RUSTON, La. — Entrepreneurs, property owners and local officials can learn how to evaluate and launch small-scale real estate projects during an Oct. 23 workshop hosted by Louisiana Main Street and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s Brownfields Program.
The Small Scale Development Workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Historic Fire Station, 200 E. Mississippi Ave. Registration costs $170 through Oct. 21 and $190 afterward through Oct. 23.
The training will focus on project formation, including assessing financial feasibility, understanding how buildings generate income and working with local real estate and design professionals. It follows an introductory lecture on incremental development held in September.
The workshop is intended for first-time builders, neighborhood advocates, business owners and municipal staff members interested in developing smaller real estate projects or supporting redevelopment in their communities.
“We have all driven past empty buildings or vacant lots and thought, ‘Somebody ought to do something with that.’ Well, this workshop is designed to turn that ‘somebody’ into you,” Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said.
Tiffany Elder and Marques King, faculty members of the national Incremental Development Alliance, will lead the session.
Elder is a licensed general contractor, real estate agent and developer who owns Paradigm Construction and Paradigm Properties. Her work includes renovating historic structures and developing new buildings.
King is an architect and urban designer who serves as economic development and design manager for EJDevCo, a nonprofit developer working on Detroit’s east side. He also founded Fabric[K] Design.
The Incremental Development Alliance is a national nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs and civic leaders undertake neighborhood-scale real estate projects. According to the organization, it has trained more than 10,000 small developers in more than 30 states.
Local partners supporting the Ruston event include the city of Ruston, Downtown Ruston, Experience Ruston and Visit Webster Parish.
Online registration is available through the Small Scale Development Workshop event page.