IRVING PARK — The site of the former Sabatino’s may become an apartment complex.

A developer has expressed interest in turning the former Italian restaurant at 4441 W. Irving Park Rd. into apartment buildings with retail on the ground floor, Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th) said at an Old Irving Park Neighborhood Association meeting Monday.

The neighborhood group’s board heard about the plan from Gardiner earlier in the summer.

“Half of our board met in July and saw some very initial plans and we constructed a list of questions and concerns, really our gut reaction and gave that to that alderman’s office so he could share it with the developer,” said Lynn Ankney, president of the association.

Neither Ankney nor Gardiner would elaborate on any specific plans.

“Our initial reactions, questions and concerns were not comprehensive but just to start the conversation with the developer. We want to work with them before the project gets set in stone,” Ankney said Tuesday.

During the meeting, Gardiner told a woman living near the site that the developer “had proposed the idea of market rate apartments for that area.”

He said he would host a public meeting at some point to reveal more information, but no date has been set yet. Gardiner did not immediately respond to calls for further questions Tuesday.

“Nothing is going to go by without public input and a meeting,” he stressed.

In August 2018, Enzo Pagni and his brother Angelo announced they sold their beloved Italian restaurant and were planning to retire.

Sabatino’s served its last diners to much fanfare on Dec. 23 and after 49 years, the property was sold to developer GW Properties.

GW Properties paid $2,350,000 on July 18, 2018, according to county records.

A representative from GW Properties was not immediately available for comment.

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