A historic south side Milwaukee department store being converted into apartments also could be getting a restaurant under a new proposal.
The three-story building, 1135 W. Historic Mitchell St., is to have 16 units on its upper floors under plans approved in January by the Historic Preservation Commission.
Now, the street-level space, last occupied by a Foot Locker show store, is to be converted into The Chi Lounge and Grill, a sit-down restaurant and tavern.
That’s according to an occupancy permit application filed with the city Department of Neighborhood Services.
More information about The Chi wasn’t immediately available.
A tavern license application for a business with the same name was to be reviewed by the Common Council’s Licenses Committee in 2022 for 2000 S. 13th St.
But the matter was held at the request of council President Jose Perez, whose district includes Historic Mitchell Street.
Building operator Amit Ray told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in January he hoped to begin renovations by June at the historic building.
The building was constructed in 1927, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
It served as a J. C. Penney department store from 1937 to 1979, according to a Historic Preservation Commission report.
Ray’s investment group, Rucham LLC, bought the vacant building in 2023 for $675,000, according to assessment records.
Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram,Bluesky, X and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Historic Milwaukee building could get new restaurant
Reporting by Tom Daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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