Bernie Paget Sr., who transformed one decrepit downtown building into a popular restaurant and bar, has bought another 19th Century property downtown.
Paget said he doesn’t have specific plans for the 7,500-square-foot building at 1009-1011 N. Old World 3rd St. He recently acquired the building, which formerly housed Lenrak’s restaurant, for $175,000.
“The building is not exactly in good shape,” said Paget, whose workers are gutting the main floor. It was built in 1888, according to city tax assessment records.
Paget said if he doesn’t come up with any ideas for using the three-story building, he’ll put it up for rent. In addition to 3,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, the building has about 3,000 square feet of office space on the second floor and a 1,500-square-foot apartment on the third.
The building is in the heart of an area that has seen an increase in restaurant and nightclub activity in recent years.
Paget contributed to that upswing with his purchase and extensive renovation of a building at 1017-1019 N. Old World 3rd St. That building houses Buck Bradley’s, the Paget family’s restaurant and tavern that opened in 1995.
Paget opened Buck Bradley’s after a three-year renovation of the 15,301-square-foot building, which was built in 1882.
In addition, Cafe Vecchio Mondo opened at 1137 N. Old World 3rd St. in 1996. Christopher’s Jazz Club, which opened in 1996 at 1101 N. Old World 3rd St., closed in June but recently was replaced by Emerald City, a nightclub.
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Milwaukee Department of City Development officials hope to see additional restaurants and nightclubs on the street, which in 1998 will be tied to the North Water Street entertainment area by a pedestrian bridge spanning the Milwaukee River at Highland Avenue.