| By Yvette Cabrera |
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| The Reseda
Convalescent Hospital, which shut down abruptly in late September,
will reopen under new operators who signed a 10-year lease to run the
nursing facility, a real estate representative announced Thursday. |
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| The Chase Group, a
3-year old Westlake Village operator and consultant for skilled and
assisted nursing facilities, hopes to open the center within 30 days,
said David Lacy. |
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| Lacy is a spokesman
for Ramsey-Shilling Co., a Los Angeles-based commercial real estate
firm representing the nursing home's property owner and Chase Group. |
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| Chase Group President
Phil Chase, who has worked in the nursing care industry for 25 years,
plans to rehire most of the former Reseda Care Center staff. |
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| The company has begun
major renovations at the 99-bed facility, Lacy said. |
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| So far, Chase Group
has replaced portions of the facility's roof, redesigned the entry
area, repainted and recarpeted the interior, installed new kitchen
equipment and replaced several of the beds at a cost of more than
$325,000, Lacy said. |
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| Chase Group, whose
lease includes five and 10-year extension options, will pay $3.3
million over its 10-year lease. |
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| It will also pay
another several hundred thousand in training and start up costs, Lacy
said. |
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| When the center closed
September 26, its residents were relocated to 12 nursing facilities
throughout the Los Angeles area. |
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| Through a written
statement, Chase said he "is sensitive to the fact that many of the
former patients are anxious to return to what they considered their
home." |
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