Dominium’s First Pro-bono Development: Dorothy Day Place
Dominium is honored to have played a role in the development of Dorothy Day Place in St. Paul, Minn. Named for social activist and Catholic convert, Dorothy Day, this development was designed to bring opportunity and dignity to those experiencing long-term homelessness, as Ms. Day did during her life. This was an opportunity to use Dominium’s experience and resources to give back to the community; it was made possible by a partnership with Catholic Charities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
The St. Paul development will consist of 177 units of permanent housing for those experiencing homelessness and disabilities as well as a 62,000-square foot Opportunity Center. This is a significant improvement on the previous Dorothy Day Center, where limited resources meant individuals were forced to sleep on mats in a common space.
In addition to helping residents find refuge and meet basic needs, the new Dorothy Day Place will serve an important function in helping them get back on their feet. Employment assistance, health and dental clinics, and free meals will be available at the 62,000-square foot Opportunity Center. This includes 219,000 free meals served and 6,000 free health and dental appointments annually. The Opportunity Center also holds offices for Ramsey County Human Services and Catholic Charities social services staff.
This was Dominium’s first pro-bono development project. Dominium led and performed all the development work including securing the financing, which included equity, perm debt, a construction loan, a Tax Increment Financing loan, as well as grants and charitable donations. Dominium played a role in planning and directing the complex construction process of Dorothy Day Place.
Dominium invested over 24 months and 4,300 working hours into the development of the new Dorothy Day Place. This was an enriching experience and Dominium will continue to take on pro bono projects to aid the communities we serve. We are looking forward to seeing how this project unfolds and where we can add value and give back in the future.
