ST. LOUIS, MO / AGILITYPR.NEWS / February 24, 2026 / Case Engineering provided structural modifications to transform an existing rooftop into an occupiable dining area for the new Empire Burgers + Brew in Lombard, IL.

Located at 94 Yorktown Mall Dr. at Yorktown Center, the craft burger shop is the latest from family-owned Empire Restaurant Group. The growing Chicago-suburb-based company opened its flagship Empire Burgers + Brew in Naperville, IL in 2016.

The Lombard location, opened in fall 2024, features an industrial-modern design and a roof deck with a retractable enclosure for year-round dining. Case Engineering partnered with Chicago-based DXU Architects and general contractor 41 North Contractors of Lisle, IL to transform the structure’s existing 4,600-sq-ft, rooftop into a unique dining experience for 117 people.

Structural changes to the building’s rooftop included new openings for both a staircase and an elevator, plus the addition of a secondary roof platform with a retractable enclosure that was designed to be structurally independent of the existing structure.

“The project required close coordination with the architect for locating new support columns  for the enclosure in discreet locations on the roof,” said Case Principal/Senior Structural Engineer Ardie Mansouri, PE. “We also worked closely with the enclosure manufacturer to ensure that the structural support satisfied the manufacturer’s requirements.”

Case’s team also designed reinforcement for the existing roof to support the added weight of drifting snow that would result from the roof deck addition.