the Old Parkland Project

Case Study

The Door Company, a Dallas based commercial contractor, partnered with Frascio to outfit 500 door openings at the historic Old Parkland office development in Dallas. The project required historically appropriate hardware that balanced aesthetic requirements with modern functionality. Over 500 pieces of Frascio hardware were integrated into the project, spanning an extensive range of functions and forms, from passage and privacy mortise locks, openings, storeroom sets, and multiple styles of custom pulls and plates. The partnership delivered a cohesive design solution that met the client’s exacting standards while providing The Door Company with competitive pricing advantages in a challenging market.

Brian McFall from The Door Company partnered with Frascio to address these specific requirements. This case study examines how Frascio’s high quality door hardware solutions and customer service contributed to The Door Company’s completion of the 500-door opening project for Old Parkland, highlighting the practical challenges and solutions implemented throughout the process.

Customer Background

Established in 1894, Old Parkland began as a county hospital serving Dallas residents. The original wooden structure was replaced in 1913 by a three-story brick building, which earned distinction as the first brick hospital in Texas. This building featured architectural elements typical of the era: high ceilings, formal sitting rooms, tea parlors, and balconies overlooking the grounds, with capacity for up to 100 patients.

The hospital operated through two World Wars, serving as a teaching institution and adopting new medical technologies as they emerged. After the hospital relocated in 1954, the original buildings served various city and county functions before eventually falling into disrepair. In 2006, Crow Holdings purchased the property and undertook a comprehensive renovation of the historic structures, preserving key architectural elements while adapting the spaces for modern use. By 2008, Old Parkland reopened as an office space for businesses, foundations, and civic leaders, combining historical architecture with contemporary functionality.
Brian McFall, PM for The Door Company, described the quality standards evident in the restoration: “All the brick is made overseas in Spain and Italy. All the stone is sourced. They don’t have any manufactured stone. Everything is 10 out of 10 in terms of quality. They spare no expense, truly.”

The Challenge

Old Parkland required quality door hardware that matched its architectural design, maintaining historical elements while providing modern functionality. The project included 500 openings, each requiring carefully selected materials to meet the development’s standards.
According to project stakeholders, the building owner intended for the campus to be a long-term company legacy, making design and quality as important as cost considerations.
A significant challenge was navigating the U.S. hardware market structure, which presented difficulties for independent distributors like The Door Company to compete effectively without purchasing complete hardware packages from major manufacturers. Brian explained the pricing dynamics: “They’d say, we’re going to give all your competitors a 50% discount, and you’re going to get a 30% discount, which makes it harder for us to secure the work.”
The Door Company also needed a supplier that could provide both appropriate hardware and responsive customer service, an area where some larger, overseas manufacturers had proven challenging to work with on previous projects.
As McFall noted: “If anything goes wrong, you’re in a different time zone. Trying to get replacement parts is a headache. The European brands tend to think a little bit differently in terms of customer service and the way to go about business than we do.”