Patients in need of rehabilitation or more long-term care can live the good life soon with the opening of Bonne Vie.

Bonne Vie, which translates to “good life,” is a 140-bed sub acute care facility nearing completion at 8595 Medical Center Blvd. A grand opening and ribbon cutting is tentatively set for April.

The facility will have a New Orleans theme throughout the whole building and instead of “units” and hallways there will be neighborhoods — one for long-term care and one for shorter stays with a big focus on rehabilitation so the patient can return home, said Kenny Blanda, executive director of Magnolia Manor Skilled Nursing Center in Groves, which is a sister facility.

“Jackson Square is the name of the long-term care (side of the facility),” Blanda, who will also be director at Bonne Vie, said. “Instead of hallways there will be names lanes, Canal Lane, Esplanade Lane, Royale Lane and Lafitte Lane.”

Bonne Vie will have a five-star hotel environment, he said, and 80 of the 140 beds will be private occupancy rooms.

To accommodate patients’ spiritual needs there will be the St. Louis All Faith Chapel, with a nod to the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. Another nod to the New Orleans culture include Antoine’s, the dining area, named for the famed New Orleans dining spot.

A life enrichment or activities room will be named after the now deceased Harold LeDoux, a Port Arthur native and artist for the comic strip Judge Parker and there will also be the Lucian Adams living area, named after the local war hero.

“The library will be named after my mom,” Blanda said of his mother, Lettie Jean Blanda.

Names for the long-term neighborhood, Mirabeau B. Lamar, have lanes including Jerry LaCroix Lane, Gates Lane, J.P. Richardson Lane and Bum Phillips Lane.

With rehabilitation a big part of the facility, there will be a complete rehabilitation courtyard with various surfaces such as brick, asphalt and steps — surfaces one might encounter.

Magnolia Manor in Groves will remain as is and not close its doors with the opening of Bonne Vie.

“Magnolia Manor will remain open and operate the same level as now, as it has done for the past 40 years,” he said.

The fact that Magnolia Manor, which has hosted a number of events for the Groves Chamber of Commerce, will remain open is good news for the city of Groves.

“Anytime a business opens or decides to stay in Groves is a great thing,” Groves City Manager D. Sosa said. “Looking at the big picture, Magnolia Manor deciding to keep their Groves operation open saves those jobs and the jobs that support the facility that are all over the community.

“From the suppliers of equipment to the places that the Magnolia Manor employees eat and shop in Groves, we all benefit. This property will be maintained and this facility will remain a valued business and provider of needed services in Groves.”