Historic Church Into A Thriving Business (Zoning, Capital & Hard Tradeoffs) | Scott Hand | Part 2

This episode isn’t about a brewery.

It’s about how zoning law, historic preservation, and financing rules nearly made it impossible to build one.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Scott Hand — architect, founder of Trilobite Design, and co-owner of a multi-entity brewery and events business — breaks down what it actually took to convert a 150-year-old church into a legally operating manufacturing facility.

This wasn’t a creative problem. It was a systems problem.

Scott explains:
Why manufacturing wasn’t allowed in the zone at all
How “accessory use” rules dictated the size, layout, and output of the brewery
The permitting decision that saved the project — and the one he’d change
How historic tax credits and PACE financing made a cash-flow-negative renovation viable

If you’ve ever tried to build inside regulation, legacy infrastructure, or capital constraints, this episode will sound painfully familiar.

👉 Watch Part 1 for the foundational decisions
👉 Subscribe for conversations about how businesses actually get built — under pressure, not in hindsight

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 - Context & background
02:16 - The decision that forced a rethink
03:07 - Where the real constraint appeared
06:38 - Why the obvious solution didn’t work
07:16 - The workaround that changed everything
12:27 - Financing, structure, and risk
15:59 - The cost no one plans for
18:15 - What they’d do differently now
20:19 - How this affects the business today

This isn’t a highlight reel.
It’s a breakdown of how real businesses get built inside real constraints.
If you’re an operator, founder, or investor navigating regulation, capital limits, partnerships, or legacy systems, this conversation is for you.