Build Smart: A Practical Workshop on Developing Commercial Spaces

Are you a small business owner, contractor, or entrepreneur considering a real estate construction or commercial space buildout project? Join us for this informative session where you'll learn from experts in the field, each with over 30 years of experience.

You'll Learn:

• How to assemble a development team
• Creating a budget and access to financing
• Permitting, Zoning and License requirements
• How to select the right commercial space

*Special pre-development grant presentation

Panelists:

Teresa Rufaro Prim

Co-Founder

Prim Lawrence Group

Teresa Rufaro Prim is the co-founder of Prim Lawrence Group, a community economic development and real estate development consulting firm. Ms. Prim brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the firm with more than 30 years of experience in affordable housing development, business development, consumer and worker-owned cooperatives, organizational management, and program design.

Her firm is responsible for securing both public and private sector financing for over 500 units of affordable housing representing more than 150 million dollars and 150 million dollars in financing for commercial real estate and small businesses.

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Lennox Jackson

Founder/CEO

Urban Equities, Inc.

Lennox Jackon has 31 years of experience in real estate development, finance, program & project management, and commercial construction. His accomplishments include planning and executing end-to-end project management for Walgreens’ real estate assets within the southeastern U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He has planned and executed real estate developments, including residential, retail, and commercial projects resulting in over $100 million in new investment.

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Anthony Rogers

Commercial Retail Development Strategist,

Quad Communities Development Corporation, NFP

Anthony Rogers has over 35 years of experience in the field of architecture, planning, design, and construction management in all phases of residential, institutional, and commercial projects. Holding a degree in Architecture and City and Regional Planning from IIT, Anthony has been responsible for retail tenants and capital improvements at large regional shopping centers, planning, and development of residential housing at CHA Transformation sites, the negotiation of all forms of construction contracts, and participated in land usage planning.

With QCDC Anthony is a driving force behind the agency’s Retail Tenant Engagement and Developer Assistance services which have referred to and secured leases for more than 46K sq ft of local retail spaces.

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Rhonda McFarland

Executive Director

Quad Communities Development Corporation, NFP

Professionally, Ms. McFarland is currently the Executive Director of Quad Communities Development Corporation and has a dedicated career in the field of community and economic development. As a financial industry professional, she served as a VP of lending, specializing in financing affordable housing, mixed-use, and commercial real estate developments throughout the Midwest in urban communities. Also, serving as the Director of Lending with a Chicago-based Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and as an independent consultant, she provided advisory, financing, interim leadership, and project management services to a diverse client base.

Rhonda McFarland is a 30+ year resident of the 4th Ward in the City of Chicago and has been civically involved in her local community and City-wide. Rhonda is originally from Dayton, Ohio, and is a graduate of Texas Southern University, a Historically Black University in Houston, Texas.

Note to Attendees: Due to the high demand for this workshop, we will start promptly at 10:00 am. Please plan to arrive no later than 9:45 am. Late arrivals may not be admitted.

**QCDC serves business owners and entrepreneurs in the Chicago area. Please provide your full business name, business address (show "Online" if applicable), website, and all social media handles i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Registrations that cannot be verified are subject to cancellation.

Host or Publisher Quad Communities Development Corporation