The Platteville Common Council got its first look at the proposed restaurant connected to Steve’s Pizza Palace Dec. 8.

Owner John Patakos proposes to build on to the east side of his building in what now officially is Jones Street, which is a city street even though the city abandoned most of the street in 1975. The project also would involve the demolition of two buildings Patakos owns, at 45 S. Chestnut St. and 155 W. Main St.

One night earlier, the city Plan Commission recommended Common Council approval of vacating part of Jones Street while maintaining a 24-foot-wide easement for access, along with continuing existing right-of-way encroachments on Chestnut Street, Main Street and Jones Street, on a 3–2 vote, with two members absent.

The Common Council is expected to vote on the street vacation in January. The project also must get the approval of the city Historic Preservation Commission, which meets this week on the addition and the demolition of the two buildings.

Jones Street originally extended from Main Street between Steve’s and Viewpoint Graphics south to the alley north of Hartig Drug. Most of Jones Street was abandoned by the city in 1975 when the owner of what now is the Steve’s Pizza building, Heiser Ace Hardware, planned to add onto the building. Heiser instead moved from the former Montgomery Ward building to 180 E. Main St. 

Patakos purchased the building, then occupied by Discount Mattress, in 2008 and moved there from Steve’s original location, 15 E. Main St., in 2009.

Chris Cleveland, who lives at 145 E. Main St, said customers of the new restaurant “will be more inclined to park on Main Street and the surrounding area” instead of the parking space Patakos plans to rent from Mound City Bank, “and really curtailing the ability of customers who want to shop downtown from getting to those businesses.”

Cleveland also said it will be “extremely difficult for us to enter and exit our home and business. ... There will be no privacy at all anymore on our deck or three-season room. We live above our office, but it’s our home.”