The Coral Capital Podcast Designing the Future of Neighborhoods | Devon Zuegel on Esmeralda
Devon Zuegel, founder and CEO of the Esmeralda Institute, joins us on the latest episode of The Coral Capital Podcast.
After building online communities, scaling open-source programs at GitHub, and hosting Notion’s Pioneers series, Devon Zuegel is now bringing her expertise offline to create a family focused village north of San Francisco.
In this episode, she shares the challenges of shaping a people centered village, from navigating complex land use regulations to balancing environmental realities.
Topics explored:
- How San Francisco’s housing shortages inspired Devon to create Esmeralda
- Why California’s CEQA further fueled Devon’s passion for urban planning
- Designing multi-generational, walkable communities with a balance of density and nature
- The concept of “traveling neighborhoods” and fostering connection through shared experiences
- The hardware and software of building a physical community
- Integrating seniors, families, and diverse age groups into a cohesive community
- Creating lasting culture and connection through deliberate programming and shared experiences
If you're working on something ambitious, we’d love to hear from you at Coral Capital!
Get in touch with us here: bit.ly/contactcoral
Connect with Devon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonzuegel/
Connect with Tiffany:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanykayo/
Connect with Alexandra Silverman:
X: https://x.com/AlexandraFayeS
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afsilverman/
00:00 Intro
00:46 Meet Devin
08:19 Placemaking and Traveling Neighborhoods
16:51 Building Esmeralda
31:12 Supporting Families in Northern California
33:23 Incorporating the Elderly in Community Planning
38:17 Learning from Other Towns and Cities
47:09 Building a New Town