Preservation Comm. okays Pizza Man plans for East Side

MILWAUKEE -- The move to rebuild Milwaukee's iconic Pizza Man restaurant took another step forward on Monday, November 19th.

The Milwaukee Historic Preservation Commission okayed a plan to renovate a building on Downer Ave. on the city's east side. That building is on the southwest corner of Downer and Belleview. The plan includes a second-story balcony -- which the commission approved. However, commission members asked that a proposed garage door on the Downer Ave. side of the building be moved to the Belleview side.

The original Pizza Man opened on Nov. 15th, 1970 and eventually became an east side landmark. It was destroyed by fire in January 2010 along with several other businesses and apartments in a massive blaze that caused an estimated $3 million in damage.

The plan for the new Pizza Man restaurant must now get the knod from the Community & Economic Development Committee (which meets December 10th) and the Neighborhood & Zoning Development Committee (which meets December 11th). After that, the Common Council will get a chance to vote on project.

Pizza Man’s owner says he’d like to have the doors open to the new restaurant by summer 2013, and will likely hire between 40 and 50 people.

Pizza Man customers can receive updates on the progress toward re-opening by visiting the Pizza Man Facebook page. Pizza Man is also on Twitter at @pizzamanmke.

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