Maddie's Place, a pediatric transitional care facility in Spokane's South Perry District, has purchased the nearly 1-acre neighboring property for $1 million, says Maddie's Place CEO and president Shaun Cross. 

The property, which houses the former Gopher's Shop building and other structures, is on the 1000 block of east Ninth Avenue. The acquisition was finalized on Oct. 15 and expands Maddie's Place campus to over 1.5 acres, Cross says. 

"Our board felt it was a tremendous investment and opportunity to more than double our campus," Cross says. "It's kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." 

Maddie's Place received $600,000 from Spokane County's opioid settlement funds to assist in the purchase and renovation of the property, Cross says. Using those funds, Maddie's Place paid $400,000 directly to the property's owners and will use $200,000 for renovation work, he says.

The organization took out a loan to pay the remaining $600,000 for the property acquisition, which it expects to pay off over the next 10 years, he says. 

Maddie's contracted Spokane-based Fulcrum Environmental Consulting Inc. to review the property's grounds and is now in the planning stage in which the organization's board of directors will decide which buildings to demolish and which they can keep and bring up to code. 

For example, a craftsman-style home from the 1890s that occupies two lots facing Eighth Avenue could be used to house parents but needs repairs, he says. 

Maddie's Place is located at the former Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery Building at 1004 E. Eighth and opened its doors in October 2022. As previously reported by the Journal, the nonprofit organization provides specialized care for substance-exposed infants and wraparound services for their parents. It's one of five such facilities in the U.S.

After two extensive renovations, the facility encompasses 16,000 square feet of space and is able to care for 16 infants and 13 moms. Since opening its doors, it has cared for 97 infants and 67 parents. The center has about 70 full-time employees. 

As the facility's staff has grown along with its footprint. Maddie's Place has recently hired a director of advancement and marketing, Katie Tolley, and a chief operating officer, Pam McCain. The organization also has partnered with Dr. Jeff Schilt, of Mt. Spokane Pediatrics PLLC, and his team of 14 nurse practitioners.