PERRYVILLE SEMINARY: VINCENTIANS PUT LAND UP FOR SALE

PERRYVILLE -- The Vincentian Catholic order is nationally marketing for sale or development 611 acres of land surrounding its seminary in Perryville.

In June 1997, the Vincentians announced a plan to develop a shopping mall, golf courses, subdivisions and other buildings on the land around St. Mary's of the Barrens Seminary. At that time, the mission's chief administrator, the Rev. William Hartenbach, said the aim was "to co-develop this land and to retain ownership and control."

Paul Zemitzsch, a spokesman for the Vincentians, said offering the property for sale does not constitute a change in the Vincentians' approach to the project because it was for sale previously as well.

"It was always either or," he said.

Zemitzsch said people in Perryville knew the property was for sale as well as for co-development.

Hartenbach is the chief administrator of the Midwest Province of the Congregation of the Mission, the Vincentians' formal name. He was out of town and unavailable for comment.

Mayor Robert Miget, who attended the 1997 press conference where the development plan was announced, had the impression that the Vincentians intended to retain ownership.

"This is directly opposite of what they said up front," he said.

The Vincentians will retain ownership of the 55-acre St. Mary's of the Barrens Seminary campus. They also have leased 31 acres to the Perryville Community Park Association. The land is the site of the annual seminary picnic.

What they do with the rest of the land is up to them, Miget said.

"I thought at the time it would probably be hard to do anything with that under the pretense of co-development," he said.

Zemetzisch said the Vincentians can sell the land and still maintain control by stipulating the possible uses.

"It's clear that the property will not be sold anonymously to a group that could do whatever they want," he said.

The sale price for the land along Interstate 55 on the north side of Route 51 is $6.5 million.

"We have turned nothing down yet, but we have had offers," Zemitzsch said.

The property is being marketed nationally by the Johnson Group in St. Louis. Ron Armbruster Realty in Ste. Genevieve is handling the listing locally.

State Rep. Patrick Naeger, who attended the press conference announcing the development plan in 1997, praised the Vincentians for leasing the park and said whether the other property is sold or co-developed is the Vincentians' business.

"I hope what happens to the property is in the best interests of the community," he said.

Bob Ray, executive director of the Perry County Industrial Development Authority, said his concern is that a lot of commercial and residential property is now on the market in Perry County.

"It kind of floods our availability of property," Ray said.