JEFFERSON — A developer is expected to present plans next month that would redevelop part of the 650-acre St. Coletta property on Jefferson's east side, according to Mayor Gary Myers.

Details of the proposal and the name of the developer have not been made public, but Myers said the project would focus on sustainable themes, include an agricultural component and be less dependent on residential development when compared to a now-dormant $100 million plan that was proposed in 2008 by another developer.

"My personal view is that it will be better," Myers said. "It's an incredibly exciting concept. It's a development that will preserve the architectural beauty and the historic role the facility has in the community."

St. Coletta, on Highway 18 at Y, was founded in 1904 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi and provides vocational and residential programs for people with developmental and other disabilities. Known for decades for its campus that included dormitories and a school, St. Coletta has shifted its approach so clients now live in homes off-campus in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Most of its buildings on the Jefferson campus are vacant but the St. Coletta headquarters will remain on the campus, said Andrea Speth, St. Coletta's vice president.

The Simon Group of Brookfield had proposed Sanctuary Ridge, a 174-acre development that called for up to 200 condominiums and 200 houses. Simon also asked for $5 million in tax incremental financing from the city.

Myers said he expected the new developer to also ask for public financing but said it would be structured in a way that would be less risky for the city.