The person behind the places: Danelle Hoffer’s year of recognition

A place begins long before its first wall goes up. It begins with someone noticing what could be there: a more welcoming arrival, a neighborhood with its own personality, a reason for people to linger.

That perspective sits at the center of Danelle Hoffer’s work. As CEO and founder of Urban Hideaway® Development, she connects design, hospitality and development to shape places around the people who will use them.

In 2026, Lake & Sumter Style featured Danelle in Business Women of Style and its 40 Over 40 class. Those features follow her inclusion in Orlando Business Journal’s 2025 list of 15 People to Know in Multifamily & Retail Real Estate. Each is a different kind of recognition, but together they reflect a body of work that crosses disciplines.

Her hospitality background informs the questions she brings to a project. Is the arrival intuitive? Does the space feel comfortable? Have the details been considered from the perspective of a resident, guest or neighbor? Those questions help connect the visible design to the experience of using it.

The work is also collaborative. A development vision becomes tangible through the people who plan, design, engineer, build and bring it to market. Danelle’s role is to establish that direction and help the team carry it through the decisions that follow.

Recognition is a welcome moment to pause. The lasting story is the work itself: shaping places with character, making room for connection, and giving everyday life a little more consideration.

Danelle Hoffer · Business Women of Style 2026. Image: Lake & Sumter Style.