Karen Pilarski

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Months after a fire shut down the popular Red Dot bar/restaurant in Wauwatosa, its owners have submitted plans to the city to redevelop the site into a new three-story, mixed-use building that will include residential units and retail spaces.

The Tosa Unity Apartments project would involve demolition of the existing two buildings and the construction of a new building, according to online city documents.

Red Dot, 6715 W. North Ave., closed after a fire broke out at the bar/restaurant on May 7. The business was closed at the time. Shortly after the fire, its owners announced plans to reopen in 75 to 90 days.

RELATED:Red Dot plans to reopen within three months after fire, which might have been caused by electrical issues

RELATED:There's still no official word on when — or whether — Red Dot will reopen in Wauwatosa

Now, owners Anthony Lampasona and Martin Beaudoin are proposing to construct a three-story, mixed-use building that will include residential units and retail spaces. The existing lot is 17,600 square feet and has two existing buildings.

As part of the redevelopment of the site, the applicant is proposing 21 residential units. The proposed units include four studios, nine one-bedrooms and eight two-bedrooms, according to city documents.

The first floor would have 5,585 square feet of commercial space and 7,793 square feet dedicated to a residential lobby and elevator.

The second floor would have 11 units (four studios, three one-bedrooms, and four two-bedrooms) comprising 10,182 square feet.

The plan calls for the third floor to have 10 units (six one-bedrooms and four two-bedrooms) across 10,182 square feet.

The on-site residential parking would be accessible via 67th Street, where an access point already exists behind the laundromat, the documents said.

Beaudoin bought and renovated Shepherd’s at 6715 W. North Ave. in 2012, establishing Red Dot. He later purchased the adjacent coin laundromat and operates Red Dot Laundry at 6707 W. North Ave.

Lampasona told West Now-Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the plan is to start construction during the early part of the second quarter of 2019 with a completion date 12 months later.

Though not included in the documents to the city, Lampasona said the plan is to "absolutely" include a bar and restaurant in the retail space of the development.

"We plan to own the bar and at one point we will open a search for a restaurant tenant," Lampasona said. "Selfishly, we want a bar and restaurant because we are always on North Ave. and we love to have more places to go to."

Tosa Unity Apartments

In an application to the board of zoning appeals, the owners explained that the unit sizes for the Tosa Unity Apartment proposal were designed to reflect the market demands from empty nesters who are ready to downsize and want to remain in the neighborhood.

Units should also appeal to others, according to the application. For example, the application provided examples of a young couple looking to live in the dynamic neighborhood in the extra space afforded by a one-bedroom unit, a boutique shop owner and a restaurant chef who works along North Avenue and just needs a studio unit.

With the city already well-served by single-family homes that maintain or even increase in value, as well as many recently added “high-end” apartments, the 21 residential units would be priced at market rate, offering an affordable option for those who want to live in the heart of East Tosa, the documents note.

The project is a mixed-use building of small-scale, serving a neighborhood with commercial/retail in a pedestrian-oriented storefront building, city documents said.

The item goes to the board of zoning appeals at 6 p.m. Dec. 6.

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