Devon Zuegel

But as I've gotten really into what's functionally real estate development, there's actually not as relevant of an interest directly for those people, and they don't necessarily know about it. And so I've spent the last few years getting to know various developers and architects and engineers who do work on this kind of thing. And I often meet them through Twitter or through email.

But as I've gotten really into what's functionally real estate development, there's actually not as relevant of an interest directly for those people, and they don't necessarily know about it. And so I've spent the last few years getting to know various developers and architects and engineers who do work on this kind of thing. And I often meet them through Twitter or through email.

I'm a really big believer in what I call the lighthouse approach, where if you talk about the stuff that you find interesting online enough, people will come to you and they'll often share those interests and values. I'm friends with a Dutch street designer who lives in Harlem, the original Harlem in the Netherlands. We talk about street design and we met online.

I'm a really big believer in what I call the lighthouse approach, where if you talk about the stuff that you find interesting online enough, people will come to you and they'll often share those interests and values. I'm friends with a Dutch street designer who lives in Harlem, the original Harlem in the Netherlands. We talk about street design and we met online.

I also try to reach out to particular groups that I think are useful. So there's this one group called the National Town Builders Association. And it's people who have done or are doing exactly the kind of thing that I'm doing, where they're trying to build a traditional walkable street. Thank you so much for having me.

I also try to reach out to particular groups that I think are useful. So there's this one group called the National Town Builders Association. And it's people who have done or are doing exactly the kind of thing that I'm doing, where they're trying to build a traditional walkable street. Thank you so much for having me.

Both the way that you can build a much higher level of value is if you do invest more upfront to create incredible public places. And yes, that will cost more money on day one, but people will end up paying way more for it in year five, year 10, than if you just churn out another ticky tacky box.

Both the way that you can build a much higher level of value is if you do invest more upfront to create incredible public places. And yes, that will cost more money on day one, but people will end up paying way more for it in year five, year 10, than if you just churn out another ticky tacky box.

Actually, that reminds me of a question you had asked earlier, which is why don't people build towns anymore? And I think it really depends on how you define it. People are building a lot of housing in some parts of the country. There's large subdivisions that get built, which are at the scale of towns. But I would never call those towns because they usually don't have very many public spaces.

Actually, that reminds me of a question you had asked earlier, which is why don't people build towns anymore? And I think it really depends on how you define it. People are building a lot of housing in some parts of the country. There's large subdivisions that get built, which are at the scale of towns. But I would never call those towns because they usually don't have very many public spaces.

They're usually just a bunch of homes that all get built all at once. And it's just a place that you can have a private space of your own, but there's nowhere to walk to. There's maybe not even anything that close to drive to. And so the national town builders say, no, the way to create long-term value in places that people actually value and will ultimately pay for is to build that.

They're usually just a bunch of homes that all get built all at once. And it's just a place that you can have a private space of your own, but there's nowhere to walk to. There's maybe not even anything that close to drive to. And so the national town builders say, no, the way to create long-term value in places that people actually value and will ultimately pay for is to build that.

And it just takes a bit longer. So that's been an incredibly helpful group.

And it just takes a bit longer. So that's been an incredibly helpful group.

I had the same question when I first started working on this. When my husband asked the question five years ago, I was like, yeah, it'd be nice if there was another Chautauqua, but is it really a good business?

I had the same question when I first started working on this. When my husband asked the question five years ago, I was like, yeah, it'd be nice if there was another Chautauqua, but is it really a good business?

And the thing that actually got me to think, oh, I should actually work on this was I started digging in Zillow at the property values and realizing that homes in Chautauqua itself are dramatically more than outside of Chautauqua. I think it's two X more. And those are just the homes that are like just outside of the town.

And the thing that actually got me to think, oh, I should actually work on this was I started digging in Zillow at the property values and realizing that homes in Chautauqua itself are dramatically more than outside of Chautauqua. I think it's two X more. And those are just the homes that are like just outside of the town.

So it understates it, I think, because if you're just outside the town, you still have some access. And then I kept going and asking myself, is that an anomaly or is Chautauqua unique? But then I studied some of these other new towns, the ones that the people in the National Town Builders Association build, such as Serenby in Atlanta or Seaside in Florida or Trillith or Seabrook.

So it understates it, I think, because if you're just outside the town, you still have some access. And then I kept going and asking myself, is that an anomaly or is Chautauqua unique? But then I studied some of these other new towns, the ones that the people in the National Town Builders Association build, such as Serenby in Atlanta or Seaside in Florida or Trillith or Seabrook.