Above: The entryway inside Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center’s new facility will offer a variety of places to sit near a homey fireplace.

FAIRMONT– Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center in Fairmont is getting closer to completing its new 81,000 sq. ft skilled nursing facility. The facility, located on the back parking lot of Lakeview’s campus, boasts several new features.

Construction on the project began last summer with the goal to make the new facility more homey than the current one, which Lakeview’s administrator, Deb Barnes, said feels too hospital-like and is outdated.

The $24 million dollar project will not affect the chapel, existing independent living or assisted living.

Some features the new facility offers include a cafe, updated beauty salon, new physical therapy room and a large communal space.

Barnes, said they’ve recently had their walk through with the engineering department from the State of Minnesota. Now they need to send a report to the licensing division of the Minnesota Department of Health. Barnes said they have a few more weeks to wait until everything is finalized.

She said that Lakeview’s current residents have seen the map of the floor lay-out and have selected their new rooms.

“Families are anxious to see it but we really wanted to wait until all of the workers are gone and we had the furniture placed and all of that,” Barnes said.

The plan is to have families and residents do a walk-through of the new facility in mid-November.

Following that, Barnes said they’re planning an open house that will take place over a span of several days, with group tours, because Covid is still a concern.

Accompanying the new facility will be a new food menu. Barnes said they have a culinary consultant that’s working with their dietary staff to develop the new menu.

“When we move to the new building, the menu will also be new and updated. We’ll be offering many, many new recipes,” Barnes said.

As for rooms, the new facility has 72 private rooms, including four bariatric rooms.

“They have beautiful windows and each room has a bathroom with a shower. We also have two spas,” Barnes said.

She said she’s excited about the sliding barn doors separating the bathroom from the rest of the room so that the door doesn’t swing open and take up a lot of space.

Barnes is also excited about a feature that allows staff to put clean linens and clothes in a cupboard connecting from the hallway to each bathroom, so that no one will be disturbed in the night or throughout the day.

“The rest of the building is going to be so beautiful. People can sit by the fireplace or enjoy meals in the dining room or go down to the cafe and have coffee with friends. We’re hoping that people won’t sit alone in their rooms,” Barnes said.

Barnes said if anyone has an interest, they can call Lakeview at 507-235-6606 to receive the latest update on available rooms.