The Marian Home and Village recently expanded beyond its longtime home at 2400 Sixth Ave. N. to open a new assisted living facility just a couple blocks away.

When Villa Care Center closed in 2023, the Marian Home and Village acquired its property and thoroughly renovated the former Villa Cottages at 925 Martin Luther King Drive to create 12 assisted living apartments. Some of those apartments are already occupied.

The completion of the project was celebrated Tuesday afternoon with a ribbon cutting conducted by the Ambassadors of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance.

Speaking on behalf of the Ambassadors Tuesday, Terry Allers said the new assisted living apartments are a reflection of the Marian Home and Village’s “unfailing commitment to provide compassionate care to our community.”

The apartments, he said, provide a place where people “can not just live, but truly feel at home.”

His interest in the project extends far beyond his role with the Ambassadors. His firm, Allers Associates Architects of Fort Dodge, designed the renovation project. He said the company was “truly blessed” by the opportunity to design the project.

He saluted Tracy Trotter, the administrator of the Marian Home and Village, saying her “dedication to the project is unparalleled and much appreciated.”

In her own brief remarks Tuesday, Trotter thanked everyone involved in the project.

During an interview with The Messenger early this year, she provided more insight on it.

“As part of our commitment to providing the highest quality of care and support for our residents and tenants, this new addition will enhance our offerings and ensure that all levels of senior living needs are met within our community,” Trotter said then. “At the Marian Home, we understand that every person has unique needs and preferences. That is why we offer a comprehensive array of living options designed to support independent and assisted living and skilled care levels.

“The new assisted living facility will provide personalized care and support for tenants who may require help with daily activities, such as bathing, dressing and medication management,” she added. “Our compassionate staff will be available 24/7 to ensure that residents receive the care they need, allowing them to thrive in a supportive environment.”

On Tuesday, Monsignor Kevin McCoy, who serves on the Marian Home and Village Board, summed up the effort by saying, “We are inspired by the healing mission of Jesus Christ.”

The building was constructed in 1998.

In its Villa Cottages configuration, the building contained 18 small apartments.

It now houses 12 apartments, including 10 one-bedroom units and two studio apartments. There is a gathering and dining area near the front entrance, plus smaller common rooms on each end of the building.

There will be caregivers on the premises 24 hours a day to help the residents of those apartments with anything they might need.

The residents will be served three meals a day. They will also have housekeeping and laundry services.

The renovation work began in July 2024. Sande Construction and Supply Co., of Humboldt, was the general contractor.