ULI/SA Book Club

INTRODUCING THE ULI SAN ANTONIO BOOK CLUB:
BUILDING SMALL: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders, and Great Communities by Jim Heid

August 11 – September 22, 2021

ULI San Antonio’s Book Club is designed to spark thought and conversation around real estate-related topics that forward the ULI Mission…to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. Our first selection is Building Small: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders and Great Communities by Jim Heid, ULI/SA’s next Leadership Luncheon featured speaker on 9/22/21.  In Building Small, Jim articulates what small-scale development means, why it is essential to communities of every size and location, and how entrepreneurial developers and community leaders can help remove the obstacles to small—resulting in more successful projects and a better approach to building community.

READ WITH US
Participation is free with registration. Book can be purchased online. A limited number of free copies are available upon request. Participants will receive a suggested reading schedule, weekly email thought prompts and a link to attend the first virtual kickoff on August 11th. There will also be an in-person group discussions on September 1 and a final in person group event with the author, Jim Heid on September 21. Reading the book is recommended but not required to participate in live meetups and discussions.

SIGN UP FOR THE ULI/SA BOOK CLUB HERE

THE SCHEDULE

  • Virtual Reading Kickoff, August 11, 5pm-6pm | Meet the Building Small Book Club Leader, Zac Harris to hear how the book club will work, along with a review of the suggested 6-week reading schedule.
  • Meetup #1: Midbook Discussion, September 1, 4:30pm-6pm | Virtual Zoom Meeting | Engage in a discussion with other book club members about Building Small and how successful Small Scale development can create more authentic places, act as a magnet for new investment, and aid in attracting talent-based employment, all while fostering a more resilient local economy. Email here to get Zoom details.
  • Meetup #2: Group Discussion Event with Jim Heid, September 22 | Time and Location TBD | Meet the author and ask him questions about case studies and content in the book.
  • Weekly Thought Prompts | In weekly emails, our book club host will offer observations and questions to guide your reading. Weekly emails will align with the six week suggested reading schedule.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 

JIM HEID, FASLA
UrbanGreen Advisors
CRAFT Development / Healdsburg, CA

Jim is a real estate developer and strategic real estate advisor focused on the tools and techniques that lead to a more sustainable built environment. His consultancy – UrbanGreen® – advises government agencies, real estate companies and legacy landowners across the globe. In 2017, Jim founded CRAFT, a real estate company focused on incremental development and intentional place-building.  He currently has three projects under development in his hometown– an 8-unit Cottage Court with 4 accessory dwelling units, a 5,000 SF lifestyle driven co-working business, and a 7,000 SF mixed-use complex.

An active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Jim has participated in over 15 Advisory Service Panels.  He writes and speaks regularly on sustainable design, resilience, and the value of small scale, incremental development. His recent book – Building Small: A Handbook for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders and Great Communities – provides a detailed look at the why and how of fine grained development based on national research and Forums over 15 cities. The book articulates why small-scale development provides a more economically resilient and socially impactful approach to building and regenerating communities, than more common institutional methods.Trained as a landscape architect at the University of Idaho, Jim went on to receive a Masters in Real Estate Development from MIT as way to more effectively integrate economics, development and design thinking.

ULI SAN ANTONIO BOOK CLUB HOST

ZAC HARRIS
Director of Project Development
One80 Solar

Zac is the Director of Project Development for One80 Solar based in San Antonio. One80 Solar focuses on holistic development, design, engineering, construction, and long-term monitoring of commercial and industrial solar power plants throughout the country. Zac contributes to overall company vision and strategy and stays up to date on the latest market trends including new policies, products, and services that can help serve our communities and all One80 Solar clients. Zac works with the design and operations teams to create power plants that meet the client’s financial and design goals while also cultivating relationships, sales activities, and opportunities in the marketplace.

Prior to One80 Solar, Zac managed his own company in the project management and owner’s representative industry. He actively managed projects from ideation through project turnover. Zac developed and maintained long-term relationships with owners and architects while supporting all facets of development, design and construction.

Education: Texas A&M University – BS Construction Science

Community Involvement:
•   ULI National Responsible Property Investors Council
•   ULI NEXT Chair
•   Served as COSA Planning Commissioner
•   Served as District 1 Zoning Commissioner
•   Served as District 2 HDRC Commissioner
•   Leadership San Antonio Class 36
•   Leadership San Antonio Class 44 Steering Committee
•   2012 COSA Parks Bond Committee Member for District 9
•   Associated General Contractors – Past Board of Directors Member & VP
•   SA Parks Foundation  – Board Member
•   Brewers Association Sustainability Committee
•   Awesome SA – Founding Member
•   LOOP – Leadership Organization Of Professionals – Founding Member

BOOK PURCHASE
**Get 20% off the purchase of Building Small: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders and Great Communities! Use code BLDSMALL20 during the ULI Bookstore sale here. Offer ends 10/1/21.

LIMITED FREE BOOK OFFER FOR ULI/SA MEMBERS
The first 5 ULI members to REGISTER for the ULI/SA Book Club Kick Off Meeting will get a FREE copy of Building Small. Contact Janis Ploetz to get your copy.

BOOK REVIEWS
“This book captures a profound truth about placemaking: that Building Small can foster economic prosperity without sacrificing human vitality. By focusing on context and on incremental, varied, and fine grained development, Building Small allows places evolve over time...“ —Mark Elison Hoversten, PhD, FASLA, AICP, Dean of the College of Design, North Carolina State University

“I’ve got this open on my desk right now – mining the toolkit, success stories and case studies for gems and no nonsense advice as I run across challenges in my own projects… The success stories, particularly the ones for public agencies, make it really simple to replicate.” —Molly McCabe,  President and Founder, Hayden + Tanner

“Building Small is a must have book not only for small developers but also for anyone involved in the remaking of US cities… Heid takes the reader through the classic steps of the real estate development process, but with a focus on the particular hurdles that small developers face.” —Donald K. Carter, FAIA FAICP, LEED AP, Senior Research Fellow, Remaking Cities Institute, School of Architecture, Carnegie Mellon University.

“Building Small offers developers and communities an alternative to more conventional development… It shows the way toward solutions that are finer-grained, context-sensitive, and market-responsive. Importantly, the book is aimed at both the private and the public sector, recognizing that the best outcomes require a creative approach on both sides…” —Patrick Phillips,  Former Global CEO, ULI

UPCOMING ULI/SA BOOK CLUB READS
Walkable City by Jeff Speck
September 28 – November 10, 2021
ULI/SA Book Club Host: Jenna Stoeltje