FOLLOWING UP WITH THE MAGDALEN HOUSE

KDC believes in giving back to the local nonprofit community by doing what the company does best—developing buildings. One such project is The Magdalen House at 4513 Gaston in Dallas. Since 1987, The Magdalen House has been the only facility offering complete recovery services to DFW women free of charge.

“One of KDC’s core beliefs and values is giving back to those communities in which we work in, live in, and raise our families in. In those communities, like Dallas, we love to partner with not-for-profits on their various projects. It is a natural fit for us to assist with developing The Magdalen House, where the additional space and design will help even more women in our community achieve sobriety and true success in their lives,” said KDC CEO Steve Van Amburgh.

In 2021, the organization affectionately known as Maggie’s wanted to relocate to a 12,000-square-foot historic mansion that needed some work. KDC introduced Maggie’s to Omniplan architects, Kimley-Horn engineers, and zoning attorney, Jonathan Vinson, who would make the move possible. All KDC services were offered pro-bono, and KDC’s Steve Van Amburgh and Hector Patino helped move the project along from the permitting process to the final Certificate of Occupancy.

The new home couples commercial-grade construction with beautiful designs to give women a dignified space that will last for years to come. It embraces 2/3 of its original structure, along with 1/3 newly built space. Outside, the Wall of Hope, built from bricks with names engraved on one side and blank on the other, serves as inspiration for both residents and visitors alike.

The move to Gaston beautifully illustrated the love and dedication the community has for Maggie’s. The Magdalen House was anticipating closing for two weeks for staff to move to the new location. Instead, 98 volunteers donated 817 hours toward the move- helping with assembling and organizing furniture at Gaston and overseeing meetings and other services at the previous home so programming did not stop during the move.

The new home has allowed The Magdalen House to increase its residential First Step program capacity by 40%, with 688 admissions and a 77% completion rate. The tangible effects do not stop there- the new facility also has a dedicated meeting space for their nonresidential Next Step program, now with the ability to offer childcare. The community outreach team has established 130 community partnerships and is branching out to Tarrant County and the larger D/FW area, connecting the women and families they serve with vital resources to sustain their recovery.