KDC and Hugs Café Inc. Complete $10 Million Headquarters in Downtown McKinney

•2 min read
Ribbon-cutting at the new Hugs Café national headquarters in downtown McKinney, marking the opening of the 13,500-square-foot facility that consolidates the Hugs Training Academy and administrative offices.
Ribbon-cutting at the new Hugs Café national headquarters in downtown McKinney, marking the opening of the 13,500-square-foot facility that consolidates the Hugs Training Academy and administrative offices.| Photo: Kdc

McKINNEY, Texas — July 2, 2026 — KDC and Hugs Café Inc. have completed a $10 million national headquarters for the McKinney-based nonprofit social enterprise. The 13,500-square-foot facility at 221 Andrews St. in downtown McKinney consolidates Hugs Café, the Hugs Training Academy and the organization's administrative offices under a single roof for the first time. Valliance Bank provided strategic financial support for the project.

Project Details and Development Team

Construction on the facility began in May 2025. KDC served as project developer, Corgan as architect and Brasfield & Gorrie as general contractor. Valliance Bank provided strategic financial support. The facility includes a state-of-the-art training academy, a commercial training kitchen, four classrooms, a rooftop deck, an outdoor patio, administrative offices, dedicated learning areas and flexible workspaces.

KDC, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Dallas, has developed more than 150 corporate build-to-suit office, data center and industrial projects totaling approximately 40 million square feet. The firm's portfolio includes projects for clients such as Digital Realty Trust, FedEx, JPMorgan Chase, Liberty Mutual, Raytheon, State Farm, Toyota North America and Volkswagen. KDC is committed to supporting the nonprofit community through its KDC Cares Program, which includes development services for new facilities and financial support.

"Bringing this vision to life alongside Hugs Café Inc. is a meaningful opportunity for KDC to support individuals seeking personalized training and a pathway into the workforce," said Eric Hage, KDC President. "We're grateful to the Hugs Café team and our fellow donors for allowing us to play a role in creating lasting impact for these individuals and their families."

Hugs Café Inc.: Mission and Growth

Hugs Café Inc. is a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to providing training and employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 2015 by Ruth Thompson in McKinney, the organization has grown to include two café locations, two Hugs Training Academies, the new national headquarters and a network of affiliate partners across the country.

The new facility is designed to expand program capacity and support the organization's long-term growth, including efforts to scale its workforce development model to communities nationwide. The centralized hub is intended to strengthen community engagement and increase the number of individuals the organization can serve.

"This new space allows us to grow our programs and serve more individuals than ever before," said Lauren Smith, CEO at Hugs Café Inc. "It represents a major step forward in our mission to create meaningful training and employment opportunities. We are deeply grateful for the community support and partnerships that have helped bring this vision to life and continue to make our work possible every day."

Corporate headshots from a firm roster, representing the type of KDC development and investment team members involved in delivering the Hugs Café headquarters.
Corporate headshots from a firm roster, representing the type of KDC development and investment team members involved in delivering the Hugs Café headquarters. | Photo: Kdc

Donors, Community Support and Ribbon-Cutting

The project was made possible through contributions from KDC, H-E-B, Sammons Enterprises Inc., Compatriot Capital, CA Hartnell, Brasfield & Gorrie, Lynn Family Foundation, McKinney Community Development Corporation, McKinney Arts Commission, The Mabee Foundation, Tomes Auto Group, Sue and Gary Reichling, FS Foundation, the Hugs Board and individual donors.

KDC and Hugs Café Inc. marked the completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and facility tours. McKinney Mayor Bill Cox and McKinney Community Development Corporation chair and former mayor George Fuller joined KDC and Hugs leadership at the event.