A Waukesha-based senior housing development firm has closed on its purchase of the St. Catherine’s Hospital campus in Kenosha and is moving forward with its plans to develop a 250-unit senior living center on the 16-acre site.
“We are developing the property to benefit and serve both Kenosha-area seniors and the greater community,” said James Tarantino, owner of the development firm Tarantino & Co.
The facility, at 3556 7th Ave. along Lake Michigan, will be known as St. Catherine Commons. Tarantino said the development will emulate elements of the original hospital design. He is working with the Elm Grove architectural firm Aldrian Guszkowski, Inc., which specializes in senior living complexes.
The site was developed for the hospital in 1927.
Tarantino will convert the former hospital campus, formerly owned by United Hospital Systems, into residential space, offering three housing option for people 55 years of age and older. The mix will include apartment homes, a multi-story living center, and a state-licensed residential care apartment complex.
The campus also includes the existing Dominican and Lakeshore office buildings, which will be retained and operated by Tarantino.
“We are operating the office buildings now, and we want to retain the community-based services offered by the medical and health-related tenant base of the office buildings,” Tarantino said.
St. Catherine’s Hospital will move to a new campus in Pleasant Prairie, just west of Kenosha. Construction of its new, 272,000-square-foot facilities is scheduled to begin in October. Completion is scheduled for July.
Tarantino, who started his firm in 1992, has developed other senior housing projects, including The Landmark in West Allis, Summit Woods in Waukesha, and The Heritage in East Troy. Other projects are being planned for Milwaukee, Sturtevant and Paddock Lake.
Capri Communities, LLC, also owned by Tarantino, will manage St. Catherine Commons.
