Educational Webinar

In August, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) welcomed Ilana Preuss (pictured left), founder of Recast City, to discuss how we can flip the model on economic development and build a strong and resilient economy that includes all types of talent. Preuss also addresses why (and how) to focus on small-scale manufacturing businesses as a catalyst and how new real estate models for main street can be essential to success. Click here to check out the webinar recording, and learn more about how local leaders can create great places!

Additional Resources:

In Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing, community development expert Ilana Preuss explains how local leaders can revitalize their downtowns or neighborhood main streets by bringing in and supporting small-scale manufacturing. Small-scale manufacturing businesses help create thriving places, with local business ownership opportunities and well-paying jobs that other business types can’t fulfill. Preuss draws from her experience working with local governments to show how communities can build strong local businesses through small-scale manufacturing, reinvest in their downtowns, and create inclusive economic opportunity. 

Inspirational Podcast

As we focus on helping local leaders invest in place in an inclusive and thoughtful way, DHCD was excited to welcome Lindsey Scannapieco (pictured left), Managing Partner of SCOUT, a multi-disciplinary design and development firm with a background in transforming vacant and underutilized spaces in creative ways. Scannapieco spoke about an adaptive reuse project, specifically the repurposing of former classrooms of a historic school, Bok Vocational High School, into space for makers, nonprofits, small businesses, and artists. Having closed in 2013, the building now serves as a vibrant hub for all types of talent. Listen here!

Additional Resources:

Click here to learn more about BOK!

Check out the BOKumentary to learn more about the history of the project, variety of uses in the building and how SCOUT engages with the neighborhood!

Ecosystems Workbook

Download the Ecosystems Workbook to reflect on the future you would like to see for your community, identify session ideas that rise to today’s needs and develop a path forward. You can also learn more about upcoming sessions!

Coming Up

Educational Webinar | Speaker: Terrand Smith | September 08, 2021 | Register Here

Inspirational Podcast | Speaker: Jennifer S. Vey | September 13, 2021 | Listen Here