The Community Development of Historic Preservation: Shawn McLearen

As a community real estate developer, Shawn McLearen has administered over $100 million in public and private funds necessary to advance multi-policy, community development real estate projects in NYS. Partners, financing structures and regulatory requirements include private foundations, tax credit equity, state bonds, local / state / federal program funds, and community finance banking products. A former Vice President of Real Estate Development for Artspace Projects – the nation’s largest non-profit developer for the arts – he has since co-founded Placeful, a non-profit community real estate development company with a mission to foster investment in community space through socially responsible partnerships in finance, agriculture, education and the arts; and New York Hops & Grains with a mission to bring craft beverage farming back to the Empire State. Previously, he co-founded Mixed Palate as a bi-lingual website that promotes sustainable food culture; and Farm to Campfire as a platform to celebrate the produce and producers of the Hudson Valley. He has served as an Executive Committee member of the North East Foodshed Finance Alliance; as well as Food + Enterprise; and is a proud Board member of Slow Food NYC and it’s mission to build a food system that is good, clean and fair for all.