Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership Closes on Good Counsel Campus, Continuing Stewardship of a Historic Hilltop and Launching a New Chapter for Community Use

Mankato, MN — Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership (SWMHP) is proud to announce the successful purchase of the Good Counsel campus, marking a significant milestone in a multi-year effort to thoughtfully redevelop the historic site as a place where housing, gathering, and community life can continue to flourish.

For more than a century, the Our Lady of Good Counsel campus, lovingly known as “the Hill”, was stewarded by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, whose presence and ministry shaped generations through education, service, and community. SWMHP is honored to continue that legacy of stewardship, ensuring the land remains a place of welcome, dignity, and community connection for generations to come. This property will be known in the future as Good Counsel.

The closing allows SWMHP to move fully into the next phase of adaptive reuse planning and construction. Over the coming year, work will continue across multiple components of the campus, with the goal of opening the chapel and event spaces for public use by the end of summer 2026. These spaces are envisioned as flexible, accessible gathering places for community events, performing arts, celebrations, reflection, and mission-aligned programming. The chapel organ will continue to be a treasured aspect of the unique features of the campus.

At the same time, SWMHP continues active conversations with a senior healthcare provider interested in using the existing assisted living and memory care space in Notre Dame Hall, as well as ongoing discussions with nonprofit organizations about shared-use opportunities that align with the site’s history and community-focused future. Portions of the housing planned for the campus are also anticipated to be ready for occupancy later next year, further advancing SWMHP’s mission to expand access to safe, stable, and affordable homes for all ages.

Looking beyond the core campus, SWMHP will begin development next spring on the adjacent pasture parcel across from Tourtellotte Park, now named Good Counsel Meadows. This phase will include the construction of eight homes through the Partnership Community Land Trust (PCLT), creating permanently affordable homeownership opportunities while preserving long-term community stewardship of the land.

“The official purchase of the Good Counsel campus represents both deep gratitude for the legacy entrusted to us and a commitment to steward this place with care,” said Chad Adams, Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership. “We are honored to build upon the values of the School Sisters of Notre Dame by creating a campus that continues to serve the community through housing, gathering spaces, and partnerships rooted in dignity and belonging.”

This milestone is the result of years of collaboration, planning, and investment by numerous partners who share a commitment to the future of the Hill and the broader community.

Funders and Partners
Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership gratefully acknowledges the support and collaboration of the following organizations and partners in advancing and preparing for the Good Counsel campus redevelopment: the School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Province, Loyola Catholic School and Crusader Holdings, City of Mankato, Ballard Spahr, Widseth, New History, Thrive Consulting, Minnwest Bank, North Risk Partners, Mankato Area Foundation, Greater Mankato Growth, Blue Earth County, and a variety of nonprofit partners. Initiatives like this are made possible thanks to the generous operational support provided by partner funders such as the McKnight Foundation, NeighborWorks America, Rural LISC, Federal Home Loan Bank- Des Moines Member Impact program with BankVista, and Taylor Family Farms Foundation.

Additional details regarding construction timelines, public access to spaces, and future partnership announcements will be shared in the near future.

For more information about the Good Counsel campus adaptive reuse, the Partnership Community Land Trust, or opportunities to engage with this project, visit Good Counsel Hill Adaptive Reuse or contact Jen Theneman, Director of Real Estate & Community Initiatives and Good Counsel Campus Director.

About Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership

The Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership (SWMHP) is a non-profit community development corporation serving communities throughout Southwest and South-Central Minnesota. Our mission is to partner with communities to develop places for people to call home. We envision a region where every person has access to a welcoming home, and every place has a thriving and equitable community. SWMHP provides a wide range of housing services including community planning, technical assistance, and housing development.

As a Transforming Tomorrow Together partner, SWMHP is pleased to invest in the greater Mankato community through this and numerous other projects to collaborate and align with other area businesses in stewarding a strong future of growth, progress and opportunities for residents to thrive.

Contact:

Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership

Jen Theneman, Director of Real Estate & Community Initiatives

Phone: (507) 836-1610

Email: jent@swmhp.org