Joliet to grant $33,000 to Chicago Street Pub

Chicago Street Pub stands to get $33,034 in the latest grant from the city of Joliet aimed at offsetting the impact of construction on downtown restaurants and bars.

The city so far has provided almost $210,000 from the program, which seeks to offset revenue losses at businesses along and near Chicago Street. The street has been closed for a street improvement project and construction of a new downtown square.

The City Council Land Use and Economic Development Committee on June 30 recommended approval for an additional $33,034 for Chicago Street Pub, which previously received a grant for $11,156 from the program.

The full City Council will vote on the latest grant when it meets July 15.

Council member Cesar Cardenas, chairman of the committee, noted that Chicago Street Pub has been open for more than 20 years.

“It’s great to see that we’re giving them that support to continue doing business in downtown,” Cardenas said. “We’re almost in the home stretch of the downtown project.”

The city wants the project completed by the end of this year to accommodate what is expected to be an increase in travelers in 2026, the 100th anniversary year for the historic Route 66 highway that runs through downtown Joliet.

The improvements are expected to provide a future boost to business along Chicago Street. But the city started the grant program out of concern that the independently owned businesses that line the street would not be able to sustain revenue losses connected to construction, leaving the city with vacancies instead of restaurants, bars and local shops for travelers who come into town in 2026.

Joliet is spending more than $20 million on the downtown project, which includes a new city square located across Chicago Street from the Rialto Square Theatre. The Rialto also will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026.

Chicago Street also is being rebuilt and redesigned between Jefferson and Cass streets, according to a plan aimed at making the street more accommodating for businesses and their customers.