Following the advice of his grandfather, Andrés Duany knows he can either be popular or indispensable, and he’s chosen the latter. Made famous by his traditional neighborhood design of Seaside, Florida, Duany has led the charge in creating new urbanist communities.

How does one prepare for an unexpected crisis? Scott Cowen managed to lead Tulane University through Hurricane Katrina, strengthening the student body and city of New Orleans in the process by strategically integrating the two.

MaryAnne Gilmartin defies many conventions in the real estate world. She wears high heels to construction sites of major New York City projects and has achieved the top leadership position in a family business where she has no relation.

Growing up, Toby Bozzuto did not want to work in the family business—yet now he is the CEO. Toby began his career in the music industry but was drawn into the real estate world because of the foundational values his father set for the Bozzuto Group.

Teens using power tools? That’s the foundation for Alex Gilliam’s two nonprofits. He brings together youth to physically build amenities in their struggling neighborhoods. These students learn how to engage civically while changing the urban landscape.

Kimber Lanning has operated an independent record store in downtown Phoenix for 30 years. Her experience as a small business owner led her to start Local First Arizona, advocating for self-reliant, unique downtowns that can support the little guy.

Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood was one of the most blighted in the country, impeding on the city’s economic development. Leveraging creative financing as well as civic and corporate partnerships, Steve Leeper has led 3CDC in the transformation of this historic neighborhood.

Egbert Perry of the Integral Group developed the national model for mixed-income housing. He has since been changing the notion of which industry sectors people of color are accepted, and successfully forging into market-rate commercial projects.

A lifelong New Yorker, Alicia Glen serves as the city’s deputy mayor for housing and economic development. Why did she leave the private sector for public service, and what are the challenges for New York given one of its own is entering the White House?

Steve Wilson is the founder of 21c Museum Hotels, started in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2006. These unique concept hotels, which incorporate gallery space for Wilson’s expansive art collection, are a unique way to help revitalize the downtowns of midsized cities with a growing tourism industry. Wilson and his wife now have seven other hotels open or under construction around the United States. In this episode, Wilson talks about his unusual path to creating such a unique revitalization technique and the impact it has had in his hometown and beyond.