An old favorite in West Chicago’s downtown will reopen early next year in a new guise.

The West Chicago Park District acquired a three-year lease at the old Grobe building at 103 W. Washington St. and will convert the facility to a workout center. The 10,000-square-foot building will serve as a temporary fix while the Park District develops plans for a larger, permanent facility.

“We chose the site because it’s in downtown West Chicago,” Park District Director Gary Major said. “We felt it would be good for the downtown area to have some active area that’s available to people.”

The Washington Street building is scheduled to open in January and is part of the city’s larger effort to renew interest in the city’s downtown. Part of the building will be divided for classroom space.

Leslie DeMoss, recreation services manager, said the building will provide needed space for the Park District’s 10 karate classes, which share space with the senior center at Easton Park. The building’s bathrooms will be remodeled and new floors will be installed.

“It’s a cooperative effort between the Park District and (the city),” Major said. “It will expand our offerings for those interested in fitness-type activities.”

Parking will be available at the west and south sides of the building, which sits a few blocks from the Park District’s administration center at 157 W. Washington St.

The building was first constructed in 1955 and purchased by Louis Lyons, who opened the Lyons Hardware store. It later became known as Grobe’s Coast to Coast store in 1973, when Lois and Vern Grobe purchased the store. It later became a True Value store under the Grobes and carried that name until the store’s closing in January 2006.

“It’s an example of post-(World War II) brick construction for commercial buildings,” said Sally DeFauw, curator of the West Chicago City Museum.

The structure was constructed on the site of a building dedicated to Henry Bayer, the city’s first barber. A Chinese laundry was run by Hop Lee there until 1896.