We are going to start a monthly series of WPD member interviews! There are so many wonderful and interesting women that are apart of WPD and so this is a great place to get to know one another better.
Meet Sarah Beck! She is currently serving as Professional Development chair on the WPD board. Thanks Sarah for doing this great interview and kicking off this new series!
I am a Project Manager for the Alden Foundation, a non-profit affordable housing developer specializing in senior housing. Because the Foundation is very small (my boss and me), I get to see projects through from site selection to operation. My time is spent putting deals together -underwriting to make sure projects are financially feasible, working with municipalities to ensure the sites have appropriate zoning, and applying for every source of financing available to make the project work. Once all of the pre-development pieces come together (!), we manage the construction of the building - handling monthly pay outs, ordering equipment and appliances for the building, and making sure we are hitting construction milestones required by our lenders. Then, post-construction and lease up, we are responsible for ensuring an excellent quality of life for our residents, as well as financial health of the development. The Foundation has developed and maintains ownership of nine affordable developments across the Chicago metro, with a tenth under construction in Mount Prospect.How did you get into it?
Here’s the abridged version, minus all the wrong turns and side steps. After undergrad, I worked for an organization in Philadelphia called “Bike & Build,” which hosted cross country bike trips to raise money and awareness for affordable housing. This got me interested in the critical shortage of housing for low and moderate income people, so I applied to grad school in urban planning. While I was in school, I was research assistant at the Voorhees Center at UIC, a research center specializing in affordable housing issues and community development. After grad school, I took my policy and research based knowledge of housing and leveraged that into a job where I’m actually building it.Is it your dream job? If so, what makes it a dream? If not, what is your dream job?
My position is a great fit for me. Because I get to work on all aspects of our projects, my job has been like a boot camp on how affordable housing works. This also allows me to take ownership of projects from beginning to end, which is very important to me. Another great thing about this position is that while the Foundation itself is small, we have an in-house construction company, architect and interior design firm, and property management company that form our development team, so I get to see our projects from other team member’s perspectives in a way that wouldn’t be possible if we weren't sharing an office.How long have you been a member of WPD?
I've been a member for three years now.Why did you join?
I joined in grad school as a way to network, meet new people in the field, and learn about what kind of career options were out there for someone interested in planning and development.What are some things you’ve benefited from being a member of WPD?
I may be biased as the co-host of the monthly small networking lunches, but I think being able to talk one on one with a senior-level professional is a tremendous opportunity for our members, and something I’ve benefited from. I also really enjoy our happy hour events, it’s a great way to meet cool ladies and learn about the interesting work they do while also eating, drinking, and being merry.What are some of your favorite urban planning features about Chicago?
One thing I’m really excited about now is the Bloomingdale Trail, also re-branded as “The 606,” which will convert a three mile stretch of abandoned elevated rail line into a recreational trail. I live near one of the parks that will be connected to the trail, so I can’t wait to use it. Logan Square doesn’t have a lot of open space, and particularly lacks space for active use, and I think the trail will meet a real need. And the views of the City from up there are fantastic!What are some of your favorite cities or places?
I’m on a sort of undeclared mission to visit all 59 national parks, and so far my favorites are Death Valley (which I visited during the winter, I don’t think it would have been my favorite in July), the Everglades, Great Sand Dunes, and Canyonlands. I’m hoping to make it to a few more this year, hopefully on a trip out to the Northwest.
