By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Westminster Village has won preliminary approval in its plans for a $70 million renovation and expansion.

The Bloomington Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday gave its approval to the plan that the City Council will consider next month for the continuing care retirement community.

Westminster CEO Barb Nathan told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin the first phase would renovate and expand its skilled care building.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Patti’s interview with Nathan on WJBC.

“We have independent living, assisted living, skilled care and we are full,” Nathan said. “We have a waiting list that is very, very long which gives us that indication that this is a place that has done well in the past and has opportunity to expand and can serve more and more.”

Phase two would add a new assisted living and memory care facility, while phase three would involve more independent living space, but Nathan said that could be a decade away.

“The need (for senior living) is growing and growing,” Nathan said. “We all know the demographics in terms of the increasing age at which we live to. That’s a really positive thing, besides the Baby Boomers that will come in here in another couple of decades to places like Westminster.”

Nathan said much of the money for the project would have to be financed.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].