Casey Lynch and Mike Brown were graduate school classmates at UCLA when they started their real estate investment and development company, LocalConstruct, with limited funds and bona fide sweat equity. “We bought a $55,000 condominium in Fontana, Calif. that we painted and renovated ourselves. We were at Home Depot, buying our own supplies,” recalled Lynch. Flash forward nearly a decade, and LocalConstruct has become a thriving small firm with multifamily and mixed-use projects in California, Colorado, Idaho and Montana.  The Los Angeles-based company, a Yardi client, has developed 2,000 apartment units to date. Lynch and Brown have a specific vision for urban infill development. Seeking out markets with plentiful jobs but limited work-proximate housing, they have hit a sweet spot where limited supply meets unprecedented demand. We talked with Lynch about LocalConstruct’s market choices and formula for success.   You started your company in 2008, when real estate was in a desperate place. Why? Lynch: We saw a great opportunity to start an entrepreneurial enterprise, given the volatility in the market at the time. We raised a small fund to go out and buy single family homes and convert them into real properties in Los Angeles. You always hear developers who have been in the business 30 to 40 years talk about their first deal and working their way up the ladder. For us and our story, that would be true.   Things have changed tremendously since then. What happened to LocalConstruct in the last nine years? Lynch: We went from one unit projects to 2 to 4 to 8 to 20 to 100 to 300. We have a presence in four states in the West and we are focused on infill housing strategies, primarily rental housing, and we are focused on emerging markets...

Smart growth approaches have proven effective in reshaping the face of the built environment. Communities across the country, be it urban hubs or bedroom communities, cities, towns or rural places, have embraced green building principles in an effort to foster healthy neighborhoods and create strong local economies. Smart growth features in community development include the creation of mixed-income, mixed-use housing; use of green infrastructure to manage storm water; prioritizing cleanup and redevelopment of hazardous brownfield sites; providing transportation choices that reduce air pollution; and considering the impacts of development decisions on all community members. In a milestone for sustainability and compact development, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized Domus Development, led by founding partner Meea Kang, as winner of the 2013 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement in the “Built Projects” category. Sacramento’s La Valentina urban infill project got all the attention this year, all for the right reasons, as it is the region’s first true transit-oriented development which achieves a near Net Zero energy use and cost for residents. The National Award for Smart Growth Achievement recognizes communities that use innovative techniques and solutions to foster economic growth, enhance quality of life and safeguard the environment. In the past 12 years, 61 winners from 26 states have shown a variety of approaches that states, regions, cities, suburbs, and rural communities can use to create economically strong, environmentally responsible development. EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities manages the awards program. The 2013 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement brought forward five winners and two honorable mentions in the following categories: Overall Excellence – Winner: Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail/Historic Fourth Ward Park, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. Corridor or Neighborhood Revitalization  – Winner: Historic Millwork District and Washington Neighborhood, Dubuque, Iowa Plazas, Parks, and Public...

The city is the place to be, both for trendy apartment dwellers, who are choosing skyscrapers over suburbs, and the businesses and residences that will serve them. As a result, cities nationwide are experiencing an increase in urban infill projects. The developments sprout between existing buildings, filling gaps or replacing run-down, outdated or unsafe structures. What they may lack in square footage they make up for in accessibility, eyesore reduction, and green features. Such developments have been generally received enthusiastically by city planners, neighborhood committees, and consumers alike. Square footage isn’t always an issue. Once a wondrous architectural feat, the 2 million square-foot Sears, Roebuck  & Co. building in Atlanta, Ga., became a gargantuan scuff mark on Ponce de Leon Avenue. As it accumulated a collection of graffiti, broken windows and squatters, few foresaw that the behemoth would soon regain its status as an icon in the Southeast. The largest brick structure in the region is being reborn as Ponce City Market, a mixed-use development. The news has drummed up positive buzz throughout Atlanta and beyond. Planners, relieved that the site will no longer serve as a harbor for illegal activity, can’t wait to witness the building’s transformation into an active hub of commerce. Hip young renters are snagging the lofts of the upper floors, without even waiting to see renderings of the designs. Eco-minded urbanites are excited to see the structure built on previously developed land; they’re nearly ecstatic about how much of the current structure will be recycled. Foodies and shoppers have literally popped open champagne bottles as commercial spaces fill. Similar stories are happening throughout the United States. Even smaller cities, like Santa Barbara, Calif., are seeing an influx of infill. The coastal SoCal tourism destination is seeing previously stalled projects...