Ilana Preuss is the Founder of Recast City LLC, a consulting firm that works with real estate developers, city and other civic leaders to integrate manufacturing space for small-scale producers into redevelopment projects and place-based economic development. She is passionate about making great places and sees that small-scale manufacturers are a missing piece in today’s mixed-use development and commercial property repositioning.

With nearly 20 years of experience in city development, Ms. Preuss works with real estate developers, economic development corporations, and other local leaders to go from idea to plan to action to build great places with vibrant economies. She supports businesses and organizations to develop strategies with measurable and achievable outcomes.

Through her work at Recast City, Ms. Preuss works with business leaders to understand the local small-scale manufacturing sector, discover the potential to enhance real estate development, and tap state and federal resources for support. She works with real estate developers to integrate small-scale manufacturing businesses into new and rehab products to increase a project’s value and draw people to the target neighborhood. She works with economic development authorities to identify key assets in the local community and build goals and tactics to create vibrant and sustainable economic growth.

Ms. Preuss’ projects at Recast City span the country – from Washington, D.C. to Honolulu, HI. Through work with real estate developers, foundations, city planning and economic development offices, and with mayors, she develops demand analyses, economic development strategies, and business-retention and planning policies. Her technique of intensive one-on-one engagement with local business owners and other stakeholders provides clients with a deep understanding of local challenges and opportunities for success.

In 2017, Ms. Preuss co-authored, Made in PLACE: Small-scale manufacturing and placemaking, in partnership with Smart Growth America and funded by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and she co-authored, Discovering Your City’s Maker Economy, a field guide for National League of Cities, in partnership with NLC, Etsy, and the Urban Manufacturing Alliance. She also authored a chapter in Creative Placemaking, a publication by the National Endowment for the Arts.