How mission-driven development pencils on Chicago’s South Side — with Byron Brazier

How do you make mission-driven development pencil in a neighborhood shaped by decades of disinvestment?In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro sits down with J. Byron Brazier, lead developer of Woodlawn Central, a nearly $895 million mixed-use development on Chicago’s South Side anchored by the Apostolic Church of God. Together, they explore how community-led, faith-based development can drive large-scale urban regeneration without displacement.The conversation dives into how Woodlawn Central is moving forward without relying on Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and how financing tools like joint ventures, phased development, and future tax-increment strategies help the project pencil. This episode is a must-listen for developers, city leaders, investors, planners, and community builders interested in equitable development, transit-oriented districts, and new models for community-driven urban revitalization.Resources:Woodlawn Central: "A model for the new Black community" (Urbanize Chicago)A Woodlawn megadevelopment stirs hope and fear in the Chicago neighborhood (WBEZ Chicago)Price tag for Church's sweeping plant to redevelopment Woodlawn property could hit $1B (Block Club Chicago)Bid to aid 'vulnerable residents' by Obama Presidential Center wins city panel's unanimous backing (WBEZ Chicago)Why homes for low-income renters are far more expensive to build (BisNow)Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at [email protected].