· The bottleneck in early-stage development is fragmented data spread across many stakeholders. Block and Mortar is built to get a team to a fast yes or no, because even a fast no frees time for revenue-generating projects.
· A rough construction cost range that normally takes two to three days of reaching out to builders can come back from a single prompt, built from comparable projects and broken down by CSI division.
· Real-time collaboration replaces "spreadsheet tag." A builder or in-house estimator can be invited to review only the CSI divisions, comments are time-stamped, and edits roll up so everyone works from the same revision.
· Each asset type needs its own metrics. A quick-service restaurant may pay more for land that drives revenue, while a multifamily developer may want cheaper land to add value. People will drive 45 minutes home, but not to a restaurant.
· Scenario modeling lets you clone a concept and compare. On the Spring Hill site, the team compared an initial 200-unit mid-rise with 96 garden-style units in three buildings of 32 units each.
· Rent assumptions decide whether a deal pencils. At the demo's starting rent of $1,600 a month, Logan said he would not do the deal, but noted that two- and three-bedroom units next to schools in Spring Hill are likely to rent for more, and incentives had not been layered in yet.
· Get pre-development right. Uzi's view is that if the assumptions are wrong before construction, the project is already in trouble, so tools should let teams move fast without adding risk.
What is Block and Mortar?
Block and Mortar is a Kansas City-based technology company founded by CEO Usman "Uzi" Wajid. It is building an AI-powered operating system for early-stage real estate development and site selection, designed to help developers, contractors, and capital partners collaborate earlier, make better-informed decisions, and get projects to construction faster. It is proprietary software available at blockandmortar.ai.
How can AI estimate construction costs for a development site?
In the demo, Uzi typed a one-sentence prompt for a 200-unit, four-floor mid-rise with 200 parking spots. The agent asked about the unit mix, pulled rent data from sources such as Apartments.com and RentCafe, found comparable greenfield projects in Shawnee and Leawood, and returned a hard cost range that it could break down by CSI division. The model also forecasts inflation and commodity prices based on the project's start date.
Where does Block and Mortar's cost data come from?
Uzi describes three data lakes. The first is open-source industry data sets the industry already trusts, such as RSMeans, JLL, and Cushman & Wakefield. The second is integrations with data providers, including mobility and site selection data, plus a Kansas City partnership with mySidewalk for census and economic impact data. The third is a user's own historical projects, which the model learns from.
How long does an early construction cost estimate usually take?
Uzi said that even at velocity, getting this kind of early cost insight usually takes about two to three days of reaching out to a builder. Builders feel the pain too: they told Block and Mortar they can spend two weeks on an estimate for a project that goes nowhere, and they do not get those two weeks back.
What site selection data can an AI platform show for a parcel?
For the Spring Hill site, the platform explained why the parcel fit the prompt, noting that it is commercially zoned for multifamily. It also showed household income, school, transit stop, and coffee distances, median income, home value, and median age. Uzi said median age helps with amenity decisions, and income data helps decide whether the market can support Class A or Class B.
Does the Spring Hill multifamily site pencil?
Not yet at the demo's first assumptions. At $1,600 in monthly rent, Logan said he would not do the deal. He noted that two- and three-bedroom units next to schools in Spring Hill are likely to rent for $2,200 or more, and that incentives such as reinvestment housing incentive districts had not been added. Both said the numbers are preliminary and still need to be validated.
Can the pro forma include incentives and insurance costs?
Not in the version shown, which Uzi called napkin math. Block and Mortar is working with municipalities to overlay incentive data on parcels and with Aon to model insurance premiums over a ten-year horizon, and it is adding tax incentives and TIF programs. Users can also upload their own pro forma, and the platform summarizes it.
How can a broker share an AI development analysis with an owner or developer?
There are two ways. The broker can invite the owner or developer onto the platform, where they can test assumptions while the broker sees what they are questioning, or export a high-level summary report. Uzi said an owner dashboard is in development and that banking partners have looked at the data to help underwrite projects.
How should a commercial real estate firm decide which technology to adopt?
Start with your own workflow. Uzi advises executives to map how work gets done today before choosing technology partners, because answering that question points to the tools that actually add value. He also believes AI should learn to work around people, not force people to work around AI.
