Thai Town Center, Chicago

Arun Sampathavivat is attempting to create a new "Thai Town" on the Northwest side. I've driven by the remodeled public building that is the first element of his plan a number of times and it is indeed impressive work; I wondered what was up and figured it might be something organized by a community group, but it's looking more like Arun's personal project, and it's just the beginning of a pretty grand plan. I am given to skepticism and have my doubts about the likelihood of Arun's success on this. At the same time, I of course hope I am wrong and that this thrives and grows into what Arun wants it to be, and I will not argue against ambitious plans. But ethnic neighborhoods don't usually result from top-down planning by individuals, do they? Is this megalomania or genius? The linked piece from WBEZ is raising more questions than it answers. Those who know more, what am I missing here?

The article reads like magical realism but what he envisions doesn't sound much different than the grocery store/food court/strip mall complex that anchors LA's actual Thai Town. With the departure of Thai Grocery from Argyle and the Thai restaurant and grocery scene spread across an area relatively close to Arun's old police station, this could possibly happen. Hard to tell whether he's a benign landlord or an active participant in the plan from the article.

I scrolled through the article a couple of times, and I see that it's on N. Pulaski, but I don't see a mention of which block on N. Pulaski.

It's at 4461 N. Pulaski, and here, by the way, is the official "Thai Town Center" website. Based on this, they started the planning three years ago, at least. I also retract my megalomania comment; this is clearly a big project with a lot of strongly interested and capable partners and active stakeholder involvement, both locally and internationally. The website indicates, credibly I think, that they are "[s]upported by the City of Chicago and endorsed by the Thai Government." Based on this and accepting it all as true, I'll predict success.

[I've changed my previous, snarky thread title to reflect the above fact-based reconsideration.]

As long as there is a night market component with a robust 6:45 PM closing time, I'm in.

I thin it's great. Even if it turn out to be a grocery store/food court/strip mall/cultural center type complex and no Thai residential community takes hold it will still be a great resource for all of us.

JimInLoganSquare wrote:It's at 4461 N. Pulaski, and here, by the way, is the official "Thai Town Center" website. Based on this, they started the planning three years ago, at least. I also retract my megalomania comment; this is clearly a big project with a lot of strongly interested and capable partners and active stakeholder involvement, both locally and internationally. The website indicates, credibly I think, that they are "[s]upported by the City of Chicago and endorsed by the Thai Government." Based on this and accepting it all as true, I'll predict success.

[I've changed my previous, snarky thread title to reflect the above fact-based reconsideration.]

This project has been in the works for quite some time now and is being actively backed by the local Alderman and others. It's a repurposing of an old police station, which has been empty for several years now.

I had noticed the cop shop remodel but had no idea it was part of a larger plan. Anything that gets authentic Thai food closer to me I will support wholeheartedly!

Anyone have any fresh news on this? I believe that address is getting a new aldercreature in 2015, Ald. Colon.

Fourteen months later--I've been told that new curbs have been put on the block and that at least one cement neighborhood marker has been erected. Sign of something good coming, I hope.

From TTT FB page:

Grand Opening July 3rd, 2015! Call us at 773 299 7888 for reservation. We are expecting a full house. Thank you for your support!

OK found something that seems weird to me:

http://tasteofthaitown.com/service.html

25 bucks corkage fee?

Is that a lot of $?

Is that legal if you don't have a liquor license? If it's not legal maybe someone should tell them so they don't get busted?

kenji wrote:OK found something that seems weird to me:

http://tasteofthaitown.com/service.html

25 bucks corkage fee?

Is that a lot of $?

Is that legal if you don't have a liquor license? If it's not legal maybe someone should tell them so they don't get busted?

Not illegal, but pretty high.

kenji wrote:OK found something that seems weird to me:

http://tasteofthaitown.com/service.html

25 bucks corkage fee?

Is that a lot of $?

Is that legal if you don't have a liquor license? If it's not legal maybe someone should tell them so they don't get busted?

Pretty sure that's restaurantese for "Please feel free to think about bringing your own and decide not to.".

More details here - http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150702 ... te-of-thai

kenji wrote:OK found something that seems weird to me:

http://tasteofthaitown.com/service.html

25 bucks corkage fee?

Is that a lot of $?

Is that legal if you don't have a liquor license? If it's not legal maybe someone should tell them so they don't get busted?

Ha, used to be illegal (that's what I thought at first, but turns out no longer the case)

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... -are-legal

On the heels of opening his second restaurant, Taste of Thai Town in the old Albany Park police station, chef Arun Sampanthavivat's next step is television.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150710 ... channel-11