Owner Looks to Rebuild Waukesha Apartment Building After Devastating Fire

The apartment building at 212 W. North St. that sustained severe damage following a January fire could be rebuilt at the same location.

The owner, Mark Thatcher, is looking to construct a 30-unit apartment building at the same location, according to documents at City Hall. A voice message left with Thatcher was not immediately returned. Lexington Homes is involved with the project.

The plans at City Hall are for an 11,751-square-foot building that would have three floors of apartment units. The Plan Commission will be asked to approve the preliminary plans for the building at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The fire started later afternoon Jan. 15, hours before a Green Bay Packers playoff game, and flames quickly spread on the second and third floors of the 30-unit building. While no serious injuries were reported, 30-year-old Ryan Pike, who was criminally charged following the fire, was treated for smoke inhalation. At least one cat was killed in the fire.

The Waukesha Fire Department rescued seven people from the second and third floors of the apartment building using ladders and other rescue methods. Fire officials at the scene said they believed not as many people were at the apartment building because of the time of day and the playoff football game.

Pike was charged March with negligent handling of burning materials and possession of drug paraphernalia, to which he pleaded not guilty. He is due back in court June 3.

The criminal complaint alleges that Pike, who was covered in soot, was leaving the area of the fire in his car with his child clothed in nothing but a towel. Pike told police the fire had originated in his apartment.

Pike told police he had smoked a bowl of marijuana the morning and had placed the pipe on the TV next to a burning candle, according to the complaint. Pike told police his child began yelling that the child had soap in her eyes, so he jumped up and either knocked the candle over or threw the blankets toward the candle when he got up to assist his daughter, the complaint states.

Pike told police that when he returned to the room he smelled smoke, opened the door and found the mattress full engulfed in flames, the complaint alleges.