Loop workers and residents will soon have the opportunity to "Eat Mor Chikin."
A Chick-fil-A official confirmed to NBC 5 Wednesday that the company has already started construction on a restaurant at the southeast corner of State and Lake, the same space where Halsted Street Deli and Johnny Rockets were previously located.
The restaurant is expected to open by the middle of the summer.
A planned Logan Square location for the Atlanta-based chain was nearly blocked last year after 1st Ward Alderman Joe Moreno objected to company president Dan Cathy's public opposition to gay marriage.
But Alderman Brendan Reilly -- whose ward houses the only other Chick-fil-A restaurant in the city -- says he'll welcome a new location with open arms.
"I'm a proponent of gay marriage, but we shouldn't be using the president's misguided opinions to determine who should be able to set up a business in the city of Chicago," Reilly said. "I've found the owner-operators to be a good neighbor and well-received by consumers in my ward, and their track record is a good one."
Mayor Rahm Emmanuel also initially opposed the restaurant's plans to open in Logan Square, but later said he would not block the company if it met all city requirements.
