Pabst Theater Group's new downtown Milwaukee wedding venue is getting its operating licenses. That ends a possible shutdown threat.
Pabst Theater Group's new downtown Milwaukee wedding venue is getting its operating licenses — ending the threat of a possible shutdown for the business.
The Fitzgerald, 1119 N. Marshall St., will get tavern and public entertainment licenses under a Tuesday recommendation from the Common Council's Licenses Committee.
While the council has final approval, it rarely overturns a positive recommendation from the committee.
The committee's decision reverses its Sept. 27 action to reject the licenses applications.
That September vote came after a public hearing that included complaints from neighbors about noise from the venue. That decision was supported by Ald. Robert Bauman, whose district includes The Fitzgerald.
The Fitzgerald operates on an otherwise residential block.
"These residents have a legitimate right to quiet enjoyment," Bauman wrote in September comments to the committee. "They elect me. I have no choice but to advocate for their concerns."
Pabst Theater Group changed its operating plan, submitted to the committee, to limit the number of weddings and similar events to 48 annually. Ticketed cultural events, such as plays, guest speakers and dance performances, would be limited to 12 per year.
That change led Bauman to support the licenses applications.
"It's now a severely restricted plan," Bauman told committee members, who also heard from neighborhood residents supporting The Fitzgerald's license applications.
Bauman also said he wanted to prevent a possible sale of the property as a development site that could involve demolishing the 148-year-old building if The Fitzgerald was shut down.
A Pabst Theater Group affiliate bought the property, a historic former mansion, in July for $1.55 million. It had operated for 17 years as Villa Filomena, a venue for weddings and other events.
Pabst's operating plan said any music playing outside The Fitzgerald would end by 6 p.m., with indoor music "turned down to a reasonable level" at 10 p.m. and stopped by 11 p.m.
The company also will spend $500,000 on renovations that include soundproofing, Pabst attorney Michael Maistelman said.
However, two nearby residents said they are still unhappy with noise from the operation.
Pabst Theater Group mainly operates concert venues, including Miller High Life Theatre, Riverside Theater, Pabst Theater, Turner Hall Ballroom and the Back Room at Colectivo Coffee.
The venue will not be used as a concert hall, according to the operating plan.
Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.
DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more
Subscribe to get the BusinessWatch email newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pabst Theater Group's new downtown wedding venue getting its licenses
