Urban Colab Architecture, L3C is Kurt Neiswender’s sole-proprietor architecture firm founded in Flint, Michigan in April 2020. Registered as a Low-Profit Limited Liability Company (L3C), it combines nonprofit mission with for-profit operation — people first, profit second. The firm focuses on regenerative and sustainable design for under-resourced communities.
Mission
Empower clients to achieve independent and sustainable lives by designing productive buildings and landscapes. Projects are intended to be regenerative — repairing human impact — and to operate with minimal utility reliance.
Core Services
- Sustainable Architecture Design
- Regenerative Landscape Design
- Placemaking Urban Design
Primary project types: missing-middle multi-family residential, adaptive reuse, ADUs, main-street retail, professional office, permaculture landscape.
Practice Model
Remote-work firm with no permanent office. Uses Factory Two coworking space in Flint for face-to-face meetings. Target: 80% billable hours, 8–10 core clients, minimum $10,000 fee per project, at least 3 projects over $20,000 annually.
Key Projects
Communities First, Inc. partnerships include Orchard Grove Apartments, Orchard Manor Apartments, and Foodie Commons — providing affordable housing and commercial space in Flint. Additional work includes the Paterson Building adaptive reuse, Horizon PT, and several accessory dwelling unit (ADU) projects.
Market Position
Flint-based with reach to Detroit (~1hr), Saginaw/Midland (~1hr), Grand Rapids (~2hr). Competes by offering full-service design at a scale and cost that large firms avoid. L3C status enables MBE certification.