You Can’t Afford NOT Having Community Engagement. Conversation with Merilee Meacock

Developers are often terrified of community engagement because they cannot control it. But in a world where projects face years of gridlock, should we admit that it is far riskier financially and socially to skip it? In this week's podcast, I spoke with architect and urban planner Merilee Meacock, partner at KSS Architects, about her experience working alongside visionary developers, planners, and organizations to create transformational projects that truly work. These developments are deeply connected to their places—not just physically through pathways, transit, and active storefronts, but socially, by meeting local needs and expressing the true character of the neighborhood. I loved learning how schools, museums, and film studios can serve as financially viable anchor tenants when they align with what is already needed and happening on the ground. Pair those with a grocery store and a savvy use of public subsidies, and you have a recipe for lasting community success.