The Cheel restaurant fire: WEDC provides $250K grant for it to rebuild
the cheel in Thiensville, destroyed by fire
THIENSVILLE, Wis. - The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) announced on Thursday, May 25 that the Village of Thiensville is receiving a $250,000 Community Development Investment (CDI) grant to help rebuild The Cheel, which was destroyed in a 2020 fire. What was left of the structure was demolished in January 2021.
The Cheel, located on S. Main Street in Thiensville, was established in 2014 and served farm-to-table Nepalese cuisine.
Back in November 2020, fire tore through the historic, 130-year-old Queen Anne building the restaurant called its home. New construction will double the restaurant’s capacity and include an expanded dining room, bar, patio, event space and live music venue.
Owners Barkha and Jesse Daily watch the demolition of "the cheel" in Thiensville
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Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, issued the following statement in a news release:
"WEDC is committed to collaborating with communities throughout Wisconsin to invest in revitalizing their main streets and support local businesses. This project will not only restore a beloved community institution but support further economic growth and development."
A news release says WEDC’s Community Development Investment Grant Program supports community development and redevelopment efforts, primarily in downtown areas. The matching grants are awarded based on the ability of applicants to demonstrate the economic impact of the proposed project, including public and private partnership development, financial need, and use of sustainable downtown development practices.
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From the program’s inception in 2013 through March 2022, WEDC has awarded nearly $34.8 million in CDI Grants to 166 communities for projects expected to generate more than $517 million in capital investments statewide.