What Should Move in to the Old Cornerstone Building?
Darien Patch asks readers to play developer and share their ideas for open storefronts around town.
It was a little less than a year ago that Cornerstone Restaurant closed its doors. Since then, the banquet facility and bar has sat empty in front of the strip mall that’s home to Q Sports and La Notte Due.
The building is well suited for another large restaurant, but perhaps that’s not the only use for it. Its location near Interstate 55 makes it easily accessible to people from neighboring communities. The space also has a large parking lot to accommodate a big crowd.
What would you like to see in Cornerstone’s old building? If it were to become another restaurant, which one would be your favorite? What other ideas do you have? Tell us in the comments!
In This article
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Q Billiards & Sports Bar
8109 S Cass Ave, Darien, IL -
La Notte Due
8123 S Cass Ave, Darien, IL (Darien Plaza)
john
8:59 am on Monday, March 19, 2012
Nothing at all. Knock the whole building down. It has very bad luck, their have been atleast three resturants in that place in the last ten years. Ripples, millenium steakhouse and cornerstone
Carol Klener Jablonski
10:08 am on Monday, March 19, 2012
Why don't the numerous senior clubs in the area join together to purchase it for their meetings and programs?
Barry Allen
11:49 am on Monday, March 19, 2012
IF any of Darien's clubs or organizations could afford the building the $34,128 annual property taxes would pretty much wipe out their combined annual budgets.
Beth Lopez
11:37 am on Monday, March 19, 2012
Maybe Darien could get their own post office and put it there.
john
12:30 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
^ that would be one of the worst ideas ever. The post office is already billions in debt. Why would they build a office when there one down the street on cass
Lauren Williamson
12:40 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Hi everyone,
Just a friendly reminder that it's OK to disagree, but please be respectful of one another. Thanks to all who have commented!
Best,
Lauren Williamson
Editor, Darien Patch
Bob B
1:45 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Hi Lauren,
Have you been paying attention to the nonsensical comments about the political races? I don't think this piece is where you need to worry about inappropriate comments. I can't figure out why you Patch folks haven't stopped that ongoing garbage. Just sayin.
Lauren Williamson
1:54 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Hi Bob,
I hear you on the political comments. There are several issues going on there — for one thing, the comments are coming in fast and furiously from readers of multiple Patch sites because the stories are published on each site that falls within the district. We're doing our best to keep up with them, but it's more than any one person can handle. Also, even though the comments on the political stories have gotten admittedly out of control, I feel it's important to ensure civility on other stories. Thanks for your understanding as we try to deal with a situation that has no easy solution.
Best,
Lauren Williamson
Editor, Darien Patch
Bob B
1:59 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
I guess we should all be thankful that it will finally stop (at least for a few months) after tomorrow.
Lauren Williamson
2:01 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
I think that's something we can all agree on! (Well, except for the people getting their kicks from being mean on the Internet.)
L Johnson
1:21 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
A place where kids could play - Little Monkey Bizness or similar. A nice wine bar, a relaxing place to have a drink and listen to good music. A nice brewpub like Emmitt's in downtown Downers. A cafe/ coffee place and a nice park with a fountain - make it beautiful vs the eyesore it is now. We have nowhere with a salad bar for lunch so how about a sweet tomatoes? We need better lunch spots. A great card store/giftshop. Please, no chains, no banks, no nail salons.
Don Damon
3:21 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
I like your ideas along with Cash's idea below. Whatever goes here needs to start with an empty lot ...
The ideas that make it an interesting eating/meeting place (brew pub, Sweet Tomatoes, cafe/coffee place,...) sound particularly good since it looks like the future of our "downtown" is going to be a stand-alone bank with a nearby strip mall (which sounds like almost every other retail area spread across Darien).
... Now I can't stop thinking about Sweet Tomatoes (but it is such a far drive to Aurora or Lombard).
Ralph "Cash" Beardsley
3:06 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
The building/ site clearly is haunted by evil spirits! Start by leveling the entire thing- re-surface the moon-scape/ parking lot so that cars can no longer fall in the pot-holes- and go from there. Maybe all the yah-hahs who have been providing political "commentary" over the past month could then hold a Town Meeting/ jamboree there!
Ralph "Cash" Beardsley
3:33 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Bonefish Grille would be fantastico!
Bob B
3:59 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
I like that idea Cash. I know the city has hoped for a Bonefish for a while. Not sure, though, if the Cornerstone isn't too big for a regular restaurant.
JGMB
5:23 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Along the lines of tearing it down and starting over, I'd love to have a Boston Market!!
Jim Jankowski
10:19 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Make an Off Track Betting place out of it. Think what it has done for Oak Brook (not a disgraceful town). It is also the combination of a Bank (full of atm's) and a church (tons of praying your horse wins). They are decent places. They do not bring out crime and thugs like people think they do. Go visit the one in Oak Brook and try to tell me it is a pit....
Lauren Williamson
12:13 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
Hi folks,
This week's Visions for Vacancies is up: http://patch.com/A-rPKn
Thanks to all who commented last week!
Best,
Lauren