each property still has its own distinct personality that speaks to specific values and lifestyle choices. A lot of thought, research, and creativity go into this phase.
Advice For Aspiring Developers?
When you are a developer, you are essentially betting on your team’s idea. These bets can be very risky, and you will have to convince a lot of people to bet alongside you. In that context, I would share two fundamental pieces of advice: First, learn to develop your own strong opinions about architecture and design. As Jim Rome used to say on his sports talk show: “have a take”. After all, success in development depends on forming powerful ideas that excite the marketplace. Don’t be afraid to start bold, even if it ends up missing the mark slightly. At least you’re getting the juices flowing. Second, always be learning. Approach everything as a scientist or a student. As you develop strong opinions, be ready to test and revise. Similarly, be ready for things to change over time. The goal is to constantly hone your ideas so that you are always at the forefront and just ahead of the marketplace.
Once again, it starts with interests and passion. Your passion for design and place-making has to be so strong that you are willing to accumulate the knowledge necessary to make your passion a reality. That body of knowledge might include construction, architecture, engineering, real estate law, or finance. It could very well be a little of everything.
You might gain your knowledge through formal academic study or through apprenticeships with different organizations. When you are in this phase, the only metric you should use to measure your progress is depth of experience. Don’t focus on titles. Don’t focus on promotions. Focus only on equipping yourself with all the experience and knowledge you need to feel fully confident as a developer. When all of that is done, then focus on linking up with a great team. Find the organization that puts you in front of the projects that speak directly to your specific passion.
Life Outside of Northwood Ravin
As I say, I love design. In my free time, I am currently designing a (very) small cottage near the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has taken a lot of work to think through all the details. . . everything from cabinet pulls to stair railings. However, I’m loving every minute of it, and I’m worried about what will happen when it’s fully complete.
I also love to be active, and I’ve had a few different “fitness journeys” in my life. At one time, I was devoted to long-distance running. That morphed into a 10-year obsession with triathlon and other endurance events. For the past 12 years, I’ve focused solely on Crossfit and functional fitness. I really like the social aspect of CrossFit, and I like that it only takes a quick workout to get the same boost of endorphins.
Finally, my wife and I recently purchased eBikes. Mine actually has a sidecar for the dogs (I know, it’s super weird.) Anyway, on the weekends, we’ll ride to a local brewery or outdoor event just to hang out. I’ve been on a quest lately to explore all of Charlotte’s top outdoor social venues.
Being a Leader at NWR
I really value Northwood Ravin’s philosophy on leadership. I find that when these tenets are truly applied, they lead to unity, a sense of security and optimism, and an absence of jealousy and resentment. These can be found in the Employee Handbook and on our Ravin’s Nest website.
Here are the top highlights that really resonate for me:
- Leaders are expected to work the hardest. A leadership position must be re-earned every day.
- Leaders aren’t worried about “being right”. They are only focused on “getting it right”. Leaders have no agenda beyond identifying the best possible solution wherever it might originate.
- Leaders make a social pact with their team members. They ask their teams to work hard on execution. In return, they help their teams gain the experience to become leaders themselves.
- No job is “beneath” anyone. We all do whatever is needed. There is no caste system here.
- Leaders eat last. After all, leaders are nothing without talented, energized team members.
Final Thoughts
Nothing builds camaraderie like sharing in a creative pursuit. If you think about it, it’s like we are all putting on a huge play together. We have screenwriters, we have directors, we have actors, we have costumers, we have set designers, etc. It takes a long time and a lot of people to pull one of these things off. Sometimes tensions run high because of everyone’s desire to make things perfect. Sometimes we have creative differences that are tough to resolve. Sometimes we find that a teammate gets overwhelmed by the enormity. We go through the peaks and valleys together and find our way through.
Then, when the lights shine on opening night, the sense of unity and teamwork hits like a literal high. Those are the moments when I think about all the folks who touch each of these big “productions”. Design, Construction, HR, Legal, Operations, Marketing, Property Management, Accounting & Finance. The finished product is diminished if even one of these team members can’t contribute.
At Northwood Ravin, we can literally say that everyone touches every project. I don’t know many places where one can say that. The feeling of connectedness is what makes this special.
