Long-vacant Ravenswood Hospital being converted to senior apartments, assisted living

The vacant Ravenswood Hospital on the North Side has long been an eyesore, its walls grubby with graffiti.

But on Thursday, officials broke ground on a $81 million project to turn the 10-story building into a 193-unit facility for senior citizens. It is expected to provide 74 one-bedroom units for Chicago Housing Authority seniors, as well as another 119 assisted-living units — apartments overseen by the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

“This development illustrates CHA’s creative approach to expanding affordable housing,” said James L. Bebley, CHA’s acting CEO. “It offers a unique combination of independent and supportive living for low-income seniors.”

Officials described the planned facility, located at 4515 N. Winchester Ave., as “one of the first developments in the country to offer both independent living and supportive living for low-income seniors in a single location.”

Construction is expected to take about 18 months, officials said. The building has been vacant since 2002.