Plans for Pali Park Food District, a new food truck park and community gathering place, could reinvigorate the vacant lot that formerly housed Moto-Scoot at 1625 N. Water St.
If all goes well, the park could open by mid-to late-summer.
Behind the project is NEXGEN Partners, a family-operated development company comprised of Ramzey Huneidi and his cousins Murad and Mazin Hamdan. Huneidi works in real estate and the Hamdans are owners of the Chubby’s Cheesesteaks and Señor Gorditos on North Avenue.
Huneidi says that plans for the park include creating a parklike atmosphere on the lot and renovating the existing building to include a central bar and seating area for guests that opens up to the food park via a series of garage doors.
The bar will be complemented by diverse food offerings representing various cultures and cuisines. So far, he says, vendors include ShawarMama, Señor Gorditos and Bodega Bagel, with room for up to five more trucks.
Food trucks interested in being part of the new park can reach out by email at mazinh1@yahoo.com.
Behind a name
Huneidi says that, while it is not meant to be political, the name – Pali Park – is a statement.
“It represents Palestine, humanity, peace… and the power of food and community to bring people together,” he says, pointing out the lower half of the Pali Park logo, which resembles a watermelon, a fruit that has emerged as a symbol of protest for folks against the Israel-Hamas War.
“After the Mideast War in 1967,” Huneidi says, “The Israeli government prohibited the display of the Palestinian flag in Gaza and the West Bank. Since people weren’t allowed to carry flags during protests, they carried watermelons instead, since they were the same color as the flag.”
Huneidi’s family has deep roots in the Milwaukee area. His great-grandfather came to Milwaukee from Palestine in 1913 and he and his cousins grew up in the city. Huneidi, who was in the fourth grade when tragedy struck on September 11, 2001, says he’ll never forget the feeling.
“On the 10th of September, I was just a kid named Ramzey Huneidi,” he says. “But the following day, everything had changed.” It was a moment, he says, that made him determined to work toward a world where humanity and kindness prevail against division.
“That’s really our mission with this project,” he says. “We believe that food and kindness are universal languages and those languages transcend conflict. This isn’t about taking sides. It’s about bringing people together and creating a place where everyone feels respected and welcome.
“The city deserves a place like this,” he adds. “Especially the East Side.”
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
