How Do We LiveForward?

We build high-impact, low-intensity housing projects on challenging infill sites…

Our team is focused on creating context-sensitive multi-family communities in urban Phoenix. LiveForward is not afraid of the small, demanding, awkward or even “ugly” sites. We love to engage local neighborhoods to create design solutions that not only celebrate the historic framework of a district but inspire a new housing development to integrate sustainable and modern elements.

The LiveForward Advantage

We create one-of-a-kind urban communities that promote:

Mental and Emotional Health by focusing on advanced technology and design elements that foster Meditative and Contemplative spaces by reducing Noise, creating cleaner Air Quality, addressing Crime and Safety concerns and celebrating the desert’s Natural Beauty; and
Environmental and Community Health by applying construction methods that reflect a Net Zero energy model, promote Multi-Modal transportation opportunities for our residents, exhibit Structural Durability, Display Context-Sensitive Scale and Design, and celebrate Public Art.

Team Experience

We’ve done it all…for a long time

With over 100 collective years of development experience among our four partners, LiveForward Development brings incredible experience to each project. But our members also deliver a unique background and skill set that enables decisions to be made fluidly. With collective strengths in finance, entitlement, sales, design, construction, and project management we possess a comprehensive approach that is unparalleled.

This unique ability allows LiveForward Development to create finance, design,
development, and construction solutions that attract and retain renters and buyers, and produce higher, faster returns for investors.

Our team’s completed local and regional developments have already set the standard for relatable design and density with a modern style and integrated green features. With numerous new projects on the horizon for urban Phoenix, our team is primed to deliver even more impressive results.

Passion Projects

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Residency at Verde Park

03/23

Building a Resilient Tomorow
100 Willetta

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19th and Willetta

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J42

5th and Mckinley

OUR TEAM

BEN PATTON

PARTNER

Though his chief ambition is to one day see the demise of country music, Ben mostly keeps himself busy with the task of discovering new opportunities for LiveForward Development. Originally from Iowa, Ben and his wife, Melanie relocated to Phoenix in 2001 because they thought it would be nice to finally feel their toes in January.

Ben has been consulting as an urban planner for the LiveForward team for the past five years, before which he spent over 20 years begging, pleading, inducing, cajoling and otherwise persuading local officials to allow cool urban projects to have a chance…he usually failed. Though valiant, Ben’s efforts and accomplishments do not, in the view of his partners, make up for the fact that he won’t shut up about mountain biking, jiu jitsu, wine and hot yoga (for some reason). In addition to his background in city planning, Ben hasn’t been able to hold a job for long but has accrued a vast array of titles with local firms specializing in law, architecture, engineering, lobbying and construction.

In his 45 minutes of spare time per week, Ben makes a noble, but failed effort to be the best dad he can be to his three teenagers, caretaker to three dogs and partner to his perfect wife, Melanie. Nobody on the team can understand why she settled for Ben but he’s a lucky guy.

scott Kilkenny

PARTNER

Scott Kilkenny is a founding member of Liveforward Development. He splits his time between Colorado and Arizona with occasion trips to Arkansas and Iowa. He started his professional life at 12 as a local television news reporter in Omaha, NE and it’s been all glory since then. While studying at UCLA and navigating a degree in Bioengineering, he realized his love of science, the outdoors and independence lead him to a career in environmental management for energy companies travelling the US for 15 years and was educated on the brilliance of small nuances that make certain places magical and others struggle. He served his passion in real estate by first owning several rental properties in the states he travelled to connect locally before ever owning a place of his own. In 1999 he moved back to Colorado and finally decided to set roots and create a home of his own and his family. He bought a loft in an edgy rough part of Downtown Denver and watched the daily change of his neighborhood and was inspired by the vision of a few individuals who through art, science in balance with the existing environment created a neighborhood out of parking lots and Scott’s passion was born.

TODD KILKENNY

PARTNER

Todd Kilkenny is a founding member of LiveForward Development. Having worked in real estate and finance over the past 18 years, LiveForward Development provides Todd the opportunity to leverage his professional experience to help lead a firm that creates urban residential developments aspiring to elevate neighborhoods and communities. In his role as partner, Todd is tasked with a variety of responsibilities, but none more enjoyable than that as a collaborator with the other partners of LiveForward, especially the opportunity to work alongside his brother, Scott.

Prior to LiveForward Development, Todd co-founded 303 Development LLC, a general contracting company headquartered in Denver, Colorado and Live4ward Ventures LLC, a real estate development firm also based in Denver, Colorado. While working in the day-to-day operations of 303 he helped lead the company from a neighborhood custom home builder averaging $5 million in annual build costs to a regional commercial contractor focusing on multi-family construction averaging over $25 million annually. Simultaneously, with Live4ward Ventures Todd helped identify and manage over $55 million in development projects.

Todd has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife, two sons and golden retriever puppy, and in his spare time can be found golfing and traveling to youth sporting events.

JILL Harris

PARTNER

It’s a bit embarrassing but Jill’s passion for construction and development probably traces back to her days as a contestant on a well-known reality dating show. The male “hero” of the show, Lance, was a General Contractor. She really liked him at first, but as the show moved on, reality set in and she soon came to realize he needed a major attitude adjustment. So, right then and there, on national television, she decided to go into the male dominated construction industry just to prove that it IS possible to be a female General Contractor, building and managing projects, and with a can-do attitude to boot! OK, so not all this story is accurate…especially the part about the TV show and the GC with the bad attitude.

But what IS true is that Jill loves what she does and her partners at LiveForward Development who value her passion and knowledge. With 25 years in the construction industry, having owned a GC firm as well as working for a few great builders both in Portland and in Phoenix, Jill not only managed to learn the inner workings of the industry and oversee some amazing projects along the way, but also kept a great attitude through it all. Where others see problems, Jill sees possibilities! Take that, Lance!

Jill truly enjoys collaborating with her phenomenal partners', whose Values, Vision, and Passion for developing amazing urban communities all align. Jill is especially passionate about innovations and applications of green construction technologies and is always looking at methods to apply environmental and human friendly materials. Honestly, if she could, she would probably own a sheep farm just so she could economically incorporate all-natural wool for insulation into each of our projects.

Jill now lives in Gilbert with her family, including her dog (Duke) -- an Alaskan Husky who forces her to hike the Sonoran Desert and who frequently makes appearances on team zoom calls. After living in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest for most her life, Jill has now called Greater Phoenix home for the past 14 years. In her spare time, Jill enjoys traveling, spending time with her children and paddle boarding…and for that matter any other warm water activity she can get her fins into.