The development of St. Rita Square on Milwaukee’s Lower East Side not only provides an upscale senior living community, but it paves a new chapter for St. Rita Church.
St. Rita is deeply rooted in Milwaukee’s Italian-American community, with many parishioners coming from the Blessed Virgin of Pompeii Church that had closed more than a half-century ago. The church building had become costly to maintain and presented accessibility challenges for the aging portion of the congregation.
Capri Communities purchased the aging campus, which included a vacant school and adjacent convent, from the Catholic Diocese for $1. In return, the developer agreed to build a new church along with a senior living facility, selling the church back to the diocese for $1.
One of Capri Communities’ first urban developments, St. Rita Square continues its mission of “enriching the lives of residents through service and commitment to family and community.” One six-story building is dedicated to independent living; the other six-story building has common areas on the first floor, memory support on the second and third floors, assisted living on the fourth and fifth floors, and independent living on the top floor to take advantage of desirable city views.
Designed by AG Architecture, the community features artifacts from the original church—Our Lady of Pompeii. Stained glass, stonework, the church sign, and the signature rose window are some of the details incorporated into the new church as well as throughout the senior living community. The exterior design also incorporates setbacks at varied heights to maintain a sense of modesty and scale. On the interior, a mix of local textural materials, such as Cream City brick, blend with vibrant colors and themes found in Italy. St. Rita and her yellow rose provided inspiration for details such as floral fabrics and artwork as well as gold elements.
The buildings were configured to centralize amenities and provide residents with an outdoor oasis—the piazza. Additional amenities include a trattoria with casual dining and grab-and-go food options, a restaurant-style dining room, a fitness suite, a spa and beauty salon, a clubroom, and the cannoli room for events and activities.
