Movida’s Major Expansion

Construction of an addition to Movida at Hotel Madrid. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Construction work on a major expansion of Movida at Hotel Madrid is nearing completion.

The Walker’s Point restaurant, 600 S. 6th St., is receiving a two-story, eastern addition that includes a second-story rooftop patio, private event space, additional dining space and an expanded kitchen.

The expansion, which will open in early 2024, will help the Spanish tapas restaurant, bar and event venue bolster its chances of securing a windfall during the July Republican National Convention. It’s a fact not lost on owner Stand Eat Drink Hospitality Group, which is promoting convention-specific leasing options on the Movida website.

The website touts that the expansion will offer “seating for 500 guests, two kitchens, two bars, three dining rooms, and a second floor rooftop patio” across a 12,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor complex.

The project marks the latest step for the ever-evolving business. Movida launched in 2014 at 524 S. 2nd St., with Hotel Madrid following in 2017. Movida relocated into Hotel Madrid in 2020, which is when Stand Eat Drink began exploring the expansion.

An actual hotel is also on the drawing boards for a property to the south. In July, the partners disclosed that they were working on a five-story, 32-room development.

Dan Beyer Architects is leading the design on the current expansion project. ADK Design is leading the general contracting. The existing building, according to assessment records, includes 6,927 square feet of space across two floors.

The project is being built atop a surface parking lot that paralleled W. Bruce Street.

According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Hotel Madrid building was originally constructed in the Queen Anne style in 1910 to the designs of Charles Lesser. The structure is part of the state and national Walker’s Point Historic District, but not subject to a more restrictive local historic designation. The building was previously home to several restaurants, most notably Frank Monreal‘s El Matador South. Prior to becoming a home for restaurants, the first floor was filled by wholesaler Western Tobacco.

An affiliate of Stand Eat Drink, Susio LLC, acquired the building in 2015 for $390,000.

The addition is far from the only change to come to the block recently. Last year, the Mandel Group completed its Taxco Apartments development along S. 5th Street. To the south, Zocalo Food Park boasts an ever-changing roster of food vendors.

For more on Movida’s dining operation, see our coverage from October.

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