Immanuel Lutheran Corp. breaks ground on new facilities

KALISPELL – Immanuel Lutheran Communities has broken ground on a $45 million, multi-phase, five-year expansion at Buffalo Hill Terrace in Kalispell.

The first phase of construction adds a new therapy gym and 32 guest suites for a total of 48 guest suites at The Retreat at Buffalo Hill, a center designed for short-term rehabilitation and post-acute care. The expansion will include accommodations for post-acute patients transitioning from hospital care before returning home.
The expansion at Buffalo Hill Terrace began last summer with construction of The Lodge, an assisted-living memory-support neighborhood. The new Lodge will include 24 private residences and continues Immanuel Lutheran’s tradition of serving those with Alzheimer’s and other related dementias – a need that is expected to nearly triple in the next 35 years. In 1976, Immanuel Lutheran Communities was one of the first organizations in the country to open a dedicated living environment for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Construction on the new phase is expected to be completed in the summer of 2017.