By Melissa Alonso | September 25, 2025 - Atlanta, GA
What do a blockbuster soundstage, a pocket neighborhood, and a midtown high-rise have in common? For students in Georgia Tech’s Evolution of the Deal course, they’re more than just sites—they’re the foundation of an immersive learning experience that bridges textbooks and towers, spreadsheets and steel.
Offered each summer through the Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) program, Evolution of the Deal is part site visit, part strategy session, and part storytelling lab. Led by Professor of Practice John Threadgill of the School of Building Construction, the class guides students through real-world development projects, helping them understand the people, processes, and pivots that bring complex visions to life.
“We provide students with skills throughout the MRED program, but in this course, we put those skills into a real-world sequence and context,” said Threadgill. “They see how their role in real estate development might actually unfold—stage by stage, deal by deal.”
Where Vision Meets Reality
The class follows a simple but powerful format: students research an active development, hear from its lead developer in the classroom, then visit the site in person—sometimes while construction is still underway. This summer’s line-up included a Georgia Tech-led mixed-use tower in Tech Square, a midtown multifamily complex, and the high-profile Trilith Studios and Trilith Live developments in Fayetteville.
The Trilith tour was hosted by Lindsey Wooddy, a recent MRED alumna and now Vice President of Community Development for the Fayette County Development Authority. Having worked at Trilith for nearly a decade, Wooddy had firsthand knowledge of the project’s growth from groundbreaking to blockbuster.
“We covered everything from zoning challenges to financing strategies to unexpected design pivots,” said Wooddy. “But what made it special was how engaged the students were. They asked sharp questions and treated it like more than a field trip—it was a real chance to learn from our wins and mistakes.”
To cap off the experience, students donned hard hats and signed the “construction wall” inside Trilith Live—joining a long list of filmmakers, visionaries, and builders who’ve left their mark on the space. Each student also received a jar of honey made onsite from the Trilith beehives.
Full-Circle Learning
For MRED student Wanqi Loy, who goes by KK, the visit to Trilith wasn’t just informative—it was personal. As a licensed architect, KK had helped design Trilith Live’s first phase before enrolling at Georgia Tech.
“Coming back to the site with the class was surreal,” she said. “When I worked on the project, I only saw one side—the architecture and construction. But through this class, I got the full story: how the deal came together, why certain decisions were made, and what’s next for the town.”
Her experience illustrates the course’s broader impact. Whether students come from design, planning, or construction backgrounds, Evolution of the Deal challenges them to zoom out—and then dive in.
“You don’t just hear the pitch. You ask about capital stacks, feasibility hiccups, entitlement struggles—real hurdles,” said KK. “The deeper you push, the more you learn. You get details you’d never find in a press release or brochure.”
From Classroom to Career
Threadgill emphasized that the course isn’t just about knowledge—it’s about vision.
“The most important thing students walk away with is seeing themselves in these roles,” he said. “They hear the ‘war stories,’ see the projects mid-process, and start to understand what they’re capable of contributing to these complex teams.”
That message resonated with Wooddy, who took the course while juggling a full-time job and a growing family—and now helps shape economic development across Fayette County.
“This class helped me see the big picture,” she said. “It widened my aperture. It gave me not only technical skills but the confidence and connections to grow my career.”
Both KK and Wooddy emphasized the importance of mentorship and accessibility in the field of development—especially for women and emerging professionals.
“If I can be the person who opens a door or answers a question like others did for me, I’ll do it every time,” said Wooddy. “That’s how the next generation of developers is built—one conversation at a time.”
