Development Strategies

What Development Strategies does

Development Strategies is a privately held professional consulting firm founded in 1988 and headquartered at 10 South Broadway in St. Louis, Missouri, with satellite offices in Seattle, Wichita, and England. The firm employs approximately 14 professionals organized as principals, senior associates, and associates, and serves real estate, community, nonprofit, corporate, and institutional clients with advice on business and place-based development.

Its service offerings span five integrated practice areas: economic development, real estate development, community development, policy, and urban design. Deliverables include comprehensive plans, downtown and corridor master plans, housing market studies (including LIHTC market studies in Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas), commercial and residential real estate appraisals, feasibility studies, TIF and Chapter 353 redevelopment plans, and community engagement processes. Underlying tooling centers on GIS-based spatial analysis, ESRI demographic data, and a maintained national database of project-level real estate financials used to benchmark expenses and feasibility outcomes.

The business model is project-based professional services sold primarily through municipal and developer RFPs, with client relationships in local and regional governments, private developers, nonprofits and philanthropy, universities and innovation districts, and housing finance agencies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is scoped per engagement. Go-to-market relies on professional association participation (APA, NAHMA, IDA, Appraisal Institute), conference speaking, project awards, and partner-led teaming with design firms such as MKSK, Design Workshop, SOM, and Multistudio. The firm is independently owned following a 2018 leadership and ownership transition, has no disclosed institutional or venture capital backing, and operates without a software product or public API.

Name

Development Strategies

Legal name

Development Strategies

Website

https://development-strategies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Development Strategies is a St. Louis-based urban planning and economic development consulting firm serving municipalities, developers, nonprofits, and universities since 1988 across comprehensive planning, market studies, real estate appraisals, and redevelopment strategy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate and Community Development Consulting

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support) (BPAJANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE), Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD), Program & Project Implementation (TA Delivery) (BPADAEAA), Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

Keywords

• Real estate consulting
• Comprehensive planning
• Economic development strategy
• Housing market studies
• Urban design services

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: Planning and consulting engagements for economic development, real estate development, community development, policy, and urban design projects. Engagements are project-based with scope defined by client needs.
2. Real Estate Appraisals: Appraisal services for commercial and residential properties, including affordable housing, historic properties, and complex redevelopment sites. Approved appraiser for lending institutions, state and local housing agencies, and HUD.
3. Housing Market Studies: Market studies for developers requiring LIHTC applications and for tax credit syndicators and investors. Studies required by states for affordable housing developments.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Development Strategies is an interdisciplinary professional consulting firm that advises real estate, community, nonprofit, corporate, and institutional clients on economic development, real estate development, community development, public policy, and urban design. Core services include comprehensive plans, housing market studies (including LIHTC studies), real estate appraisals, downtown and corridor master plans, feasibility studies, and economic development strategies delivered through project-based engagements.

Product overview

Development Strategies is a professional consulting firm offering integrated services across economic development, real estate development, community development, policy, and urban design. The firm does not operate a software product but provides advisory services including Comprehensive Plans, Housing Market Studies, Real Estate Appraisals, Downtown/Master Plans, Corridor Plans, and Feasibility Studies. These services are delivered through interdisciplinary project teams combining expertise in city planning, economics, public policy, real estate valuation, urban design, and graphic design to help clients improve cities and communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comprehensive Plans Long-range strategic plans that guide land use, housing, economic development, and policy priorities for cities and communities over 10-15 year horizons. Intended for municipal and regional governments.
• Housing Market Studies Market demand analysis for housing developments, including affordable housing studies required for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) applications. For developers, syndicators, and state housing agencies.
• Real Estate Appraisals Certified property valuations including retail, affordable housing, historic properties, and site redevelopment appraisals. Provided for lenders, developers, housing agencies, and HUD.
• Downtown/Master Plans Strategic plans for downtown revitalization, urban redevelopment, and district creation focusing on housing, retail, hospitality, and mixed-use development. For cities and development authorities.
• Corridor Plans Strategic planning for commercial corridors including land use recommendations, development strategies, and infrastructure improvements. For municipalities and regional councils.
• Community Development Consulting Professional services focused on public outreach, engagement processes, and community-based planning initiatives. For nonprofits, civic groups, and municipalities.
• Economic Development Strategy Analysis of economic foundations, growth opportunities, and policy frameworks to support community prosperity. For regional and municipal economic development organizations.
• Feasibility Studies Financial and market feasibility analysis for development projects, including fiscal impact analysis and TIF/redevelopment planning. For developers, municipalities, and authorities.
• Urban Design Physical planning services including architectural design, urban design, and place-making strategies. For cities, developers, and institutional clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Identified market opportunities for 1,500 housing units, 300,000 sq ft retail, 3-4 new hotels in Toledo
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MKSKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign firm partner for South Clarksville Redevelopment Plan. Development Strategies worked with MKSK to identify housing and retail/leisure opportunities, create economic strategy, rebranding framework, and development plan.
• Rise Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner planning firm for Our Ferguson 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Collaborated with City staff, Steering Committee, and community stakeholders.
• Design WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign firm partner for West Florissant Avenue Great Streets Plan and Frenchtown Great Streets Plan. Provided design and project management services.
• Neighborhood Design CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed community-driven planning processes in Columbus, Ohio for Hilltop Housing Study and Linden Community Master Plan. Development Strategies provided market analysis support.
• MKSKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead design firm for Decatur Town Center 2.0 Plan. Multidisciplinary design team where Development Strategies provided market research and strategic recommendations.
• Piper&GoldminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPublic relations firm partnered with for Housing Drives project in Greater Lansing to craft engagement and outreach through social media.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead of multidisciplinary consulting team for City of Asheville Comprehensive Plan. Development Strategies provided market analysis and economic development strategies.
• Multistudio (formerly GouldEvans)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLead consulting team for Wichita Walkability Plan. Development Strategies supported their efforts with demographic, economic, and real estate trend analysis.
• MKSKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign and project management partner for Euclid and Limestone Corridor Strategy in Lexington, Kentucky. Development Strategies conducted market analysis and feasibility testing.
• East-West Gateway Council of GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional planning organization that hired Development Strategies for West Florissant Avenue Great Streets Plan and Bevo Great Streets Plan.
• Mid-America Regional CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council that hired Development Strategies for Troost Avenue Corridor Plan and provided funding for Quivira Road Corridor Study through Planning Sustainable Places program.
• Lucas County Board of CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHired Development Strategies to analyze SeaGate Convention Centre challenges, opportunities, and impacts for Downtown Toledo.
• National Association of Housing Market AnalystsminorOthersProfessional membership organization for housing market analysts. Development Strategies is a member.
• Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas State Housing AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproved analyst lists for LIHTC market studies in these three states. Development Strategies provides required market studies for affordable housing developers.
• Louisville-Jefferson County Riverport AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngaged Development Strategies in July 2019 to analyze industrial real estate market in Jefferson County and provide strategic direction for future investments.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TischlerBise: TischlerBise specializes in fiscal impact analysis, economic and demographic research, and TIF/development feasibility for municipalities — overlapping directly with Development Strategies' TIF redevelopment planning and feasibility work.
• Camoin Associates: Camoin Associates provides economic development strategy, target industry analysis, and workforce consulting to municipalities and regions — a comparable boutique advisory competitor in the same public-sector economic development niche.
• HR&A Advisors: HR&A is a national real estate and economic development advisory firm that advises cities, developers, and institutions on feasibility, market analysis, and implementation — directly comparable to Development Strategies' integrated planning and real estate consulting practice.
• Tip Strategies: Tip Strategies is an economic development consulting firm that delivers strategic plans, market analyses, and implementation support to cities, counties, and regions — closely matching Development Strategies' economic development and community planning offerings.
• RCLCO Real Estate Advisors: RCLCO is a real estate advisory firm specializing in market analysis, feasibility, and investment strategy for developers and public-sector clients — comparable to Development Strategies' appraisal, market study, and feasibility work.
• Future iQ: Future iQ is an economic development and community planning consultancy that supports municipalities with scenario planning, workforce strategy, and community engagement — comparable scope to Development Strategies' planning and engagement services.
• BAE Urban Economics: BAE Urban Economics is a consulting firm providing real estate market analysis, fiscal impact studies, and affordable housing feasibility for public and private clients — a direct competitor in Development Strategies' market study and feasibility practice.

Broad incumbents

• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): SOM is a global architecture and urban planning firm that competes for marquee comprehensive plans (e.g., Asheville) and at times subcontracts market analysis work to Development Strategies — a broader incumbent that both competes with and partners alongside the firm.
• AECOM Urban Planning: AECOM is a global infrastructure and urban planning firm that competes for the same municipal comprehensive plans, master plans, and corridor studies as Development Strategies, but offers a much broader portfolio of services at significantly greater scale.

Others

• Streetlight Data: Streetlight Data provides mobility and demographic analytics that compete conceptually with Development Strategies' GIS-based market analysis, though it operates as a technology vendor rather than an advisory firm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/development-strategies-inc.

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Development Strategies