It’s been a rough year for dining establishments in St. Charles with the closing of fixtures such as Rex’s Cork and Fork, but the languishing economy hasn’t deterred a group of veteran restaurateurs from bringing a new steakhouse to the city.

Scott Harris, the owner of Francesca’s by the River and the other Chicago-area Francesca’s restaurants, is teaming with partners, including Heaven on Seven owner and chef Jimmy Bannos, to open T-Bones Steakhouse. The restaurant is scheduled to open its doors early next month at the former home of Fahrenheit, 1890 W. Main St., which closed in April after a five-month run.

“My partners kept telling me this was the perfect place for a steakhouse,” Harris said. “People still love steakhouses. ... People keep saying there’s not a great steakhouse here in St. Charles. There’s a couple of them around, but there’s not a great one.”

Harris, Bannos and partners Laura Piper, Helmut Schadinger and Lisa Mango said they want to offer people a great steakhouse at an affordable price.

The restaurant will specialize in the eponymous T-bone steak and will offer veal, pork and lamb T-bones as well. The menu, which still is being finalized, will feature burgers, chicken, salads, oysters and signature cocktails.

Piper is the restaurant’s head chef, bringing experience as a corporate chef for the Francesca’s restaurants. She also has worked in the kitchens at Hugo’s Frog Bar, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse and Emilio’s Tapas and taught at the School of Culinary Arts of Kendall College.

“Affordability is really important,” Piper said. “If people still want to go out and have a nice steak or a big steak, we have that option. But ... you can come in and have a half a chicken and two sides for $15 (and) be full and happy.”

The restaurant will have a full staff of about 40, several of whom are alumni of recently closed local staples such as Rex’s and Isabella’s Estiatorio in Geneva, Piper said.

While some restaurants in the St. Charles area have struggled recently, Harris said Francesca’s by the River is one of his most successful Italian eateries.

As the economy has prompted diners to stay home, and profits have dropped at some of the 18 Francesca’s restaurants, annual revenues have continued to rise at the St. Charles location, he said.

Harris said he hopes that success will transfer to his new venture.

Lori Hewitt, president of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce, said it is good for the local economy to have experienced restaurant owners bring a new dining option to town.

“It’s nice that they have the ability to open another location,” Hewitt said. “It’s tough right now. ... Even though some are saying the economy is starting to pick up, I still think people are very leery.”