The Marian Home and Village has launched a fundraising campaign to help pay for redeveloping the former Villa Cottages and the site of the Villa Care Center.

The effort is expected to cost more than $4 million.

The newly launched campaign is called Growing for Every Stage of Life Capital Campaign.

“We want to take that property to the next level,” said Jim Kesterson, a member of the Marian Home and Village board.

“We know there is a need in the community and our goal is to help families,” he added. “Members of my own family have received care at the Marian Home and I know the quality of care that is afforded there.”

The Marian Home and Village purchased the property of the Villa Care Center and the Villa Cottages after those facilities closed last year. Both are just a few blocks away from the Marian home at 2400 Sixth Ave. N.

The former Villa Care Center at 10th Avenue North and Martin Luther King Drive was demolished. The site will be used for independent living apartments.

“We want to be good neighbors in the community,” said Tracy Trotter, the administrator of the Marian Home and Village. “We are very excited about the project.”

The Villa Cottages building at 925 Martin Luther King Drive is being renovated.

The building used to house about 20 assisted living units.

“The rooms were very small in there,” Trotter said. “We want to make it more of an apartment-like setting, something that will feel like home. The rooms are going to be very spacious.”

Allers Associates Architects of Fort Dodge designed the renovations.

“We do need the support of the public,” Trotter said. “The need for assisted living units continues to just skyrocket. We want to be a part of the solution, caring for our community and its people at every stage of life.”

How to help

For more information on donating to the Growing for Every Stage of Life capital campaign, call Tracy Trotter at (515) 576-1138.

Naming rights will be available for the new building and many of its features.