Cypressbrook Company celebrates 20 years of 'exceptional speed, skill and stewardship' in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Cypressbrook Company is celebrating 20 years of development, brokerage and property management services in The Woodlands.

In 1996, Michael Novelli, Managing Director and President of Cypressbrook, rented a small executive suite in The Woodlands and started operating the foundation of the 20-year-old commercial real estate company. He had previously spent almost 10 years with the Trammell Crow Company’s Chicago, Illinois and Austin, Texas offices. Around this same time, The Woodlands Operating Company began selling commercial assets. Recognizing the opportunity at hand, the young company began expanding its brokerage services into The Woodlands area, initially, and the Houston area, eventually.

“The Woodlands began to divest a large amount of its assets. That presented an opportunity for independent brokers,” Novelli said. “As the market became more and more fragmented, it opened up opportunities for guys like us.”

At the downturn of 2008, Novelli joined with several other operating partners to form Ascension Commercial Real Estate, a multifamily asset business, and two years ago they started Oakbrook Builders, a design and build construction business. Before they knew it, Cypressbrook became a one-stop shop for a wide variety of commercial real estate needs.

“What really differentiates us in the market is the fact that we have a rare combination of brokerage and development capability,” Novelli said. “If the entrepreneurial owner wants to consider constructing a building, buying a building or leasing, we can provide him a very good service looking at all of those options for his business.”

Bob Borsh, a local entrepreneur and investor, agrees with Novelli.

"In one of our key operating companies,” Borsh comments, “we used Cypressbrook for everything from straight forward leasing transactions to developing a corporate headquarters that involved purchasing a land site, constructing a building and even financing the project. Their breadth of commercial real estate skills was a great asset for our business.”

The variety of services has allowed the company to establish long-term relationships with its clients and investors. Denise Ksiazek, a Commercial Broker with Cypressbrook, said this is important, especially because there are very few clients seeking only one service.

“Long-term relationships with our clients are very important. There is never a client that only has one need,” Ksiazek said. “They may initially have a need for office space. Later, they may have need for some land for a manufacturing use or corporate headquarters project. At that time, they may need to buy some land. And they may need help with constructing a new building, so we try to work with that client over the years for all their commercial real estate needs.”

Establishing relationships with clients begins with team collaboration within their own company. Commercial real estate can be a cut-throat and competitive field, even within the same company. Ksiazek said the support system between the brokers sets Cypressbrook apart from other commercial real estate companies.

“The more we know, the better we can serve our clients, and we are good at pulling together an in-house team to best serve them,” Ksiazek said. “It’s just a wonderful attitude. We all like working here. We have fun together and, if one of us is in a situation that is a little bit unfamiliar, we know who we can go to for help. We share a lot of clients and deals based on everybody’s individual capabilities.”

Commercial Broker Greg Usher transitioned into commercial real estate from the banking industry and has been with Cypressbrook for nine years. He said that the entrepreneurial environment that Novelli initiates has not only grown the company, but it has helped foster each employee’s unique career.

“My strength that I brought over from the banking business is building long term relationships. It happens that this skill translates very well into this business,” Usher said. “[Novelli] has allowed me to build the kind of a business that fits my situation. Each of us has unique business plan that has allowed us to grow and develop in our careers based on our individual skills and aptitudes.”

With 20 years in the books for Cypressbrook, Novelli said the company has reached a milestone with the company’s growth. He attributes the continued success to a mature team that understands the commercial real estate business and the market is recognizing that success. Last year, the Houston Business Journal named Cypressbrook as one of the region's 100 fastest-growing private companies based on two-year revenue growth and the firm was just named the #1 Best Commercial Real Estate Services Firm in The Woodlands for the second year in a row. Brokers Usher and Ksiazek said they are happy to be members of a company with so many opportunities to grow and prosper.

“It’s nice to be with a group that’s growing, and one of the things that Mike has been able to do is not just grow the brokerage aspect of the business, which is my piece,” Ksiazek said. “But has exposed us to other types of commercial real estate developments and investments. It been a great ride and we are looking forward to another twenty years working together.”

For more information about Cypressbrook, visit their website at www.cypressbrook.com.