Townbuilders

Levi Wintz
  • 5.0 (21)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Townbuilders is a production of the National Townbuilder’s Association, implementers of the New Urbanism. The NTBA is a group of the leading developers, builders and architects building walkable, human centric places, neighborhoods, and cities, across the globe. These are their stories.

  1. 11/12/2025

    310 Devon Zuegel - From Software Engineer to Townbuilder, Building a New Village in California Wine Country

    In this episode, Levi sits down with Devon Zuegel, a former software engineer and the visionary behind Esmeralda, a proposed 260-acre village in California’s wine country. Inspired by childhood memories and a personal obsession, Devon has set out to create a place that solves the issues she saw in the built environment and that could be a blend of vibrant urbanism and intentional community. She shares how she’s navigating California’s complex regulatory environment, the idea of pop-up villages to create community, raising long-term capital, and how to build trust with locals.

    1h 16m

  2. 09/22/2025

    309 Joel Embry: The Story of Amelia Park and Aging in Place

    In this episode, Levi sits down with developer and NTBA veteran Joel Embry, the visionary behind Amelia Park, one of the earliest and most fully realized traditional neighborhood developments (TNDs) in the Southeast. Joel shares the origin story of Amelia Park—from his early exposure to Seaside and meeting Andrés Duany, to navigating the banking world and architectural challenges of building something radically different. Their conversation dives deep into the importance of aging in place, community design as a tool for public health, and the social science behind walkable neighborhoods. Joel also introduces his latest venture, Civic Telehealth, which aims to bridge the gap between healthcare and home life in aging communities. This is an inspiring, wide-ranging discussion on legacy, purpose, and how design can shape human flourishing—especially in our later years.

    1h 5m

  3. 09/10/2025

    308 Alli Thurmond Quinlan - A Swiss Army Knife Approach to Design, Development, and Doing It All

    In this episode, Levi and Alli Thurmond Quinlan explore the complexity of building great places — from small infill projects to large-scale master plans. Alli shares how her multidisciplinary background as an architect, landscape architect, developer, and Executive Director of the Incremental Development Alliance has shaped her approach to vertically integrating her firm, RANGE. They discuss the challenges of working with cities, strategies for making suburban development 25% better, and how IncDev may be prepared to train the next generation of town builders.

    1h 33m

  4. 08/29/2025

    307 Rob Parker: Building for Human Flourishing

    In this episode, Levi sits down with Rob Parker — president of the NTBA, co-founder of the Town at Trillith,and a longtime leader in purpose-driven placemaking. Rob shares how his background in nonprofit leadership shaped his approach to townbuilding, and why human flourishing has become the guiding principle behind his work. They also discuss the groundbreaking Global Flourishing Study from Harvard, Baylor, and Gallup, and what its early findings could mean for developers, planners, and specifincally, other townbuilders. Whether you’re new to placemaking or deep in the trenches, this episode offers practical wisdom and fresh inspiration for building places that matter.

    59 min

  5. 08/14/2025

    306 Laurence Qamar - Scales of Community, Designing Towns that Grow Organically

    In this episode, Levi sits down with Laurence Qamar is a town planner and architect with over three decades of experience designing walkable neighborhoods and new-urbanist developments across the country. Laurence shares his “Scales of Community” framework — a scalable, flexible approach to town planning that allows neighborhoods to grow organically, block by block. We explore what makes a place walkable, how alley-loaded blocks change the development equation, and how tools like the transect can guide more thoughtful design. Laurence also reflects on his work in communities like Seabrook, Bella Beach, and Woodbury.

    1h 2m

  6. 07/30/2025

    305 Mike Watkins: Wisdom from the World's Most experienced Town Architects

    In this episode, Levi and Michael discuss the role of the town architect. For nearly 40 years, Mike has worked at the forefront of the new urbanism movement—starting at the charrette for Kentlands, Michael eventually became town architect of the pioneering development in Maryland and he now continues to guide planning and design for developments across the country. We get into the practicalities and philosophy of town architecture—what it is, how it works, and why it matters. Mike shares stories from the early days of Kentlands, insights on balancing design and development realities, and his reflections on what still excites him about this work decades into his career.

    1h 4m

  7. 06/20/2025

    304 Ross Chapin - Rediscovering the Pocket Neighborhood, Pattern-building, & Community Culture

    In this conversation, Levi sits down for a long-anticipated conversation with Ross Chapin, who instigated a national revival of "pocket neighborhoods"—small clusters of homes designed to foster real community. Ross shares how a single project in a small Washington town sparked a national movement and reshaped how we think about neighborhood design. We explore the foundational ideas behind his work, including the “scale of sociability,” the use of pattern languages, and the essential role of how the physical design of our built environment shapes everyday human connection. Ross also offers practical insights for townbuilding, on how to extrapolate these design patterns across the transect while also fostering a resilient community culture through proper governance. Whether you’re a builder, planner, or someone dreaming of a better neighborhood, this conversation is packed with timeless wisdom and grounded inspiration.

    1h 13m

  8. 06/04/2025

    303 David Horwath - Developing with Purpose, Competing with Suburbia, & Scaling the Townbuilding Model

    In this episode, Levi sits down with David Horwath of Land Innovations to unpack what it means to develop with purpose in a landscape dominated by conventional suburbia. They explore the challenges—and opportunities—of scaling the traditional neighborhood development (TND) model while preserving the character, craftsmanship, and culture that make great places work. From aligning with legacy-minded landowners to building resilient, cross-functional teams, David shares a deeply thoughtful approach to townbuilding that’s as strategic as it is values-driven.

    1h 6m
See All (31)

5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Townbuilders is a production of the National Townbuilder’s Association, implementers of the New Urbanism. The NTBA is a group of the leading developers, builders and architects building walkable, human centric places, neighborhoods, and cities, across the globe. These are their stories.

Information

  • Creator
    Levi Wintz
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright NTBA
  • Show Website
    Townbuilders

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