Simon Group Signs Intent to Develop Historic St. Coletta

Campus

Jefferson, Wisconsin, April 19

St. Coletta of Wisconsin and the Simon Group have penned an offer for the sale and development of St. Coletta’s historic 174-acre campus on the eastern edge of Jefferson.

Terms of the offer allow the Simon Group, www.simongroup.net, based in Brookfield, until early June to complete engineering, environmental and economic feasibility studies prior to closing. 

The preliminary concept for Sanctuary Ridge calls for a 30-acre commerce center utilizing the historic turn-of-the-century masonry buildings located on the campus. In addition, approximately 40 acres are planned for condominiums and 100 acres for single family homes.

Colliers Barry brokered the agreement. 

Scott Simon, President of Simon Group, Ltd., started working in land development in 1992 and quickly grew into the residential real estate market with both single-family and multi-family developments throughout southeastern Wisconsin.  The Simon Group has recently added the commercial market to their portfolio and received the “Best New Office Development” award from the Milwaukee Business Journal for their current office building in Brookfield.

 “The Simon Group looks forward to working with St. Coletta of Wisconsin and the City of Jefferson to create a prosperous mixed use development in which people can live, work and be entertained. Our goal is to maintain the character and architectural integrity that St. Coletta embodies throughout the Sanctuary Ridge development,” states Scott Simon.

The Simon Group is currently seeking tenants and interested partners with the intent of completing the commercial section within four years, Simon adds.

Preliminary plans call for St. Coletta to eventually relocate its headquarters to adjacent property owned by the provider of community-based programs and services for adults with developmental disabilities (DD). The sale involves just 174 of a total 650 acres currently held by St. Coletta in the Jefferson area. 

Founded in 1904 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi – Milwaukee, St. Coletta of Wisconsin is one of the nation’s oldest organizations dedicated to championing for the rights of persons with disabilities to be included in all aspects of life.

Consistent with national trends, St. Coletta started shifting its business model from an institutional model to a community-integrated service model more than a decade ago. Under the continued sponsorship of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, the organization successfully transformed its operation and now provides community-based services in Jefferson, Waukesha, and Madison and throughout northern Illinois. The campus properties, including many of the large buildings, are no longer needed.

“The sale is a major component of a planned transformation that has been underway for the past ten years,” says Anthony LoDuca, St. Coletta president and CEO.  He notes that persons receiving residential services now live off campus and are served in community homes.  “We see this sale as an exciting opportunity for St. Coletta,” says LoDuca. “We have been developing dynamic state-of-the-art community-based residential and vocational/day services for the past decade.

“Because the campus was such a significant part of St. Coletta’s history, some people have thought that the sale is taking place because our organization is closing.  St. Coletta is not closing! St. Coletta is very much alive, growing and leading our industry in the care and support of adults with DD.  We are offering innovative trend-setting programs in particular for persons with DD who are aging. We’re looking forward to providing another century of service,” LoDuca says.

“We are thrilled with the Simon Group’s plans to maintain the rich historic nature of our beautiful facility. This campus is a historic architectural treasure for all of southeastern Wisconsin and certainly a key landmark for the citizens of Jefferson.

“We’re gratified not only for ourselves but also for the citizens of Jefferson who have contributed over the years to St. Coletta’s success,” LoDuca says. “We are committed to keeping our corporate offices in Jefferson and are actively planning and fundraising for a new or renovated building for our new headquarters.”

The St. Coletta campus is located on US Hwy 18 and represents the eastern-most border of the Jefferson County seat. The campus property was annexed into the City of Jefferson in 2006. St. Coletta employs 441 and adds in excess of $15 million annually to the local economy.

“The Sanctuary Ridge project is perfect for our city,” says City of Jefferson Mayor Gary Myers. “I appreciate the way it protects our history while providing a contemporary magnet for businesses and residents who want to relocate in a community that offers so much quality of life.”

Located just 30 minutes from Madison and Brookfield, Jefferson is becoming an attractive alternative for businesses and families wishing to escape the high cost and hubbub of neighboring Milwaukee, Waukesha and Dane Counties, says Myers. “We have great schools, a historic downtown, lots of biking and boating on our trails and rivers and a robust arts community -- a fantastic place to locate a business. Sanctuary Ridge adds significantly to our appeal,” he says.

Myers notes that the Jefferson City Council is pro-growth. The city formed a Redevelopment Authority (RDA) in early 2007 and immediately went to work expanding an existing tax increment district (TID) to accommodate a downtown and riverfront redevelopment program that was put in place last year. One developer is currently working with the city on a 30-unit condo project to be sited on the banks of the Rock River and a downtown river walk.

The Simon Group has been in early discussions with the City regarding creation of the TID for the commercial components of the Sanctuary Ridge project. The Simon Group and the city plan to use the tax increment financing (TIF) funding for utilities and other infrastructure. Engineering studies are being conducted and estimates for infrastructure improvements are forthcoming.

“This is an ideal project for TIF funding,” says Myers. “There are no developer subsidies being requested – just infrastructure. Because St. Coletta is tax-exempt, the current tax income to the city is zero. All tax growth generated from the project will be positive and this project should fund itself easily.”

Myers notes that the Sanctuary Ridge development is scheduled for an informative presentation to a joint meeting of Jefferson’s City Council, Planning Commission and Redevelopment Authority at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, at the Jefferson City Hall.

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