After lengthy discussion and planning stages lasting almost two years, the redevelopment of the 42 acre campus of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood in O'Fallon, Missouri is nearing the construction stage.

The city of O'Fallon has given initial planning and zoning approval to the first and second phases of the master plan, which will include renovation and remodeling of the campus's historic buildings, and construction of a new four-story, 76,000 square foot wing to match the existing structure. Work is expected to begin this fall, said Chris McKee, president of McEagle Properties, which was selected as master developer of the project.

"We're very excited about this project," said O'Fallon City Administrator Bob Lowery Jr. "We think it will be the catalyst for our downtown area. We're proud of the history of our downtown area, and what's proposed by the sisters will complement what's already there."

Sister Mary Whited, congregation leader, said the first two phases will update the skilled care, assisted living and independent living apartments for the 95 sisters currently living on the campus, which is located in the heart of downtown historic O'Fallon, just north of Interstate 70 on Route M.

A large part of the retirement housing will be available to the public. Sister Whited said the project will encompass 50 skilled care and assisted living units, 60 apartments in the renovated section, and 70 new apartments in a new wing to be constructed. In addition, 44 villas of two units per building also are planned.

In addition to McEagle, the project team includes Paric Corporation, design/build contractor; Cole & Associates, engineers; The Lawrence Group, architects; St. Andrew's Management Services, senior living consultant; and the city of O'Fallon.

McKee and Todd Goodrich, vice president of Paric and project executive, said the project will be a logistical and construction challenge.

"The logistics are the biggest challenge," said McKee, "renovating and adding a new wing, while at the same time moving the sisters inside the building, while causing minimal disruption. We'll be doing one floor at a time, or one wing at a time."

Last October, the campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The 12 main buildings and five supporting buildings range from 10 to 130 years old. The main buildings are all connected.

Goodrich noted that the buildings involved, despite their age, are "structurally in great shape. The sisters have done a wonderful job of maintaining the buildings. This is a great group to work with."

Sister Fran Raia, one of five elected members on the congregation's leadership committee, said an exact dollar estimate of the project's cost is not yet available. She said there is a possibility that historic tax credits and senior housing tax credits may be awarded, and the sisters are looking for other possible funding sources. Application has been made for senior housing tax credits.

"The city has been very supportive of our project, as has the downtown business association and the Archdiocese of St. Louis," she said. "We are happy to stay and grow in O'Fallon."

She said the entire development will be called The Village of St. Mary's, and the continuing care retirement community will be known as the Theresa Center, in honor of the order's founder, Theresa Weber.

The entire master plan envisions a mixed-use development that eventually will include retail and small businesses. The timing of those phases, said McKee, "depends on the market. We can be patient here. We want to be sure things are done properly."

McKee said most of the freestanding villas likely will be two-bedroom units, and include basements and garages. "It's yet to be determined whether they will be for sale or for rent," he said.

For the immediate future, little work will be evident to the outside public, but once construction of the new wing is begun, that will be visible from the street, McKee said. Goodrich said construction of the new wing and renovation of the existing buildings will be done concurrently.

Inside the campus, "there's lots of excitement among the congregation," said Sister Raia. "We're all eager to get moving."

Estimated timetable for completion of the entire plan is some time in 2011.

The Sisters of the Most Precious Blood is a Roman Catholic order of women religious dedicated to bringing the reconciling presence of Jesus to the world through various ministries, including their outreach to the poor and through their sponsored institutions: the Ecclesiastical Art Department, which makes fabric art and vestments for use in worship; St. Elizabeth Academy, a high school in south St. Louis; St. Elizabeth Adult Day Care Center, at several locations in the St. Louis area; and Centers for Professional and Pastoral Services, which provide counseling and therapy.

The Sisters of the Most Precious Blood have lived and worked in O'Fallon since 1873 -- educating children and adults, providing spiritual support, and even giving city residents access to drinking water during O'Fallon's critical water shortage in the 1920s.