A new restaurant, bar may be coming soon to site of former popular Belleville tavern
After more than three years, there may soon be some activity at a former longtime bar in Belleville.
Applications for rezoning and special use permits were submitted to the City of Belleville for the building at 2301 E. Main St.
You may know it better as Schatze’s.
Since the bar’s closure in January 2021 after nearly 29 years of business, the property remained vacant.
Applications submitted to the city on May 3 by Venkata S. Barla included a request to rezone the site from a Single Family Residence District to Heavy Commercial District in Ward 7 and requests for special use permits for a liquor license and outdoor dining and seating, according to records obtained from the City Clerk via an Illinois Freedom of Information Act request.
Barla wrote on one application that the site would be used for a bar and restaurant that would “allow the neighborhood to have fun and entertainment with nice food …”
Planned hours of operation were listed as 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Sunday.
Barla could not be reached for comment.
The Zoning Board of Appeals recommended approval of the requests in a recent 6-0 vote. These items are included on the June 17 city council agenda.
I’m keeping an eye on this one and will report new info as it becomes available.
This story was originally published June 15, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
