First Lutheran plans new senior community

SANDPOINT — First Lutheran Church of Sandpoint has joined in a development agreement with Minnesota-based Ecumen, one of the country's largest Lutheran senior housing organizations, to create a new senior community connected to First Lutheran Church.

The development, called Luther Park at Sandpoint, is anticipated to break ground this fall.

"This exciting new initiative will contribute greatly to a vibrant faith community that people can call home their entire lifetime, while serving greater Sandpoint by expanding housing options for our area's seniors," said Pastor Dave Olson of First Lutheran Church of Sandpoint. "We're greatly looking forward to expanding our ministry and helping meet the growing housing and service needs of Sandpoint.

"The vision for this community began nearly a half century ago when First Lutheran moved from 5th Avenue in downtown Sandpoint to its current 6 1/2 acre site at Olive & Ontario," said Olson. "While Luther Park at Sandpoint will be 'not for profit' and affiliated with the Lutheran Church, we welcome and look forward to serving people of all religious backgrounds."

"This new community will encompass so much of what our customers are saying they desire, including services and technology that enhance people's independence, close proximity to their place of worship, nearby shopping and on-site healthcare," said Dana Wollschlager, Ecumen's director of real estate development.

"Our focus is on creating a community that the First Lutheran congregation, its neighbors and all of Sandpoint will be proud of."

The three-story development will have 60 residences including a mix of 1- and 2-bedroom floor plans that range in size from 571- to 967-square feet. A number of residences will provide views of the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains.

The development will include catered living, which provides a variety of health and personal assistance services as well as suites specially designed for memory care and enhanced assisted living care. Among the community's amenities will be an indoor link to the church, grand fireplace gathering area, library and media center, community meeting rooms, a beauty and barber shop and walking paths.

Independence-enhancing technology, such as QuietCare, also will be featured at the new Luther Park community. QuietCare is a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day a week wireless system that helps residents, caregivers and family members identify small health problems before they grow into larger ones. This technology has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and on the CBS Evening News.

For more information, visit the Luther Park web site (www.luther-park.org).

First Lutheran Church of Sandpoint (www.firstlutheransandpoint.org),which has 778 members, is located at 526 South Olive Street. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and serves the community through a variety of ministries.

Ecumen (www.ecumen.org) also is an affiliate of the ELCA and is based in Shoreview, Minnesota. One of the country's largest non-profit senior housing companies, Ecumen works to create "home" for older adults wherever they choose to live.