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Court battle over Noah's Ark future ends in settlement

After a five-year court battle, the manager of Noah's Ark, a staple on Des Moines' Ingersoll Avenue, came to a settlement over the restaurant.

DES MOINES, Iowa — After a five-year legal battle between family members over the future of Noah's Ark Ristorante on Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines, the involved parties have reached a settlement.

The settlement allows the restaurant to remain open at its current location, and to remain under the ownership of the Lacona family, who started the restaurant back in the 1940s.

"I was born at Mercy, and I came here before I even went home," said manager James Lacona II. "So this was, you know, my first home." 

James is the grandson of long-time Noah's Ark owner Noah Lacona. After Noah died in 2017, James knew there would be an issue of who would take over rights to the property and run the business. 

Noah's daughter, James' aunt, represented the family's trust, which was given the deed to the property. Months after James' father died in 2019, the trust attempted to sell the property and permanently close Noah's Ark. 

   

James notes he was desperate to buy the property, saying, "For four years, I was screaming, 'How much?'" Still, James received little to no response from the trust. 

Then, in the fall of 2023, James and the trust reached a settlement to keep Noah's Ark sailing after decades of service. James is happy to finally own the restaurant, but knows in his heart he is a part of a bigger family legacy. 

"This will never be mine," he said. "This is always Grandpa's."

James told Local 5 News he borrowed about $1.6 million and spent nearly $3 million to purchase the land, building and equipment inside the restaurant. 

"It's not the money," James said. "If it was about the money, this would have been gone when my dad passed." 

Noah's is open from Wednesday until Sunday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., and from 4 to 9 p.m.

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