Renaissance Center under new management

An expanding Joliet restaurant group will now manage events at the Renaissance Center.

The Joliet Junior College board at a special meeting on Wednesday approved a lease with Bill Dimitroulas.

Dimitroulas heads the Arkas Restaurant Group, which has five restaurants and a catering company in Joliet. The Renaissance Center will be operated under an entity named DMT Foods.

The new management takes over the lease that had been held by Premier Events and Catering, which also owned Syl’s Restaurant before closing it in early January.

The lease will run through the end of 2027, said JJC spokesperson Kelly Rohder-Tonelli.

Rent is $12,000 a month in the first year, although JJC is providing a 50% rent abatement in the first four months to help with start-up costs, Rohder-Tonelli said. Rent increases over the remaining years of the lease.

“There are no major changes to the contract,” Rohder-Tonelli said in an email. “DMT will lease the space through the rest of the original contract time period.”

Premier had informed JJC in December that it was negotiating with Dimitroulas to take over the lease at the Renaissance Center.

The Renaissance Center in downtown Joliet is a Daniel Burnham-designed building that was built 1924 for the Joliet Chamber of Commerce.

The Arkas group restaurants include three downtown: Cut 158 Chophouse, Juliet’s Tavern and Mousa Tapas Bar. Two others are on Essington Road: Hamburgerseria and Rosemary Cafe.