HAGERSTOWN, Md — Sam Shoge, co-founder and partner at Rivers & Roads, will present at the 2026 Main Street Maryland Conference in Hagerstown this October. His IGNITE-style presentation will give Main Street leaders a practical framework for understanding property redevelopment and taking the first steps toward a project.
“Demystifying Development: How Main Street Leaders Can Bring Properties Back to Life” is scheduled during the Tuesday, October 6, 9:25–10:00 a.m. session at the Maryland Theatre. Shoge will break the redevelopment process into clear phases, explaining how leaders can assess a property’s potential and determine what it would take to put it back into productive use.
The presentation will offer a crash course in real estate development for people working to strengthen their downtowns. Drawing on firsthand project experience, Shoge will discuss how business plans, financial projections known as pro formas, and concept visuals help test redevelopment ideas. He will also explore creative approaches to the capital stack—the combination of funding sources used to finance a project.
“Property redevelopment can feel intimidating when you haven’t done it before,” said Shoge. “I want to break the process into steps people can understand and use. We’ll talk about what has worked, what has failed, and what we’ve learned. My goal is for attendees to leave thinking, ‘I can do this.’”
Alongside practical tools, Shoge will share lessons from a redevelopment project that failed. That discussion will give attendees a candid look at what went wrong and how those lessons can inform future decisions. The emphasis throughout will be on helping Main Street leaders approach redevelopment with a clearer understanding of the work, questions, and risks involved.
Rivers & Roads Returns as a Conference Sponsor
Rivers & Roads is supporting this year’s conference as a Bronze-Level sponsor, following its sponsorship in 2025.
Organized by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and the Maryland Economic Development Association, the conference takes place October 6–7 in downtown Hagerstown. It brings together community leaders, economic development professionals, small business advocates, and local partners to share approaches to strengthening Maryland’s downtowns.
For registration and event information, visit the 2026 Main Street Maryland Conference website.
About Rivers & Roads
Rivers & Roads is a boutique strategy and community development consulting firm based in Easton, Maryland. The firm helps nonprofits, local governments, and other mission-driven organizations set priorities, engage stakeholders, and put practical plans into action.
Does your community have a property with redevelopment potential but no clear plan for what comes next?
Rivers & Roads helps local governments, Main Street organizations, and property owners evaluate redevelopment opportunities. First, we help assess potential uses and test financial feasibility. We also explore funding options so leaders can understand what a project requires before committing resources. From there, we help develop a practical redevelopment strategy with clear next steps. Contact us to discuss your property and the support you need to put a realistic plan into action.
