Michael Alost
Senior Vice President / Development
- 37 years of experience
- 11 years at KDC
Of all the real estate projects Michael Alost has worked on during his 30-plus year career, the most meaningful was the historic restoration of the Catholic church where he and his wife got married. The church, located in Michael’s hometown of Natchitoches, La., was built in the 1850s. At the time, he owned his own design firm, and the restoration utilized his architecture experience, as well as his project management skills.
“My design and project management experience have proven to be beneficial to my work in real estate development,” Michael says. “I love working with clients and designers to create special places and unique live-work-play environments.”
My architectural experience gives me the ability to work with design and construction professionals. And my project management experience showed me how to work collaboratively with a team to foster innovative solutions.
Currently, Michael serves as a senior vice president for KDC. He splits his time between several high-profile projects. Past projects have included the Frost Bank headquarters in San Antonio, as well as the 100 acre Toyota North American Headquarters in Plano Texas. He is also involved with KDC’s CityLine, a transit-oriented development in Richardson, Texas that encompasses over 180 acres of mixed-use office, retail, housing, hospitality, and public open space. It is home to State Farm’s 2-million-square-foot regional hub.
Initially, Michael planned to work in the education field as he graduated with a degree in education from Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches, where his father was president of the college. “Both of my parents are educators, and I followed in their footsteps,” Michael says.
Michael worked construction to pay his way through school, drawing up house plans and building new homes. He enjoyed the work so much, he decided to obtain a master’s degree in architecture from Texas A&M University.
Michael practiced architecture for 25 years and has been involved in the development of over $2 billion in construction since 1985. With his experience in strategic planning, master planning and large-scale project management, Michael was a perfect fit for KDC. He joined the company in 2013.
Michael says his experience in education, architecture, and project management have contributed to his success at KDC. “My experience in teaching gives me the ability to explain things so our clients so they can make critical decisions,” he notes. “My architectural experience gives me the ability to work with design and construction professionals. And my project management experience showed me how to work collaboratively with a team to foster innovative solutions.”
Although Michael spent his early career in Louisiana and the Gulf South, he was excited to return to Texas. “I like Texas,” he says. “The economy is vibrant and robust. Texas has a progressive attitude regarding business. Texans have a great work ethic and Texans are excited about new ideas. They embrace people from other places.”
Michael is also involved in the larger North Texas community. He’s active with the Dallas Regional Chamber, its Leadership Dallas program, and Corporate Recruitment Task Force. Professionally, he is a Full Member of the Urban Land Institute and chairs the North Texas Public/Private Partnership Council. He is also on the boards of The Real Estate Council and the Uptown Dallas Inc. Through his role on Texas A&M’s Architecture Advisory Council, he supports the growth of future architects and developers. Philanthropically, he serves on the Pegasus Committee for the Dallas Foundation, which manages an entrepreneurial grant for innovative, risk-taking charities. He’s also volunteers with the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament to support the Momentous Institute.
Michael lives in North Dallas with his wife, Becky. They have two adult children, John Michael and Melissa.
In his spare time, Michael runs to keep fit, both physically and mentally. He and Becky also like to travel the Mountain West and collect art that reminds them of their journeys. Michael is also an avid fly fisherman with favorite rivers in New Mexico, Colorado, Montana and Wyoming.
Michael also loves to cook. He is a big fan of authentic Mexican food and smokes his own brisket and homemade barbecue sauce. But, his favorite dish stays true to his Louisiana roots: smoked duck and oyster gumbo.
