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Not much is left of Detroit’s Chinatown. One of the last remaining buildings fell victim to the wrecking ball last year. The building at 3143 Cass Ave. once housed the Chinese Merchants Association which served as a social club and residence in Chinatown for many years.
Now the state has set aside $1 million dollars to revitalize the neighborhood.
The Detroit Free Press reports that improvements could be seen as early as next year with Chinese lanterns, decorative archways, specialty pavement and new landscaping.
The building right next store to the former Chinese Merchants Association is already getting renovated- the former Chung’s Restaurant. A new red roof will be put up this coming week.
“We’ve committed the corner space to be a Chinese restaurant, and the other two spaces we’ve set aside for any other Asian-inspired cuisine,” Mike Essian, a vice president with American Community Developers, said. “We’ve not signed any leases or letters of intent yet, but we are hopeful we can get the tenants identified quickly.”
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Many still hold fond memories of Chung’s which shut down in 2000.
It shut down in 2000, but many still hold fond memories of it.
“I’m standing outside of Chung’s restaurant right now. Just looking at the changes, it’s remarkable,” Richard Mui of the Association of Chinese Americans said to Detroit Public Radio. “You know, driving up and down Cass you see it changing. So yeah, definitely I can see that as [a] beacon, I can see that as an attraction.
State Senator Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) successfully advocated for the funding after the loss of the Chinese Merchants Association building.
“Detroit’s Chinatown has a vibrant history that must not be forgotten and is embedded in a neighborhood eager for more community-driven investment and improved quality of life,” said Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit). “This new state funding is a crucial step in preserving Chinatown’s rich history for our local Chinese American and Asian American community as well as Detroiters.”
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