Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa Announce Pending Sale of Several Mound Buildings

The Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa announced last week that they have accepted a proposal from an Iowa-based company to purchase several buildings at the Sinsinawa Mound and renovate them for new uses.

According to a statement from the Sisters, Tricon Construction of Dubuque proposes to acquire the following structures on the site: The rotunda building, which includes Queen of the Rosary Chapel; buildings that house the main foyer, dining room, kitchen, meeting spaces, wellness center, sleeping quarters and guest rooms, which were constructed in 1964; and the St. Clara Convent building, constructed in 1899.

Tricon proposes to “renovate the space for an active senior living community and event center, and to explore partnerships with local community organizations responding to human needs in the area.”

The purchase must still be approved by the congregation’s Leadership Council, and several months of contract negotiations and due diligence work are expected, said Sr. Judy Schaefer, OP, sponsor council liaison for the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa. If all goes as planned, the purchase could be finalized around December, she added.

“We are grateful that Tricon and other neighbors in this tristate area value these iconic buildings and are committed to repurposing them so that others will be able to enjoy the special place that is Sinsinawa Mound,” said Sr. Toni Harris, OP, prioress of the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation, in the statement. “While there are details that need to be worked out before finalizing a transfer of ownership, we appreciate Tricon’s plan for stewardship of some of our buildings into the future.”

The Sisters will continue to own St. Clara Chapel (the former St. Clara Academy) and the adjacent stone building. Under the proposal, these buildings will be renovated and serve as congregation office space, public meeting and prayer spaces, living spaces for the Sisters, and exhibit rooms. Additionally, the Sisters will maintain ownership of the Academy Apartments, two houses on the property, and surrounding land, including the cemetery.

Sinsinawa Mound will continue to serve as the motherhouse of the congregation, the statement said.

“We’re not leaving Sinsinawa,” Schaefer said. “We’re downsizing — like every family has to.”

“We are very excited to be part of the Sinsinawa Mound’s future,” Tricon owner Ron Richard said in the statement. “I was born and raised in Kieler, Wisconsin and Sinsinawa Mound was always a place that I admired. The buildings are in great structural shape, and it would be a shame to see them deconstructed or just not used.”

Fewer Sisters in the Order, coupled with the high cost of maintaining the buildings and having more space than is needed, influenced the decision to pursue partnership opportunities with a purchaser. This year, a group of Sisters requiring assisted-living care relocated from the Mound to Muskego, Wisconsin, leaving a smaller number of Sisters who will continue to live and work on the site.

Schaefer called the proposed agreement with Tricon a “good fit” for both the congregation and the neighboring area. In addition to creating residences for independent older adults, there is a proposal to make space available for weddings, receptions, special events and other community opportunities.

The beloved Sinsinawa Bakery will also continue to operate, Schaefer said.

“We’re very positive about the possibility of Tricon developing a vibrant community using the facilities and having access to the land that we’ve loved,” Schaefer said. “We’re glad a new group of people can appreciate, live at and enjoy what we’ve found life-giving for a long time.”

Tricon is a local company with a community-based focus that made it attractive to the Sisters, she added.

“They felt losing the chapel and the other buildings would be a loss to the community,” she said. “They wanted to step in so they can continue to be used in a meaningful way.”