Three Pillars plans $125M expansion to nearly 200 acres in Dousman, add more senior living and retail
Three Pillars Senior Living Communities is planning a major expansion in the village of Dousman that would add nearly 200 senior living units and retail establishments on 190 acres north of Highway 18.
Three Pillars reacquired 190 acres in 2020 across Highway 18 from its current location on Main Street. A nearly 300-acre farm, mansion and buildings were donated in 1905 by Willard Van Brunt to the Wisconsin Masons for the purpose of caring for seniors.
Since 1953, a large section of the land was leased for other purposes for the community and also a farm that is still active there today. In 2020, Three Pillars reacquired the 190 acres across Highway 18 for the massive expansion, which is expected to include a resource center, various levels and types of care in different size and type homes and multi-person facilities and retail and community spaces.
Three Pillars had already begun expanding, most recently opening an expanded memory care facility on its campus. Now, it is planning this additional up-to- $125 million expansion on its new land.
"There’s so many exciting things happening in Lake Country, and we’re really excited about not only this growth but what it means for the surrounding community," said Josh Van Den Berg, chief strategy officer for Three Pillars. "To be able to have a state-of-the-art resource center to help support dementia research and families and support the growth here. We’re really excited about it."
The timeline varies for the different sections planned for the land. The first phase is expected to begin this fall with the construction of eight homes along Highway 67, south of Highway 18 and west of the Bark River.
Other projects will start either next year or beyond, including a memory care and memory loss facility with about 54 units expected to break ground in spring 2023; a group of lofts, homes and villas totaling 128 units expected to begin in fall 2023; and at least 10 apartments, with the possibility of more, that have no timeline yet.
In total, 190 units would be added on the nearly 300 acres. That would build on the existing 315 units between Three Pillars' existing structures. The entire campus will be connected by walking and biking trails, including a bridge over the Bark River and an underpass across Highway 18.
Van Den Berg said all of the construction should be completed by 2025.
“We’ve heard a lot of positivity from the community so far,” Van Den Berg said. "I think the community's excited about it. I think these expressions of interest we've heard lately, a lot of excitement about what it looks like and what we can actually do with senior living going forward.”
In addition to the residential living facilities, there are also plans to have retail and community gathering spaces on the bottom floors of buildings as well as elsewhere in the community. A childcare facility and storage facilities are also included in current plans.
Van Den Berg said that much of the plans are still in the works. Three Pillars hopes to work with community members on other amenities like a supper club, dog park and a kayak launch on the Bark River.
"We're talking about a number of different things here: supper club, pub, game room, theater, amphitheater, wellness spaces, et cetera, a welcome center with the history center," Van Den Berg said.
The expansion plans are expected to go before the Dousman Village Board in September.
Drew Dawson can be reached at ddawson@jrn.com or 262-289-1324.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Three Pillars plans $125M expansion in Dousman
