POST FALLS - Cliff Mort believes it's time to raise the assisted living bar.

And The Lodge is an answer.

The grand opening for the new 16-bed, 12,000-square-foot assisted living facility at 52 N. Cedar St. in Post Falls will be 2-6 p.m. Thursday.

"We want to provide a better level of care than what's out there for less money," said Mort, of Mort Construction, which developed the center.

The facility features granite countertops throughout, a kitchen/dining area with a lodge theme and stainless steel appliances, spa/hair salon, library/computer area, walk-in bathtubs in every room and outdoor courtyard with raised flower beds and a water fountain.

The state requires rooms to be a minimum of 100 square feet and those at The Lodge are more than 200.

Rooms for the private-pay facility will range from $2,950 to $3,700 per month, depending on the level of service.

Mort said the goal with the facility is for residents to be as independent as they can or want to be and to provide dignity to those living there. The number of rooms is also appropriate, he said.

"The bigger the facility, the easier it is for grandma to get lost," he said.

Mort said another building of the same size and layout will be constructed at the Post Falls site once the first one is full. The facility is expected to obtain its license this week.

A staff of 10 will work in each building.

Mort recently broke ground on The Lodge at Fairway Forest, a similar assisted living facility next to the Fedora restaurant in Coeur d'Alene off Kathleen Avenue. He said he intends to branch into independent living centers in the future.

Mort said rooms are available and early interest in the facility has been high.

Mort said building assisted living facilities has been on his mind for the past 12 years.

"The timing is right for it," he said. I've analyzed what others are doing and want to go a step above that. We want to offer a guilt-free environment to put your loved ones in."

Grand opening

The grand opening of The Lodge assisted living facility, 52 N. Cedar St., Post Falls, will be 2-6 p.m. Thursday. There will be tours and food. For more information or to RSVP: 457-3403, ccc.sgs.llc@gmail.com, www.lodgeliving.net