Leon Walker delivers Grand Boulevard Ted Talk - Rethinking Gentrification

Over the next 10 years, his vision is to help create 10,000 jobs and 10 million square feet of new commercial space in Chicago’s neighborhoods. Mr. Walker is at the forefront of economic development, utilizing new financing tools and blended funding streams. During his career, Mr. Walker has structured more than $100 million in New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC), including the award-winning Roseland Medical Center, which was the first project to finance new construction with NMTCs in Chicago. He was also the first Chicago developer to use crowdfunding for new construction as part of the capital stack for the nationally recognized Englewood Square retail center, anchored by Whole-Foods This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. In August 2020, Leon Walker and DL3 celebrated the opening of a new 130,000 SF customer care center for Blue Cross Blue Shield in the Morgan Park community of Chicago, providing over 500 new jobs for the local community.