Joliet OKs up to $450,000 in federal funds for Cornerstone project

Joliet will provide up to $450,000 in federal grant money available to the city to Cornerstone Services to build a wellness center this year.

The Joliet contribution comes from an additional $829,000 in federal Community Development Block Grants made available to the city to distribute to agencies for projects that serve to stem the spread of infectious disease in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a city staff memo, the Cornerstone wellness center will provide space for physically distanced activities and training.

Cornerstone plans to convert 8,500 square feet of warehouse space at its Joyce Road building into a fitness center, new offices and a large gathering space. The building is a former Seven Up bottling plant.

“The major impetus behind this is the fitness center,” said Cornerstone President and CEO Ben Stortz.

The Joliet-based nonprofit agency provides services to people with mental disabilities in Will and Kankakee counties.

“We want to make sure that they’re getting exercise and have a healthy lifestyle,” Stortz said.

The fitness center would be available to both clients and Cornerstone staff. The new offices would provide a better working arrangement for certain service providers, Stortz said.

Stortz said the gathering space that is part of the project will provide a large area for both client and staff activities.

The Joliet City Council earlier this month approved the allocation of up to $450,000 in CDBG funding to be reimbursed to Cornerstone as it is needed.

U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, in March announced $1 million for the Cornerstone wellness center as part of $19 million in community funding for his district included in the federal spending bill.

Cornerstone now has $1.75 million available from the federal funding, CDBG money and state grants.

The project is estimated to cost $1.8 million, Stortz said.

Cornerstone also has been raising money for the project, he said.

Renovation of the space is expected to begin this summer and be completed by the end of the year.