Basil's Pizza Approved to Purchase Former Key Building

Call it an upgrade to extra large.

After 50 years in Northfield, the Pitsavas family, longtime owners of Basil's Pizza, will get the chance to expand their business after city councilors on Tuesday unanimously accepted their bid to buy two city properties next door to their own.

Theologia Pitsavas and Steve Wilmot, an architect with SMSQ, who drafted the proposal for Basil's, still have to negotiate a purchase price for the properties at 303 and 305 Water Street, the former site of the , which relocated to the south end of downtown. The city bought the property for $49,000 in April.

Basil's plans to demolish the existing properties and replace it with a building connecting to its current one

But those were tomorrow's details for Pitsavas, who smiled broadly while talking with Wilmot after the meeting.

"I was very satisfied," she said of the city's decision to award the purchase rights to Basil's.

A group led by David Hvistendahl, attorney and owner of Froggy Bottoms pub, offered a competing proposal that would also have expanded their restaurant. 

Pitsavas said she was also pleased with the process leading to the purchase—she said she didn't talk to any councilors about the plan.

The expansion will allow Basil's to build a new two-story building connecting to their current one, which will double the size of its seating, make its bathrooms accessible to handicapped people, according to the proposal.

"[This is] good for everyone," Pitsavas said.

The new building, which will host a two-bedroom apartment on its second floor, will also give the business the ability to hold wedding and other parties, as well as connection to an outdoor patio. Pitsavas and Wilmot said the construction does not yet have a timeline.

Apart from settling on a buying price, councilors and staff will also have to figure out how to pay for the creation of a walkway between the buildings to the Riverwalk on the Cannon River. Councilor Kris Vohs suggested using Tax Increment Financing to pay for the 8-foot path.

That walkway was at the heart of the appeal to councilors, who said the connection it would help foster to businesses across the river.

"I appreciate their thoughtfulness to the bigger vision," said Councilor Rhonda Pownell of the Pitsavas' proposal. But, she added, "I did not enjoy having to pick one business over another."

The Froggy Bottoms proposal would have updated the outside of the two properties, seen widely as "dilapidated," by repairing the front facade and expanding its back deck.

Councilors saw Basil's commitment a long-term interest in the west side of downtown Northfield.

"Ultimately for me, it was the public benefits that caused me to come down on [this] side," said Councilor Erica Zweifel.