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Somerset Place Apartments Accepting Applications After $20 Million Makeover

By Adeshina Emmanuel | September 24, 2014 5:10am
 Following a $20 million makeover that kicked off last year, a former troubled nursing home that had sat vacant since 2010 is reopening next week as a luxury apartment complex.
Somerset Apartments Opening
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UPTOWN — Following a $20 million makeover that kicked off last year, a former troubled nursing home that had sat vacant since 2010 is reopening next week as a luxury apartment complex.

Building owner Zidan Management group is holding a grand opening event on Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. to commemorate the opening of Somerset Place Apartments, a day after the first tenants move in, according to Zidan.

With about 160 units, the eight-floor building just west of the lakefront at 5009 N. Sheridan Road consists of mostly one- and two-bedroom apartments and studios.

Monthly rent for studios range from $1,200-$1,399; one-bedrooms range from $1,350-$2,150; and two-bedrooms range from $1,939-$2,400. The units, which are pet-friendly, come with high-end finishes such as granite stone tops, walk-in showers, marble floors and more.

Zidan said in a news release that it wanted to refurbish the 92-year-old building with modern touches while retaining its original character, and "as a result, everything from its marble floors to its ornate ceiling molding was carefully preserved or reproduced to its original splendor.

The company touted "a wide array of perks and features ... added to the building’s common areas," including free wireless Internet, a skydeck with a view of the lake, a fitness center and laundry rooms on every floor.

Ald. Harry Osterman (48th), whose ward includes most of Edgewater and part of Uptown, has said that "this development is critical to the future revitalization of the Argyle Street area."

The area, which is home to many thriving Asian-owned businesses and community groups but has suffered from vacant storefronts and bouts of crime, will also undergo an extensive redesign due to plans for a new streetscape.

Somerset was a nursing home that housed felons and mentally ill patients with elderly patients until officials closed it in 2010 for various violations.

Maratta Walker, a resident of the now-defunct facility, was found beaten to death in a nearby motel in 2008. Authorities cited a lack of proper supervision of the patient and said staff failed to file a missing person's report or call police when she vanished.

But the building entered a more positive chapter in 2011 when Zidan bought it.

Renovation started in 2013, although the company faced some bumps along the way when city and state officials temporarily halted reconstruction in spring 2013, accusing the owner of "improperly and illegally" removing asbestos.

The renovation continued after the owners, in the face of being sued for $400,000 by Attorney General Lisa Madigan, complied with authorities.

More information on applying to live at Somerset Place Apartments is available on its website. Attendees can RSVP for the grand opening by sending an email to RSVP@zidans.com.

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