Texana Center marked a milestone with the groundbreaking of their new $8.5 million West Campus. CEO George Patterson welcomed everyone and Dianne Wilson, Texana Board of Trustees Chair, thanked The George Foundation for their foresight in granting a $1.5 million challenge grant.
JC Whitten, Texana Board Member representing Fort Bend County; Dave Hill, Tellepsen Construction; Richard Hollington, architect; Angela Waligura, Texana Board representing Fort Bend County; Steve McDowell, Texana Board representing Fort Bend County; Willie Greer, Texana Board representing Matagorda County; Dianne Wilson, Texana Board Chair representing Fort Bend County; Gail Parker, Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance; Joe Gurecky, Mayor of Rosenberg; Gene Reed, Chairman of the Board, The George Foundation; George Patterson, Texana chief executive officer.
The challenge was followed by several other large foundation donations including Gulf Coast Medical Foundation, Houston Endowment, The Mabee Foundation and the Meadows Foundation. Gene Reed, chairman of The George Foundation Board, congratulated Texana and commented that the Trustees were committed to this project as Texana would be “fulfilling an unmet need in west Fort Bend County.”
The Texana West Campus Project will comprise of a modern one-story Learning Center for people with developmental disabilities and a new two-story Service Center. The new campus is located on a 3-acre site, close to the existing location in Rosenberg at 4910 Airport Ave., and is designed by Ray + Hollington Architects and to be built by Tellepsen Construction.
These will be the first LEED registered buildings in Rosenberg and will be designed to meet guidelines established by the US Green Building Council. When completed, the campus will serve close to 1,000 people with developmental disabilities each year; most living in or around the underserved areas in west Fort Bend County.
The Learning Center will provide vocational training, habilitation services, employment assistance and supported employment services to people with developmental disabilities.
The Service Center will administer and deliver individual client services such as case management, nursing services, and enrollment in respite care. TheEarly Childhood Intervention program, which provides support to children under the age of three with developmental delays, will also be housed in the new Service Center.
Rosenberg Mayor Joe Gurecky welcomed the additional services for people with developmental disabilities to Rosenberg. Gail Parker, president of the Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance said she was proud to have Texana Center as part of the west Fort Bend community because “these vital services provide better lives for people with developmental disabilities.”
Texana Center is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, having been formed as a result of the merger of two organizations in September 1999. Texana is now one of the largest community-based programs in Texas, having 43 facilities across its six-county service area served by 560 staff. For more information visit http://www.texanacenter.com/.
