Scott Goodman

Founding Principal, Farpoint Development

When Goodman left Sterling Bay, the powerhouse adaptive reuse development firm he co-founded, he entered an even higher-stakes era of his career. 

Goodman launched Farpoint in 2016 and a year later the firm was chosen along with a team of local developers to lead a city-backed, multi-billion dollar megadevelopment called Bronzeville Lakefront at the former Michael Reese Hospital site. When complete, the sprawling multi-use development will remake a large stretch of Bronzeville where Goodman grew up working in his family’s plumbing business.

Getting the city’s approval was an early win but the site is still in pre-development and has faced financing headwinds. It has also come up as a potential site for a Chicago Bears stadium, amid a drawn out back-and-forth between government officials and leaders of the Bears organization.

Meanwhile, the new phase of his career has also drawn controversy. Goodman in 2024 faced scrutiny for subleasing office space tied to the Democratic National Convention while simultaneously owing back rent to the Chicago Transit Authority and taxes to Cook County.

Farpoint also accepted city contracts to house migrants in vacant office buildings, triggering a lawsuit from a lender that alleged the move violated mortgage terms. Goodman denied the claims and has said he stands by the decision, saying he was proud to help house people in need. The lawsuit is pending in Cook County court.

“It came at a pretty large political cost to me … but these were people’s lives that were affected, who were about to be on the street during our coldest weather,” he said. “That’s gratifying.”

— Emma Whalen