Construction equipment arrives at future Chick-fil-A site in Joliet

Wrecking equipment was hauled onto the site of the future Chick-fil-A this week as the company prepares to build its Joliet restaurant.

The Joliet City Council last week approved the subdivision plan for the project at 2705 Plainfield Road.

Chain-link fence surrounds the site where a vacant Lone star Steakhouse restaurant will be demolished before the Chick-fil-A is built. Heavy excavation equipment was pulled onto the property Wednesday when a surveyor also was working on the site.

The work crews are arriving on schedule according to an estimated timetable provided last month by an engineer working on the project. He said construction was slated to start in late March or early April with an opening estimated for September.

Chick-fil-A has been planning for more than a year for the project, which was slowed down by floodplain issues triggered by the new construction slated for the site.

The Lone Star has been closed since July 2017.

Chick-fil-A plans a 4,863-square-foot restaurantt that would have 110 seats inside and an outdoor eating area with 24 seats.

The subdivision plan leaves part of the 1.5-acre site available for development of a multi-tenant commercial building. The restaurant will take up one acre.