FRI-A05: Finance. Market. Entitlements. Placemaking: Essential and Knowledgeable Ingredients of the Development Process

Friday, October 10, 2025

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM CT

1.25 PDH, LA CES/non-HSW

Speaker(s)

Todd LaRue

Managing Director
RCLCO
Austin, TX
Mandy Pope, PLA, LEED AP

Real Estate Center Director
The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business
Austin, TX, Texas
Steven J. Spears, FASLA, PLA, AICP

Principal
GroundWork Development and Momark Development
Austin, Texas

Landscape architects will expand their influence in housing and community development through a greater understanding of (1) finance and its influence; (2) market conditions and innovation; (3) efforts for entitlements, engagement, and negotiations and thorough knowledge of policies, ordinances, and standards; and (4) advancing planning and design in collaboration with allied professionals.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand the key pillars of the development process and how this knowledge will elevate the role of landscape architects in housing and community development.
Learn the key importance, terms, and rationale behind a pro forma and financing for development and how they impact the role of landscape architects in the development process.
Learn the key importance, terms, and rationale behind a market analysis and research for development and how they impact the role of landscape architects in the development process.
Learn the key importance, terms, and rationale behind entitlements and negotiations for development and how they impact the role of landscape architects in the development process.