School group not the only interested party

It appears momentum is building among DuPage forest preserve leaders to acquire the Cenacle Retreat House.

Forest preserve officials Tuesday directed its staff to obtain an appraisal of the 42-acre retreat in Warrenville.

Owned by the Cenacle Sisters, a group of Roman Catholic nuns, the site is at the confluence of Springbrook Creek and the West Branch of the DuPage River near Blackwell Forest Preserve.

Unlike divisions that recently arose over buying 51 acres next to Danada Forest Preserve for $22.4 million, commissioners seemed to agree preliminarily on pursuing the retreat.

"It's a very desirable piece," Commissioner Mike Formento said, adding artifacts such as arrowheads had been found on the property.

Commissioner Roger Kotecki said the buying the land " matches our long-term philosophy of acquiring land on the West Branch and in the floodplain for a continuous corridor of wildlife."

District President Dewey Pierotti called the property "a great acquisition" and said the forest preserve hoped to work with Warrenville officials to preserve the land.

If the forest preserve obtained the land, it would be a valuable opportunity to restore wetlands and habitats, Natural Resources Director John Oldenburg said.

And keeping the acres surrounding the creek and the river safe from development would ensure healthier waterways, he said. The property includes about 17 acres of wetlands.

But the district isn't the only interested party.

After a Cenacle council conference in July, the sisters living in Warrenville learned their home would be sold. Since then, many people have approached them about buying the property, Sister Mary Guido said.

The sisters are in the process of hiring a real estate firm, but the final decision will be made by Cenacle leadership in Rome. Warrenville Cenacle staff and national leadership can only make recommendations, Guido said.

"We would like to leave the place in a way that would offer people in some way what we had to offer," she said, adding that there is no deadline for a decision.

•Staff Writer Rupa Shenoy contributed to this report.