Downtown Arlington Heights restaurant wants to grow

The owner of Harry's of Arlington wants to enclose its outdoor patio and build an addition complete with a brick floor, separate bar and fireplace.

The proposal went before some members of the Arlington Heights plan commission at a workshop on Wednesday. Most plan members said they liked what they saw at the meeting.

"It's really nice and it would be great for year-round seating," said commissioner Bruce Green.

The outdoor patio currently seats about 100 people. After the project the area will only seat about 66 people because Harry's owner wants to add a bar, staircase, fireplace and storage.

The addition will also feature a large glass window along Vail Street, which will be open during the summer months, said Jim Tinaglia, the project's architect.

During the summer, there will also be tables for outdoor diners along Vail near the sidewalk, Tinaglia said.

There will also be a private room for party rental.

Harry's opened in at Vail Street and Campbell Avenue in 1993. The building dates back to 1893. Local folklore said the old building, which at one time housed a grocery store, had secret underground passages that were used to transport liquor during prohibition.

Not so, said Harry McCollum, who owns the eatery.

"We never found it," he said at the meeting.

Harry's expansion will need to go before the full plan commission for a vote before it moves to the Arlington Heights village board for consideration.

Assuming the project is approved, the addition should be open by June 2009, Tinaglia said.