The owner of the ramshackle Somerset House is hoping a renovated building will be finished next summer, but a return of the Duke of Somerset pub is now unlikely.

"Everything is shifting to Lansdowne," Tony Shahrasebi said in an interview Tuesday, describing the restaurant market in Ottawa. "A couple of restaurants and bars in Lansdowne is sort of taking the business from the (Byward) market and also Sparks St. is taking the business from the market. The restaurant business is very tough."

But, he added, "never say never."

Residents and City Hall just want to know when the historic Somerset House at Somerset and Bank streets will be up to snuff.

Expect the reconstruction to be finished by around this time next year, Shahrasebi said.

The beaten-up building has sat crippled at the major downtown intersection since 2007 when it partially collapsed. A legal battle between the city and TKS Holdings, Shahrasebi's company, finally ended at the end of 2012.

After the company pitched a new design, which council enthusiastically supported in 2013, Shahrasebi drew the ire of Mayor Jim Watson last year when the city noticed there was little work happening on the property.

Then the city stopped giving the company free encroachment allowances on the sidewalk.

According to Shahrasebi, there is work happening now in the basement of Somerset House. He hopes to have a new roof on the building in the fall so work can happen inside over the winter.

The ultimate design -- the one approved by council -- has a glassed top on a contemporary addition.

Shahrasebi continues to search for potential tenants. He believes work on the outside of the building will be the best advertising.

"When people see what we're doing, then there is going to be a lot of interest," Shahrasebi said.

The building's high-profile location makes the city particularly antsy about seeing headway.

Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney said Somerset House came up in talks she had with the mayor's office before the last budget process. They want to see progress but can't compel the owner to do anything under the current regulations.

"All we can do is make sure the structure is sound," McKenney said.

McKenney believes Shahrasebi has an obligation to fix the building because of the prominent location.

Meanwhile, Shahrasebi is clearly still peeved with City Hall and he's not happy about being charged sidewalk encroachment fees.

"They're trying to steal as much money as they can for me. I'm going to fight them every step of the way."

He wouldn't elaborate on that last point.

Twitter: @JonathanWilling