What we do:

Urban development is usually an increasingly complex, inter-disciplinary, multi-sector, highly politicized endeavor. It’s no wonder cities frequently get stuck trying to deliver on the promise of new development opportunities. Since 2003, Jess Zimbabwe has been leading teams of associates to help cities with major urban development challenges get unstuck. We work with cities to unlock the potential benefits that new development is intended to bring to their communities, be it housing and commercial development, economic development, urban placemaking and public space, transportation and infrastructure, arts and culture, or equity and public engagement. Mayors and key city officials from Honolulu to Boston, and Anchorage to Tampa, can attest to the efficacy of their approach to equitable community development, honed over nearly a decade running the Rose Center for Public Leadership in Land Use at the Urban Land Institute and National League of Cities.

Our services:

Before you issue that Request for Proposals on a key publicly owned site, before you begin that public planning process for a neighborhood experiencing rapid change, before you invite the heads of major institutions like universities or hospitals or major employers or landowners to a meeting about shared community development goals, contact them first to see how they can help you navigate the frequently inevitable obstacles that accompany complex urban development opportunities and ensure a successful approach for your community.

Our mission:

We believe that a better process yields better urban development outcomes. Just and sustainable cities are built with holistic, inter-disciplinary, and multi-sector work, and a third party civic partner like Plot Strategies can help deliver that work at a critical juncture in your project.