PLAINFIELD – A new Asian fusion restaurant specializing in sushi and eastern-style barbecue will soon open in the oldest government building in Plainfield.
The restaurant, Mora, is expected to open at 24108 W. Lockport St. in early January, according to applicant Jason Morales and restaurant owner Christine Cancel.
Village trustees approved a Class “F” liquor license for the restaurant Monday night.
The building was constructed before 1900, with a major rear addition added in 1920, according to village documents. It was used as a town hall, fire department, police department and jail.
But the building has been in disrepair for years. Morales attempted to revive it with the help of a facade grant for a different upscale restaurant in 2010, but trustees at the time were concerned with specifics in the planned renovations.
This time, the board approved Morales' plans in July, allowing for a $57,750 facade grant through tax increment financing funds from the downtown historic district.
The grant will help replace the north, west and east elevations with common Chicago brick. New entrance folding doors will be added and 40 cracked bricks will be replaced on the southern elevation of the building, facing Lockport Street.
Morales said the renovations likely will occur in early spring, but plans are to open as the year turns.
Trustees also approved a Class “O” liquor license for Capri Sogno, a downtown Italian restaurant, allowing customers to leave the restaurant with a partially consumed bottle of wine sealed in a transparent, one-time use tamper-proof bag provided by the restaurant.
Downtown inn
Plans to renovate the second floor of another historic structure into a three-unit downtown inn also were approved Monday.
The residential structure known as the Academy building at 15106 S. Fox River St. originally was the second school built in Plainfield.
Owner Jennifer Myers, whose family lives in the home, plans to renovate the second story into a three-room inn. The family would remain on the first floor, with a separate entrance from the occupants of the inn.
Each room would include a bathroom and serve as a short-term housing solution with close proximity to the downtown restaurants and other businesses.
Trustees pondered whether the inn was a bed-and-breakfast location or not.
Myers explained that no food would be served, qualifying the service as an inn. However, under the eyes of state statute, it’s classified as a bed-and-breakfast.
State statute requires bed-and-breakfast operations to allow occupancy no longer than 10 days in a 12-month period.
Trustees were satisfied with the maximum 10-day occupancy limit.