The longtime Lake Country Seven Seas restaurant in Delafield could reopen, under plans filed with the city.
The Delafield Plan Commission on Wednesday will consider a business plan of operation to reopen the building, at 1807 Nagawicka Road, as a restaurant and banquet facility.
According to a city staff report, the applicant is David Herro. The potential operator of the restaurant is
Saz's Hospitality Group.
Linda and Jack Weissgerber opened Seaven Seas in 1981. It was known for years for its seafood, extensive wine list and lakeside location. It closed permanently at the end of 2020.
The new business, which may go by a different name, would include a restaurant, private event space and private members club. It would employ 18 full-time and 52 part-time workers.
"We have a rare and incredible opportunity to reinvigorate the storied Seven Seas property to its earlier grandeur as a memorable gathering place," application records state. "Our goal is to connect this important structure with the past while incorporating modern amenities in the name of function and aesthetic."
Although it has been officially closed for nearly a year, the restaurant reopened for four hours on Oct. 31, serving approximately 80 customers. Therefore, the applicant has until October 2022 to open a similar establishment before the city would revoke a longstanding conditional use of the property as a public restaurant, according to the report.
The property is the subject of a lawsuit.
New Berlin-based
Castle Senior Living Inc. had proposed turning the site into an assisted living facility. The city denied its application for a conditional use permit earlier this year.
Castle Senior Living filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, alleging the denial is a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act.
The case is ongoing.
City staff recommend approval of the plan of operation for the restaurant.