Eric Reaves, City of Gary, left and Lake County Commissioner Kyle Allen with rendering of the new J’s Breakfast Club coming to 26th and Broadway

J's Breakfast Club breaks ground on new restaurant

Contributed By:The 411 News

If you’ve followed Joslyn Kelly from her carryout restaurant on Grant Street to J’s Breakfast Club on Broadway, you know dining space went from a sliver to a lot. From a closet on Grant, the kitchen got a little bit bigger.

At Friday's groundbreaking for the new restaurant coming to 26th and Broadway, John Gay, Kelly's architect described the new space.

Diners will step into the living room, a concept kept from the Broadway restaurant. Some will choose the main dining room while others may head to a private dining area set aside for events and meetings. The full kitchen will have walk-in refrigeration with commercial ovens. The second floor will be a sky lit office space.

The restaurant will include a bar and patio seating.

Gay's firm, JAQ Architecture is molding the space out of 9 shipping containers; 8 on the first floor and one at top. Integrated Equipment Sales is supplying the containers. Sean Connolly, IES midwest manager said using containers for building construction is a proven method to repurpose steel that would've been scrapped.

Later, Kelly said the restaurant will be even larger, using 11 containers in all.

Shipping container architecture is being used to build everything from temporary to permanent housing, offices and manufacturing facilities. It can bring a green element to a construction project while also helping to reduce onsite waste, construction costs and building times.

In Valparaiso, containers house the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative (MAAC) public safety training facility.

Container construction will be part of the Maple Leaf Crossing professional office and retail development planned for the corner of Calumet Avenue and 45th Street in Munster.

“It’s been a while since a full-service, sit-down dining establishment was built from the ground up in Gary, and I am honored to bring this offering to my city,” said Kelly. “I had a lot of help, and this groundbreaking is a great way to extend my gratitude.”

“While many are attempting to adapt to what life has become as a result of Covid-19, we get to build a facility that is customized to meet the needs of this new normal,” said Kelly. “The original estimates to the number of how many patrons we can accommodate will be adjusted in accordance with newly established standards.”

Completion is slated for the final quarter of this year. “In the upcoming months, this area will be transformed giving the Midtown area a face lift,” said Kelly.


Joslyn and James Kelly ‘throwing the dirt’ at the ground breaking for their new restaurant

Story Posted:05/24/2020