Condo developers eye Shane's Deli property in downtown Wheaton

When Shane's Deli opened in the old Cock Robin in downtown Wheaton about 15 years ago, the restaurant seemed to embrace the nostalgia of its predecessor.

Cock Robin was a throwback to a retro diner that served steak burgers and ice cream in square scoops. Shane's largely kept the layout and exterior intact, though the marquee sign with a robin in a tuxedo is long gone.

But the downtown fixture could be bulldozed if the current property owner moves forward with plans to redevelop the prominent corner into condos at Wesley and Hale streets.

Another party - the owner of two small office buildings to the north of Shane's - is a co-developer, said Jim Kozik, Wheaton's economic development director.

They have "been looking to do something for a considerable amount of time" and could seek city approval for the project sometime this summer, Kozik said. But he could not yet say when.

According to plans that are still "very preliminary," developers would construct one condo building with space for retailers on the ground floor, Kozik said.

The owner of Shane's Deli, a popular lunch spot where long lines of patrons often run out the door, apparently is looking at other spaces downtown.

"I think they would be interested in staying there," Kozik said.

The deli owner is on vacation, said an employee who answered the phone Wednesday.

Paula Barrington, the executive director of the Downtown Wheaton Association, an alliance of business owners, also did not return calls seeking comment.

In its prime, Cock Robin was a chain of fast-food restaurants in Brookfield, Naperville and other suburbs. It was a sentimental favorite for more than 35 years in downtown Wheaton, where customers ate on swivel chairs while oldies music played in the background.