| History |  |
During various periods of urban renewal, starting in the 1960s, portions of Chinatown were destroyed in construction of the Independence Mall, Vine Street Expressway, Pennsylvania Convention Center, and other projects. In an attempt to preserve the remnants of Philadelphia's Chinatown, the neighborhood was incorporated in 1969 as the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. This gave community and business leaders more say in matters of local development. |
| Description | |
Chinatown in the 21st century, is a prospering and growing community. Home to fewer than 1000 people, Chinatown is branching out to many other city neighborhoods, like Callowhill. This was hard to do with the construction of the Vine Street Expressway separating them. The 1000 residents are of mainly Chinese descent, but a few Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Cambodian peoples are also found in the neighborhood. A new Asian neighborhood is being formed in South Philadelphia, by massive settlement of Vietnamese peoples in this part of the city. Chinatown is famous for its "Friendship Arch", an ornate paifang in the heart of the neighborhood. Though a feature common in many North American Chinatowns, the Arch Street incarnation is more elaborately rendered than most. |
