With 24 apartments, 10 duplexes and 40 assisted living suites the Lutheran Nursing Home is a complete retirement complex.

"Phase I of Saxony Village is complete," said spokesman Scott Sprandel.

The Saxony Village project, announced in fall 1994, called for construction of one- and two-bedroom apartments, assisted living suites and a number of duplex apartments.

Phase II calls for another 48 apartments and will get under way next year.

Meanwhile, construction of additional duplexes continues.

The Saxony Village project provides a full-service retirement complex for the Lutheran Nursing Home in the 2800 block of Bloomfield Road.

The opening of the apartments and duplexes completes the many levels of retirement living discussed when plans for the Lutheran Nursing Home were announced in 1970.

"We have skilled nursing, assisted living, adult day care, home-health services, and apartments and duplexes for retirement living," said Sprandell. Most of the apartments and duplexes are occupied or rented.

The Lutheran Home was established in 1970 by about 20 Lutheran churches. The first construction consisted of 60 beds, and following expansion over the years, it now contains 264 beds for short- and long-term health care..

The Lutheran Home added home-health services to its long-term health care last year, receiving its home-health license from the Heath Care Financing Administration in August, allowing the Lutheran Home to expand its services to outlying areas and to serve the retirement community.

The home-health service area includes Cape Girardeau, Perry, Scott, Bollinger and Stoddard counties. Services are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

The construction on Saxony Village is privately funded. Residents buy their apartment or duplex and then pay a monthly upkeep fee similar to condominium living.