Milwaukee’s historic former Wildenberg Hotel would be redeveloped as a restaurant and events center under a new proposal filed with city officials.

Rakesh Rehan, who operates Cafe India, is seeking Historic Preservation Commission approval for his plans, which involve renovating the two-story, 4,400-square-foot building and constructing a 14,452-square-foot rear addition. That one-story addition would house a commercial kitchen and banquet hall.

The plans also call for a patio, and second-floor meeting rooms within the Cream City brick building, 3774 S. 27th St.

The proposal also includes a one-story, 7,200-square-foot building with spaces for five commercial tenants on the property’s northern edge.

Rehan couldn’t be immediately reached Friday for more information about his proposal. He operates Cafe India, which has locations at 2201 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. and 605 S. First St.

The building and its 81,429-square-foot lot are owned by the city. The property’s listed sale price is $200,000.

The building was originally constructed in 1854 as a home for Jacob Nunnemacher, a butcher who operated a public market meat stall and used the profits to buy real estate. That included a farm on what was then known as Kilbourn Road, in the Town of Lake, where he raised beef cattle and opened a distillery.

The building later became the Evergreen Hotel, which included a campground.

It was sold in 1947 to Ed Wildenberg, who replaced the campsites with mobile homes. The hotel eventually became a rooming house, with a tavern.

The city acquired the Wildenberg property through property tax foreclosure in 2013. The dilapidated mobile home court was demolished in 2015.

An earlier attempt fell through to develop affordable apartments at the property.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, X and Facebook.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee’s historic Wildenberg Hotel to be converted to restaurant