The Small Developer Forums
SDF#24 Northwest Arkansas
October 2025
“…The learnings, the networking, and the camaraderie are worth the price of admission. But there is something more important, the program thoughtfully and intentionally creates an environment where all this happens – not by accident – but by design.”
—LENA BLACKSTOCK
SDF#25 – Sold Out (Again)
Following on past success, SDF#25 sold out in record time! We will be welcoming over 90 Small Developers to join us from around the country has we spend three days together sharing lessons, building connections and gaining new inspirtation from Greenville. Even though its sold out, there are still two ways you can participate.
GET A VIRTUAL TICKET!
You may have missed out on being there in person but you can still take part in the magic. Buy a virtual ticket to get the livestream and on demand of all sessions after the Forum.
BECOME A SCHOLAR!
Even though we are sold out to new registrants, five scholarships are available for active emerging developers committed to Building Small. Winning gets you not only a spot, but also a fully paid registration!.
Curated and Hosted by
GREENVILLE SHOWCASE PARTNER
COMMUNITY TABLE PARTNER
Learning Partner
Small Scholar Supporters
Small Spark Damian’s Fund
SDF#25 PROGRAM
SDF#25 takes us to Greenville, SC one of the ‘hot villes’ experiencing considerable growth, a high quality-of-life, and long-term leadership focused on building a great place. We will hear the story of a town’s rebirth through public private partnerships, value add through trails and parks, and a commitment to great civic design. In between these ʻbigʻ moves, thoughtful, creative developers helped the community keep its soul through adaptive reuse, clever infill and smaller new development.
AGENDA
We have a great base hotel location at ground zero in downtown, our days will be filled with extensive walking, project tours, panel discussions and Building Smallʻs curated F+B program. Pechakucha will return on Sunday night, and Monday night will launch the first ever Small Deal Dophin Tank!
Sunday October 18th
- Arrive by 6 pm to take part in our Welcome reception including our signature Pechakucha
Monday October 19th
- 8:00 am – Noon – Presentations on the people, forces, policies and strategies that reshaped the city.
- Lunch at HONE, a local incubator kitchen to help build the F+B ecosystem.
- Afternoon tours of infill residential, adaptive reuse office and art space, mixed use and a mission driven uplift facility for the community.
- Evening happy hour followed by networking reception. Remarks by Mayor Knox White. End with Small Pitch, first ever Dolphin Tank for three projects seeking financing.
Tuesday October 20th
- 8:00 am – Noon – Focused panels on innovative residential strategies and building an F+B ecosystem
- Lunch at Gather, an eclectic gathering of local food vendors in a community third place
- Afternoon tours of warehouse adaptive reuse projects and major public park as catalyst for creating new investment.
- Closing happy hour and session.
About the Small Developer Forums
The Small Developer Forum (SDF) is the premier gathering of entrepreneurial real estate professionals working with small-scale, incremental, and transformative development projects. Held twice a year, each SDF visits a new city to provide fresh inspiration and take-home lessons from a variety of projects and settings. Attended by a diverse group of over 80 individuals, the common thread is a passion for transformative real estate development and the bond created through the challenges and joy of being a small-scale, entrepreneurial developer.
Panel Discussions | Walking Tours | In-Person Case Studies | Peer-to-Peer Roundtables | Group Networking | Deal Sharing |and much more!
“….great experience and fantastic people. Hard to express how grateful I am to have been invited and find my people!”
—Cary Westerbeck; Principal, Westerbeck Architecture, LLC; Seattle, WA
RECENT Forums
fayetteville, ar #24*
october 2025 sold out!
SAN LUIS OBISPO, ca #23*
May 2025 sold out!
Kansas city, mo #22*
october 2024 sold out!
BEND, OR #21*
May 2024 sold out!
Savannah, GA #20*
November 2023 sold out!
Philadelphia, PA #19
June 2023 sold out!
Nashville, TN #18
Nov 2022 sold out!
RECAP
SDF#24 Fayetteville, AR
Curated by Building Small with support from Specialized Real Estate Group and ULI NWA
Forum #24 took an intentionally different approach. Rather than focusing one City or Town, #24 explored the power of a REGION undergoing significant growth, innovation and real estate creativity. Driven by a collaborative approach to create strong economic outcomes by focusing on quality of life, NWA showcased great gathering places, innovative experimental infill housing types, creative approaches to food and beverage concepts, and investment in a significant recreation trail system. Starting with one of our most insightful introduction presentations by the Director of the Community Design Center, to a heartfelt and candid panel discussion of what it takes to actually create a great food and beverage experience, #24 was full of hands on presenters and innovative projects.
These programs and more are covered in 10 hours of on-demand recordings.
RECAP
SDF#23 San Luis Obispo, CA
Curated by Building Small
Forum #23 provided a much needed respite and source of inspiration, at a time when many Small developers are navigating volatile markets, costs, and financing. Descending on the central coastal city of San Luis Obispo, our 2.5 days brought incredible weather, an outstanding urban infill boutique hotel as our central meeting place, and a walkable downtown whose evolution was rich with stories of developers who did the right thing. We learned about how two decades of community policy and thoughtful local investors helped bring back the downtown, with a focus on urbanism, fine-grained development and a ʻgoldilocksʻ balance of formula and local retail. Our panels, case studies, and tours were populated by enthusiastic entrepreneurs who demonstrated the value of the Building Small ethos – to build and hold for the long term.
Over 9 hours of content is available with the After Ticket #23.
RECAP
SDF#22 Kansas City, MO
Curated by Building Small with support from ULI Kansas City
Forum #22 surprised all of us as we descended on Kansas City, the city ‘too big for one state’! Spanning 2.5 days we saw one of the broadest diversity of small projects in a single Forum, and heard passionate and empowered developers share their projects. Beyond just ‘deals’ we saw compelling examples of Small as an innovator in making enduring creative districts; pioneering re-investment in long forgotten and redlined neighborhoods; and explored interesting operating structures to build capacity and ownership amongst a broader group of stakeholders. Key take-aways included the powerful way KCMO has leveraged tax abatement to support Small development, the power of organic – vs highly prescriptive – redevelopment to create enduring places, and how good design can bring about meaningful change.
Over 8 hours of recorded panels and presentations is available with After Ticket #22.
RECAP
SDF#21 Bend, OR
Curated by Building Small with support from ULI Portland
Forum #21 explored the potential tools and opportunities in more remote and rural communities. Bend, OR – once on the brink of bankruptcy – has rebounded to be a magnet for lifestyle-focused creatives, and entrepreneurs are creating a whole new economy. Our opening presentation that featured leaders from the City – Planning, Parks and Rec, and Parking Management (yes, parking management!) to tell a powerful story of how leadership and adherence to values and a vision result in positive outcomes over time. The success of the townʻs resurgence, has not been without its issues and two panels looked at creative ways to address a burgeoning housing affordability challenge, brought on by so much demand and outsized growth. Words of wisdom from an experienced developer who ‘thinks Small’ and championed much of the long-term vision of Bend provided invaluable insights.
Over 7 hours of recorded panels and presentations is available with After Ticket #21
RECAP
SDF#20 Savannah, Georgia
Curated by Building Small in connection with SCAD with support from ULI Atlanta
Our 20th Forum took us to Savannah, GA where we explored a range of Small projects creating authenticity and place, regenerating neighborhoods and building a resilient local economy. Set amidst one of the best examples of fine-grained urbanism in America today, over 3 days we listened to panels of small developers like you discuss their projects and capital approaches, heard about new forms of capital scaled to smaller projects and learned about Savannah’s unique history. SCAD, a non-profit institution dedicated to design innovation and creative careers, shared adaptative reuse and preservation buildings.
Our biggest Forum ever – over 110 attendees – we were joined by media partners Insignia Studios, who both livecast and recorded over 7 hours of content.
With the new Post Event Access Ticket, you can view available sessions including panels on adaptive reuse, project capital stacks, new forms of capital, what makes Small unique, and two case studies – Starland Yard, a 0.5-acre shipping container F+B catalyst project, and Village-on-the-Bluff, a modest, but very clever Cottage Court infill.
RECAP
SDF#19 Philadelphia, PA
Curated by Building Small in collaboration with ULI Philadelphia
Our 19th Forum took us to Philadelphia, PA where we explored a range of urban infill and adaptive reuse projects, as well as the important role Business Improvement Districts play in helping facilitate Small.
One of our more stunning events was the welcome reception held at BOK, a former 350,000 SF Technical Training high school that has been converted into a stunning maker and creative workspace for range of businesses, educational platforms, and food and beverage outlets.
We also toured and heard from leading architects – Onion Flats and ISA Architects – and infill developers whose work infilling Philadelphia’s rich matrix of small, townhome lots with innovative projects helped reinforce the important role Small developers play in healing neighborhoods.
Each Building Small event is as much about the projects we see as as it is the people you meet. Small developers like you – at various points in their career facing the same challenges and holding the same dreams as you. As we tour projects, hear from like minded developers, you will find a new level of support and inspiration for what you believe is important to keep doing.
Small Developer Forum #22
Nashville, TN