Nursing home and assisted living housing at former Ursuline convent in Alton gains approval

Nov. 25--ALTON -- The vacated Ursuline Convent of the Holy Family and Queen of Peace infirmary may soon have new tenants.

The Alton Plan Commission on Tuesday gave a unanimous, positive recommendation for a special use permit for a nursing home and assisted living facility at 845 Danforth St. and 300 McInerney St., where the covenant and infirmary are located. The issue that generated about 45 minutes of conversation before the unanimous approval.

Dr. Lindsay D. Barth, a podiatrist and owner of Grand Development LLC that would develop Fairmount Bluffs Senior Living Community, said he first wants to build a two-story building with about 100, studio to two-bedroom independent living and assisted living apartments for people age 55 and older.

That structure would be considered the main complex. It would be built southwest of the convent building and have a pool, dining facilities -- although the apartments would have kitchens or kitchenettes -- beauty salon and spa, small general store, gym and outdoor-indoor pool and elevators. All parking would be off-street.

The second phase would be construction of 25 to 35 independent living villas in small joined units with two- to four villas per unit, with one- to three bedrooms, full kitchen and carports or garages. Those tenants would be able to use the amenities in the main building.

The third and final phase of the $20- to $25 million project would involve restoring the 38,000-square-foot, circa 1925-26 convent building into a licensed private nursing home and medical rehabilitation facility, with off-street parking. "I don't want that building torn down," he said.

The timeline has that phase beginning in five years, after Phase I and Phase II are completed. Included in that phase is restoration of the chapel in five to six years, which would be used for special events.

Part of the wooded, 27-acre site will be landscaped, with small park areas and walking trails, and the ravine left as greenspace.

Barth said he hopes to close on the purchase by the end of 2015, but work on Phase I likely would not start for a year, once he secures necessary permits and financing and has an architect design the project. Ursulines are not selling the house at 823 Danforth St., so that corner of the property will have to be subdivided.

Barth said he has the finances to get the project started, is talking with investors and a nursing home management company. An environmental study of the grounds is underway. Owner of Next Step Foot and Ankle Centers Inc., 3505 College Ave., he said he treated many of the Ursuline sisters and learned early on that the convent would be closed and the property put up for sale.

He said he would not operate the development or nursing home but would be a "decision maker."

"This is going to be a Class One project," he said.

Commission Chairman Mark Hackworth said the project would generate needed property tax revenues. "This project will turn this into a taxpaying entity, which it is not now. It's a big chunk of property."

Barth answered questions from neighbors and commissioners, most related to traffic. He said there would be an increase in traffic but plans improvements and a dedicated ingress and egress to the site off Danforth.

A memorandum from Matt Asselmeier, Alton deputy director of development and housing, says: "Traffic on Danforth Street will increase. Given the number of people on the site, the existing streets should adequately handle the anticipated increased traffic." Asselmeier said police had no concerns related to traffic or cars pulling out onto State Street.

The property is zoned R-1, single family residential. According to city code, nursing care facilities are allowed in R-1 zones with a special use permit.

The Ursulines announced in late November 2013 that the convent and infirmary would close in 2014 after its residents were relocated. A study had revealed the order did not have the financial resources with which to keep the facility open.

At time of the announcement, there were 35 sisters living in the facilities, 33 Ursulines and two from the Divine Providence order. The Catholic order gradually moved out its aging sisters from the convent and infirmary to other facilities, the last leaving in October 2014. The Ursulines auctioned off furniture, artwork, statues and other goods and equipment last March before putting the property up for sale.

The Ursulines have been in Alton since 1859, when they came to the city to teach. They opened and staffed parish schools in the greater Alton area, and completed the convent in 1926.

Reach Linda N. Weller at 618-208-6450 or on Twitter @Linda_Weller.

___

(c)2015 The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.)

Visit The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) at www.thetelegraph.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.