Alon Barzilay

Adjunct Lecturer in Real Estate Development

Alon is the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Urban Conversions, a Philadelphia-based boutique real estate development firm focused on adaptive reuse and ground-up development. The firm revitalizes historic factories, warehouses, and churches into luxury loft apartments, creative workspaces, and neighborhood-serving retail, while also developing projects in emerging communities. As part of its mission, Urban Conversions integrates public art into redevelopment and recently launched Glass Works, a flagship live-work apartment building designed for remote professionals and freelancers.
Alon’s work has been nationally recognized by PBS as a “paragon example of responsible development,” and Urban Conversions has been featured in USA Today, The Philadelphia Business Journal, and Philadelphia Magazine. A serial entrepreneur, Alon has also founded complementary ventures in leasing, property management, and construction that support the firm’s vertically integrated model.

He is the creator of the YIMBY app, an innovative platform that modernizes the development approval process by enabling direct, efficient community engagement. Often described as a “Tinder for Zoning,” YIMBY expands participation beyond traditional public meetings. Alon also founded YIMBY University, an animated educational program on best practices in community engagement.

Previously, Alon held senior roles at Toll Brothers, Klein Company, and New Home Search (later acquired by Realtor.com), working on large-scale multifamily development, zoning entitlements, and early real estate technology platforms. Alon holds a Master’s degree in Housing and Real Estate Development from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations and Organizational Behavior from Cornell University.