If you build it, they will come: The story of Christopher Wallace, the real estate mogul who makes smart homes

REVOLT’s “Imagine If” Black History Month campaign gives creators the ability to challenge historical distortion and reshape the portrayal of Blackness in media. For the entire month of February, select artists and writers will depict a Black future with zero constraints.

As the sun slowly set across the skyline, I looked on in complete awe. I can’t believe it — I actually built this brick by brick. Sometimes, I really have to sit back and take a moment to reflect.

I question myself a lot, like, is this really all me, here, in this moment? Did I really build this? Then, my ego sets in, and I take a long look at myself in the mirror. Of course, you did. You’re him. 

You’re Chris, Christopher Wallace. 

I’ve come a long way from talking sneakers and sleeping in my mother’s beat-up car. I’m no longer that boy on the corner. I’m that man in the corner office. Every day, I get to see the sun rise and set in a city I built from the ground up. 

I wish my father could’ve seen this because his work built the foundation. My dad, Malachi Sire Wallace, was a visionary who went blind. His love for construction and technology was ahead of its time. 

He may no longer be here, but his vision and legacy lives within me. He gave me the blueprint, and I simply executed it. One day, I’m going to eradicate homelessness. No one will ever be unhoused as long as I am breathing and this empire lives on. 

This isn’t just business; it’s personal for me. 

The Genesis: Let There Be Light

I remember it like yesterday when my mother and I slept in grocery store parking lots. She really tried her hardest to maintain, but after my dad died, a part of her left with him. She just wasn’t the same anymore.

I didn’t know what depression was back then as a 7-year-old kid, but as I got older, I realized that it was my mother’s Achilles heel. Living out of a car and shelter for most of my childhood was tough, but losing your heartbeat in human form was tougher. 

We both had a hole in our hearts that probably would never be filled. My father meant a lot to both of us and knowing that he was taken away from us so suddenly rocked us to the core. 

If only he knew that he was onto something revolutionary and that, one day, it would change so many lives, including mine. My mom didn’t keep many of my father’s things after he died because we bounced around so much. 

The only thing she did hold onto was this 3D printing project that he called Ile Re.

Ile Re means “your house” in Yoruba. When I got a bit older, she handed me a suitcase of his first prototype. I was just 14 years old when I first got my hands on it. 

At first, I just used it to make cool action figures, phone cases, and dope toy cars. Then, I started to test the waters more to see what else the printing machine could do. One night, when my mom and I couldn’t get into a shelter, a fire inside of me lit up. 

I thought to myself, what if I could make a place to call our own? I played with Ile for weeks. Weeks then turned into months. After making a few configurations and faith, I was able to 3D print us a tiny home.  

The house was indeed tiny and only had one small bedroom. There was no electricity, running water, or kitchen, but it was ours. This was the beginning of a new era. In my heart, I knew I was onto something. 

The Rise of Smart Homes 

Nine years after my first attempt at creating a home, I became heavily invested in real estate development. After high school, I enrolled in my local public university and majored in mechanical engineering with a minor in software development. In addition to that, I was also taking every opportunity that I could to self-learn. From boot camps to courses, I dove deep into the technology world. Eventually, confident in what I learned, I dropped out of college like my father and began my own business. 

I became obsessed with further developing Ile. I brought on two of my friends from engineering school, and we went to work. After many trials and errors, we were able to develop a prototype that not only created a tiny home but included all the appliances and could easily be relocated with a button. As the technology developed, so did the product. 

Soon, each tiny home created was environmentally friendly using hempcrete, and came equipped with its own rainwater filtration system that made water harvesting a breeze. In other words, our tiny homes were not dependent on the city’s water sources for everyday use. Solar panels gave homes a massive advantage because they eliminated light bills.  

By the time I was 26 years old, Ile Re started catching the media’s attention. Overnight investors started hitting our line. We raised a $50 million seed round of funding, which was just the beginning of our journey to dominating real estate development and eradicating homelessness. 

Rapid construction and luxury eco-friendly designs made Ile Re a household name. Beyond that, the homes were self-sustaining. Ile Re communities were popping up from city to city, and the real estate market was experiencing a wild ride. Beyond that, our philanthropic arm of the empire also exploded, with pledges from billionaires donating to impoverished communities worldwide. 

As the company continued to grow, we further developed the product. Our next challenge was to begin dominating the commercial real estate market and venturing into single-family homes. 

Lurking In the Shadows 

We were on a rollercoaster high and didn’t think we could ever come down. Business was booming, and life was beautiful. Unbeknownst to us, our success wasn’t being celebrated by everyone. We were making enemies in high places. 

Not just any enemy, but Morris Lafayette. Mr. Lafayette founded the world’s largest bank, United Global Fund. He had been paying very close attention to what we built. As Ile Re became more popular, more people, especially younger generations, started to opt out of predatory mortgages. 

It was one of the most popular reasons our business took off, and we didn’t shy away from using it in our marketing material to convince consumers. The rising rent costs and hiked rates made it nearly impossible for people to afford traditional homes. 

United Global Fund’s valuation dropped from $45 billion to $23 billion within two years. Mortgage loans were its bread and butter. Something needed to be done to stop the bleeding. So, they started to poke holes in our company’s product. 

Minor Setback for a Major Comeback

“Ile Re Homes are not Disaster Proof.”

“Ile Re Co-Founders Shady Past”

“Ile Re: Does it live up to the Hype?”

Week after week, crazy headlines about our company started to pop up. Then, an exposé on us ran on one of the most popular news segments questioning our ethics and the true sustainability of 3D printed homes. 

No company has ever succeeded without error. We’ve built over 375,000 homes, and there have been mishaps in the past. Technology isn’t foolproof. Out of the thousands of homes we’ve built, only about 0.4 percent had minor flaws. 

One story that put a nail in the coffin for us was the death of a 29-year-old mother whose home was destroyed by heavy rainfall. The roof collapsed, and unfortunately, she did not make it. Her mother called for a boycott and asked legislators to put an end to our development. As more minor complaints started to roll in, our sales began to decline. Even the billionaires who pledged their wealth to help eradicate homelessness started to doubt us. 

The internet streets were talking, and rumors started to spread like wildfire that the United Global Fund’s founder was funding a propaganda machine against us. They even paid for the victim’s mother’s legal fund to sue us for damages and loss of life. 

As our dominance in the real estate market started to dwindle, the team and I took time off to recoup. We may have lost this battle, but we ain’t about to lose this war. 

Road To Recovery 

When things get rough, we do what every great inventor does: create. 

I hired new engineers to create our greatest product to date. As we expanded into more markets, we started to bid on contracts to build out entire neighborhoods from the ground up.

Our first secret project was to create Black Wall Street 2.0. As our engineers developed more of our core offerings, I started working on damage control for our image. Despite the lawsuit that was filed against us, we reached out to the victim’s attorneys for a sit-down. 

I had every intention of giving her whatever she was after, But beyond the money, we wanted to find a respectful way to honor her daughter’s legacy. Not only did we settle out of court, but we also donated $25 million in her daughter’s name to aid single homeless mothers in her hometown. These moms and their children became the first owners of the latest homes we built.

The designs were single-family homes to accommodate larger families. More than 700 hundred families were gifted a new home fully furnished. Each home was customized to their needs and liking. 

The houses were called In Harmony. Harmony was the name of the young woman who tragically lost her life. My promise to her mother was that although we cannot bring her back, we can use her story as a testimony to help other moms in need. 

The court of public opinion graciously received the gesture. In Harmony became a trending topic on social media. Videos of mothers and their children opening the doors to their new homes and doing walkthroughs made waves in the headlines. 

Like Father, Like Son: Stunting Like My Daddy 

If you can’t beat them, join them. 

My phone was ringing off the hook. From reporters to investors, everyone was looking to speak to us. They wanted to know what was next and how they could be a part of it. 

One night, I got a call I honestly would have never expected. It was the office of Mr. Lafayette. He was requesting a meeting. 

The streets talk, and I knew he was the culprit behind the propaganda machine that almost brought us to our knees. Nonetheless, I was intrigued because what the heck could he possibly want from me?

I walked into his office dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. I wasn’t about to wear my Sunday best to meet this man. As I approached him, he stood up and greeted me with a toothy grin. 

I shook his hand and took a seat. 

“Would you like anything to drink, Mr. Wallace?”

“Nah, I’m good.” 

“I see. So, let me just cut to the chase. My board is very impressed with what you’ve built and is interested in a buyout.”

I laughed so hard, the walls shook. “After what your organization has put me through, you guys want to buy me out?” 

Before he could mutter a word, I screamed, “Absolutely not, f**k you and your board!”

I got up, gave him a deathly stare, and with my head held high, I walked out without ever looking back. That was the shortest meeting I ever had, probably one I will remember for the rest of my life. 

Big Rich Town

It’s almost showtime. We will cut the ribbon to BWS (Black Wall Street) 2.0 in about a week. Every single building and residential home was built with our technology. 

I really can’t believe how far we’ve come over the years. So many obstacles stood in our way, but we continued to persevere. We built this town intentionally, and every detail was important to us. 

My favorite building here is the Sire Center. This state-of-the-art community center is dedicated to teaching our Black youth STEM. 

As I looked over the city’s skyline, my eyes began to well up with tears. I softly whispered to myself, “You did that, Chris, and this is just the beginning.”