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Aug. 24--BAY ST. LOUIS -- This city stopped being called Shieldsboro in 1882. Now the old name is once again coming into common use.

Permits have been taken out for the first phase of construction on Shieldsboro, the city's newest and largest-ever subdivision. Located on 42 acres running beside St. Charles Street and fronting Old Spanish Trail, the development will have 250 homes when completed.

It's starting much more modestly, though. Developer Bill Shanks of Jackson has taken out 12 building permits for the first units. Infrastructure construction is now complete on the land, and building of the first houses will start soon.

Given the vagaries of weather, Shanks said last week, it is difficult to say how soon those first units will be finished.

"I wish I knew," he said. "I'd like to say it will be 90 days, but it will probably be more like 120 days before the first ones are completed. They'll start rolling out one every five or six days after that."

Shieldsboro homes will be marketed in the $195,000 to $250,000 range. The first homes will be three- and four-bedroom models built toward the St. Charles side of the development, Shanks said: "One of the first things we'll build is a model home, and there will be a sales office in that one."

City officials look for quality to be the hallmark of Shieldsboro homes. "Knowing Bill Shanks, it's going to be a fine development," said Bobby Compretta, a Realtor and city councilman whose Ward 4 includes the subdivision. "He does things right."