Townbuilders

In this episode, Levi sits down with Jim Boohaker, owner of Development Synergy Consultants, whose horizontal development work at East Beach, 751 South, and Carlton Landing helped make those neighborhoods what they are today. They get into the nitty-gritty of wet and dry utilities, fitting infrastructure into narrow alleys, transformer placement, and much more. It's a good starting point for understanding why infrastructure needs to be planned early, and how, done right, it makes possible the kind of town living we all seek.

In this episode, Levi sits down with Blair Humphreys, Founder and President of Wheeler District, a 140-acre traditional neighborhood built from scratch on a long-neglected stretch of the Oklahoma River. The old abandoned airstrip is now a bustling neighborhood that is restoring an area of Oklahoma City that has long been divested. They discuss how a Ferris wheel became an unlikely brand anchor, how a TIF agreement made the numbers work, and how cottage courts and phased density turned a greenfield into a real neighborhood. It's a candid look at what it takes to build a place that outlasts the developer who made it.

In this episode, Levi sits down with Mike Hathorne, urban strategist and author of The Great Housing Reversal. Mike's new book argues that America's housing crisis isn't a shortage problem; it's a misalignment problem: we're still building for a 1970s household in a 2020s world. They discuss what the demographic data is actually showing, why the systems keep us locked into building the wrong product, and why the market is screaming for walkable, community-oriented developments.

In this episode, Levi sits down with Scott Snodgrass — farmer, entrepreneur, and founder of Agmenity. to talk about what it really means to build an agrihood. Scott came to real estate by way of the farm. After getting drawn is to do consulting for a neighborhood regenerative farm, Scott started a business of consulting for developers looking to create agricultural amenities before eventually starting Meristem Communities and doing a development himself. Today, Indigo, is a 235-acre walkable, mixed-use community on the outskirts of Houston built around a working farm at its center. Scott is one of the leading voices in the nation when it comes to developing agrihoods and is a wealth of knowledge on the subject.

In this episode, Levi sits down with Jan Sramek, CEO and founder of California Forever — one of the most ambitious development projects in the United States today. The plan is to build a new walkable city for more than 400,000 residents in Solano County, northeast of San Francisco, anchored by a world-class manufacturing park and the largest shipyard in America. In this conversation, Levi and Jan discuss how he raised a billion dollars and quietly assembled 70,000 acres, how the traditional urbanism of American cities like Charleston and Savannah have inspired the design, and what phase one of building a city from scratch actually looks like.

In this episode, Levi sits down with Devon Zuegel, a former software engineer and the visionary behind Esmeralda, a proposed 260-acre village in California’s wine country. Inspired by childhood memories and a personal obsession, Devon has set out to create a place that solves the issues she saw in the built environment and that could be a blend of vibrant urbanism and intentional community. She shares how she’s navigating California’s complex regulatory environment, the idea of pop-up villages to create community, raising long-term capital, and how to build trust with locals.

In this episode, Levi sits down with developer and NTBA veteran Joel Embry, the visionary behind Amelia Park, one of the earliest and most fully realized traditional neighborhood developments (TNDs) in the Southeast. Joel shares the origin story of Amelia Park—from his early exposure to Seaside and meeting Andrés Duany, to navigating the banking world and architectural challenges of building something radically different. Their conversation dives deep into the importance of aging in place, community design as a tool for public health, and the social science behind walkable neighborhoods. Joel also introduces his latest venture, Civic Telehealth, which aims to bridge the gap between healthcare and home life in aging communities. This is an inspiring, wide-ranging discussion on legacy, purpose, and how design can shape human flourishing—especially in our later years.

In this episode, Levi and Alli Thurmond Quinlan explore the complexity of building great places — from small infill projects to large-scale master plans. Alli shares how her multidisciplinary background as an architect, landscape architect, developer, and Executive Director of the Incremental Development Alliance has shaped her approach to vertically integrating her firm, RANGE. They discuss the challenges of working with cities, strategies for making suburban development 25% better, and how IncDev may be prepared to train the next generation of town builders.

In this episode, Levi sits down with Rob Parker — president of the NTBA, co-founder of the Town at Trillith,and a longtime leader in purpose-driven placemaking. Rob shares how his background in nonprofit leadership shaped his approach to townbuilding, and why human flourishing has become the guiding principle behind his work. They also discuss the groundbreaking Global Flourishing Study from Harvard, Baylor, and Gallup, and what its early findings could mean for developers, planners, and specifincally, other townbuilders. Whether you’re new to placemaking or deep in the trenches, this episode offers practical wisdom and fresh inspiration for building places that matter.

In this episode, Levi sits down with Laurence Qamar is a town planner and architect with over three decades of experience designing walkable neighborhoods and new-urbanist developments across the country. Laurence shares his “Scales of Community” framework — a scalable, flexible approach to town planning that allows neighborhoods to grow organically, block by block. We explore what makes a place walkable, how alley-loaded blocks change the development equation, and how tools like the transect can guide more thoughtful design. Laurence also reflects on his work in communities like Seabrook, Bella Beach, and Woodbury.

In this episode, Levi and Michael discuss the role of the town architect. For nearly 40 years, Mike has worked at the forefront of the new urbanism movement—starting at the charrette for Kentlands, Michael eventually became town architect of the pioneering development in Maryland and he now continues to guide planning and design for developments across the country. We get into the practicalities and philosophy of town architecture—what it is, how it works, and why it matters. Mike shares stories from the early days of Kentlands, insights on balancing design and development realities, and his reflections on what still excites him about this work decades into his career.

In this conversation, Levi sits down for a long-anticipated conversation with Ross Chapin, who instigated a national revival of "pocket neighborhoods"—small clusters of homes designed to foster real community. Ross shares how a single project in a small Washington town sparked a national movement and reshaped how we think about neighborhood design. We explore the foundational ideas behind his work, including the “scale of sociability,” the use of pattern languages, and the essential role of how the physical design of our built environment shapes everyday human connection. Ross also offers practical insights for townbuilding, on how to extrapolate these design patterns across the transect while also fostering a resilient community culture through proper governance. Whether you’re a builder, planner, or someone dreaming of a better neighborhood, this conversation is packed with timeless wisdom and grounded inspiration.

In this episode, Levi sits down with David Horwath of Land Innovations to unpack what it means to develop with purpose in a landscape dominated by conventional suburbia. They explore the challenges—and opportunities—of scaling the traditional neighborhood development (TND) model while preserving the character, craftsmanship, and culture that make great places work. From aligning with legacy-minded landowners to building resilient, cross-functional teams, David shares a deeply thoughtful approach to townbuilding that’s as strategic as it is values-driven.

In this episode, our host Levi Wintz sits down with Casey Roloff, founder and CEO of Seabrook which has been affectionatly coined, “Washington’s Beach Town”. Casey shares his journey from painting houses in college to building one of the most celebrated coastal communities in the country. They dive into the challenges of starting young, the lessons learned along the way, and Casey’s newest venture—The New American Dream, aimed at scaling Seabrook pattern of development across the country. Visit Seabrook and book a stay at https://seabrookwa.com.

In the reboot episode of the Townbuilders Podcast, new host Levi Wintz sits down with Aaron Lubeck — builder, land planner, zoning reformer, and former host of the show. Aaron is a prolific writer and as editor of Southern Urbanism, he brings sharp insights and passion as he shares what it takes to build a better built environment — and why it matters more than ever.

Aaron talks with Jim Anthony of Anthony Property Group about his experience on the front lines brokering and developing better neighborhoods. Jim talks about what he is seeing the market is looking for in both walkable projects and build-to-rent. Lastly, Jim discusses his role in facilitating a Raleigh development that may be Habitat for Humanity’s largest ever.

Aaron talks with Mike Ciriello, the Planning Director in Butner, NC about the NTBA’s Spring 2021 visioning exercises in Butner, NC, including what worked and what could be added in future offerings. Mike also talks about how difficult it is to do walkable urbanism in highly regulated Southern watersheds, and why there is such a shortage of good urbanist planning, design, and development talent.

Aaron talks with Louis Nequette of Nequette Architecture and Design, an early entrant into the build-to-rent space, where he has proven that student housing can be inspiring. Louis is one of the best New Urbanist architects practicing today, and he shares what he has learned about navigating the twin development pressures of managing project costs while creating great places.

Aaron talks with Fernando Pages Ruiz, one of the most ambitious and successful builders of true affordable housing. Fernando talks about how every stud matters, new innovations in materials, and what cities have to do to stay affordable.

Aaron talks with Monte Anderson of Options Real Estate in Dallas about his founding of the CNU spin-off Incremental Development Alliance, how he took the early steps to catalyze districts such as Bishop Arts, and why code reform should be the top priority for cities to foster local equity.