Three women developers from across the US are helping to bring back their home cities.
I am not a developer and I have never been a developer, however, the beauty of CNU is that it provides a well-rounded liberal arts education on urbanism—you can still take a class in a subject even if you’re not going to major in it.
At CNU 26 in Savannah,I dipped a toe into the development pond when I attended the Rapid-Fire Stools-by-the-Pool with Developers chat, and for the first time in my life thought kindly of developers, yet I couldn’t help but wonder, while I was listening to seven white men in a row talk about community engagement, where the female, non-binary, LGBTQ+, and developers of color were. So,when I saw the session Less Talk, More Rock: Getting Sh*t Actually Done—The Lady Developer Edition at CNU 27 in Louisville, I made it a priority to attend.
When it comes to real estate, the split between male and female realtors might appear fairly equal in residential brokerages — but the majority of real estate leaders, managers, and developers remain largely male, and largely white. In New York, for example, the majority of women in leadership positions at development firms are typically the daughters of New York real estate moguls.
There seems to be a barrier to entering the upper echelons of real estate management for the majority of women.
In celebration of the women out there breaking glass ceilings, here is just a short list of some of the incredible women in real estate who are changing the face of the industry.
A colleague once called me a big small developer – as in I do really big projects for a small developer – I was taken aback immediately. …Like yeah I’m really not a big developer. You see, I strongly identify as a small scale developer. An entrepreneur. I’m scrappy. I have an underdog mentality. I know nothing will be handed to me without a ton of hard work. And I fight like hell for projects I believe can make an impact in the community that raised me and that my husband and I are raising our children in.
You know how people think of ships and cars as female? That’s the way I think of buildings.
So my heart was broken a year ago when I first stepped out onto the catwalk suspended three stories above Center Avenue between the former Chemical Bank’s “cheese grater” facade and the beautiful, 1890s architecture.
All I could think about was how her original beauty, no longer valued, had been covered up and hidden away. How she hadn’t felt the sunlight on her face for over 50 years.
Warren Buffett is generally attributed with coining the phrase “skin in the game.” It essentially means key players have a financial stake in the outcome of an investment. That if you’re going to run a company or development project, you’re personally as at risk in some capacity as outside investors.
Over the last week, I’ve been asked multiple times if I plan to focus on developing within the region.
While I always keep my eyes peeled for a new project to tackle, I know one thing for sure: I'm fully committed and invested in the Great Lakes Bay Region. It’s not only where my family lives, but there are also lots of opportunities for growth.
Whether you’re redeveloping a five-story, historic structure or remodeling your kitchen, the secret to any successful project is the same: Building the right team.
But how do you pick the right builder or contractor to help bring your dream to life?
For me, it’s a combination of doing a lot of homework and then listening to your gut.
Developers orchestrate. We’re the jacks-of-all-trades and masters of none. That’s why building the right team is critical: You need to surround yourself with people who understand your vision and have the expertise to see it through.
Last week I posted a statement on Facebook critical of elected officials. It was pretty mild: A simple request for them to show up and serve the community boards on which they serve.
The board members had just voted to increase their pay in the coming years and my reaction was: “Great! But if you want the pay, do the work.”
People at ULI Michigan told me I should be in touch with you! What have you been up to with the Urban Land Institute?
When I started my development firm, I took advantage of several educational opportunities through the Urban Land Institute. I also went to the Fall Meeting in San Francisco in 2015 and the bi-annual Small Scale Developer Forum in Pittsburgh in 2016. I’m also in the 2017 ULI Michigan class of Larson Leadership out of Detroit.
BAY CITY, MI -- A $1.7 million renovation project is planned this fall for the facade and upper floors of a popular downtown Bay City restaurant, but the bigger news could be coming after the new year.
Dave Dittenber, owner of Old City Hall, 814 Saginaw St., has announced plans to make exterior facade improvements and completely renovate the restaurant's second and third floors into warehouse-style commercial office space.
