COMMUNITY BUILDING

“12 Steps” to Development — Virtual/Hybrid Series

Do you want your local community to really understand how to renovate that vacant building? Or perhaps you have an old shopping center that needs energy or some creative thinking? This program breaks down the basics to give local people confidence and knowledge to translate their idea into viable projects.

We offer 12 virtual sessions that cover the basics of starting up a small-scale development business and project. Each 1.5-hour session covers one of the 12 Steps and includes opportunities to ask questions and discuss local applications.

Topics focus on everything from vision to strategy, including: creating a team, making a business plan, understanding construction finance, finding legendary tenants, and managing property.

StrongTowns has highlighted this effort many times, you can read about it here.

Price: TBD

DEEP DIVE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

The “South Bend” — In-Person Visits to Your Community Ecosystem

We know that sometimes, you just had to be there. Our team offers an immersive 3-day visit to engage directly with your small-scale development ecosystem. Our goal is to inspire, engage, and assist your community’s motivated doers with their project needs. This visit can be curated based on the specific needs of your place, but generally, it looks something like this:

  • Day 1:  Kick-Off — A casual get-together event hosted at a great local coffee shop or neighborhood pub. We will meet with your ecosystem and give a brief overview presentation of what we do, and facilitate a discussion about topics of interest.

  • Day 2: Coaching & Exploration — We will spend the day focusing on up to 8 community development projects at various stages of completion. Our team will help developers think through their plans and prepare to take the next step.

  • Day 3: Seminar — We will host a 2- to 3-hour seminar on a topic of interest. Note: This can be done with one event OR as some of our clients do, multiple times per year.

    Price: TBD depending on trips & travel

DIRECT DEVELOPER ASSISTANCE

Concept to Construction — Development Consulting

Are things getting serious, fast? Maybe you have an old golf course…or a strip center that you want to bring back to life? On a selective basis, we work directly with clients from concept to construction and occupancy. We act as an experienced resource and sounding board (seriously, you can text us for technical and moral support) to help entrepreneurs, non-profits, and even civic entities through the complex process of community redevelopment. Our goal is to help build your capacity — even if you are not experienced in real estate — to achieve success in your current project.

Items we can address with you and your development team: pro forma based design where we run ideas and construction numbers in real time. We can assist with zoning analysis, engineering, building code and help prepare you for bank financing.

Price: $3,000 and up depending on the project scale and scope.

COMMUNITY BUILDING

A Keynote on Small Scale Development and Building Your Ecosystem

This is an in person keynote presentation that includes an introduction to incremental development, the 12 steps to development, and examples of projects that will inspire. The goal is to round up the champions and organizations who will help throughout the year and get them on board. 

Local commitment needed: a local champion required to establish a local small developer group that will meet regularly to build the local small development ecosystem and bring people to the keynote presentation. The sponsoring group has to promote and market the event with a flier, social media posts and organize the event. 

Attendance goal: This is the opportunity to get the organizations, foundations, banks and key stakeholders at the table - 25-50 people.

Price: $3,000 - $5,000 + travel expenses for one person to visit. *A virtual option is available

COMMUNITY BUILDING

The Next Smallest Step

Maybe you have a vacant lot in your community that you want to do something with? Or a vacant property you want an extra set of eyes on? Maybe you’re a local preservation organization that has some vacant properties in your downtown and need someone on call to help you think through the next steps of development?

If you’re looking to move forward but are really on a tight budget - this gives you access to us via a call / zoom on a monthly basis. It is an affordable way to ask questions, move projects forward, and help strategize on a specific issue in your community. 

Price: $500 / month and up.

Our team is driven by a love for helping people. Seriously, if you are struggling with a weird building or site, can’t figure out how to translate your neighborhood’s plan into action, or have an idea about that vacant corner lot but don’t know what to do next — reach out.

Email us at hello@neighborhoodevolution.com