The sisters of St. Martin Monastery hope to be in their new home about Aug. 1, but their future neighbor, a senior housing development called Good Samaritan Society St. Martin Village, has seen the pace of its construction slowed by the national housing market.

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, which does business in 24 states as the largest nonprofit faith-based provider of senior care and elderly housing in America, has had to be "mindful of the economy" and the slowing housing market in other areas of the country while planning its Rapid City project, said Ron Kortemeyer, director of two Good Samaritan facilities in the area.

The slowdown in senior housing demand is "less so here than in other areas of the country" Kortemeyer said. But he noted that Good Samaritan's two dozen or so South Dakota facilities, including Echo Ridge in Rapid City and a nursing home in New Underwood, are part of a larger, national group.

In 2007, the Benedictines sold 200 acres, plus their current monastery building, to the Catholic Diocese of Rapid City and the Rapid City Catholic School System. They also sold 200 acres to Good Samaritan, which anticipates building 50 twin homes (100 living units) and a large building containing 50 independent apartments with services and 24 assisted living apartments. Phase Two of the project could include a second large-scale apartment unit. And if the state-imposed moratorium on nursing home beds is ever lifted, Kortemeyer would like to see a 60-bed skilled nursing facility at that location, as well.

That development will occur along City Springs Road, which now ends at Kirkwood Townhomes but will be extended through the St. Martin Valley and connected in a "traffic-calming" way to the existing monastery buildings, Kortemeyer said.

"We're in the process of determining where the road will go, which in turn, sets up the utilities infrastructure, which determines the setbacks on the lots," he said."There's been quite a lot of infrastructure work going on. You just don't see any of it."

He said some site preparation and infrastructure construction could begin this fall.

Moving day has been delayed repeatedly for the Benedictine community of about 30 nuns, due to weather and construction-related delays.

"We wanted to be out in June," said Sister Yvette Mallow, OSB, of the 150,000-square- foot stone monastery and former St. Martin High School that has been the community's home since 1962. "I better not plan, but we are planning now for Aug. 1."

Their new home, less than one-fourth the size of their old one, was built next door. It has central living and worship spaces that hold a chapel, kitchen and dining areas, conference rooms, a library, offices and a prayer room, plus two wings of private resident rooms, each with a separate bathroom, and a small health care/infirmary.

Last week, the monastery was hooked up to the existing water and sewer lines through a new section of Good Samaritan's permanent utilities lines. The monastery will be allowed to use existing sewer lines for up to five years, until the new utilities are in place.

"Our section is permanent. Theirs is a temporary hook-up to water and sewer lines to allow the sisters to get into their new building," Kortemeyer said.

The city plans to spend about $1 million to build a booster station, water main and a 750,000-gallon water reservoir near St. Martin Drive that will serve the planned development, as well as other residential neighborhoods in that area. Good Samaritan's property has been rezoned to a medium density residential zoning district, and the project's initial development plan has been approved, according to Marcia Elkins, growth management director for the city of Rapid City. Elkins expected the city water project to be completed in conjunction with the housing development's construction timetable.

"They will need the improvements to obtain their certificate of occupancy and/or plat approval," she said.

Contact Mary Garrigan at 394-8424 or mary.garrigan@rapidcityjournal.com