Representatives of the community and the company came together Monday for what was called a Hometown Tour. Its purpose was to give representatives of the Urbandale-based company an up-close look at what makes Fort Dodge unique.

“It’s a larger town with a small town feel,” Leah Glasgo, the president of UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge, told the company representatives during a lunch hour presentation.

Company officials seemed favorably impressed.

“We’ve heard great things about Fort Dodge,” said Chace Hauschilt, a development/operations specialist for Kading Properties. “We know there’s a lot of good things going on.”

“We’re having a great day,” he added. “We’re excited to learn more.”

Hauschilt said the company will begin building in Webster City next year, where 218 rental units are planned on Wall Street. He said it makes sense geographically to consider a project in Fort Dodge.

Kading Properties, he said, develops, constructs, and manages market rate rental housing units.

“We do everything from developing the land to installing the streets and utilities to building to managing the properties,” Hauschilt said.

A lot of the company’s properties are townhouse style units.

The Hometown Tour began at 9 a.m. Monday at Smitty’s Garden Center. From there, the group went to Corridor Plaza.

“What they’re doing with the old mall is awesome,” Hauschilt said.

A morning bus tour took the group by the Iowa Central Community College East Campus, Decker Development Park, District 29, Fort Dodge Senior High School, St. Edmond Catholic School, Dodger Stadium, Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex, Fort Dodge Regional Airport and downtown. The group stopped for a walking tour at Fort Dodge Middle School.

During lunch at the Matt Cosgrove River’s Edge Discovery Center, Jefferson Fosbender, the economic development director for the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance, moderated a panel discussion. The panel included Andy Sheffield, human resources manager for CJ Bio America; Allie O’Brien, human resources manager for Elanco; Sydney Pokorny, facility manager at Cargill; and Glasgo.

Panel members talked about their respective businesses and the needs of their workforces.

“Availability of housing is a big factor, especially for families with children,” Pokorny said.

Following lunch, the group took another bus tour to see the Northwest River District, Iowa’s Crossroads of Global Innovation, the Webster County Fairgrounds, and UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center.

The group also stopped at the Iowa Central Fuel Testing Laboratory and the Laramar Ballroom.

Astra Ferris, the chief executive officer of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance, described the Hometown Tour as a “spectacular day.”