The site of a would-be daycare center on Howe Road that stalled in 2009 when the developer went bankrupt has been sold to a local restaurant owner.

Craft Brew Inc. purchased the 2.7-acre site at sheriff's auction this week, and company officials have already talked to the city about building a restaurant there.

"They came in last week to discuss preliminary plans for a restaurant," Building Commissioner Tony Biondillo said.

Craft Brew lists a North Royalton address that belongs to Patrick Potopsky, who owns the Blue Moose Tavern in Parma and the Blue Snapper Grill on Bagley Road in Middleburg Heights.

The Blue Snapper is known for its large outdoor patio. Biondillo said the company officials mentioned wanting to include an outdoor patio at the Strongsville restaurant.

Potopsky could not yet be reached for comment.

The site, next to Westfield SouthPark mall, has been idle since mid-2009 when work on Kindercare, when Toledo-based Timberstone Group ran into financial trouble.

The company had also taken on the stalled Renaissance Park retail project at Whitney and Pearl roads.

Craft Brew paid $400,000 for the property Feb. 27. The parcel had been owned by Huntington National Bank.

The property had no bidders when it went up for a sheriff's auction in January.

Biondillo said any project on the mall property has to go before City Council. While the land is zoned for restaurant use, council would have to approve an outdoor patio, he said.