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CHINATOWN: 0 A Historic Asian Anchor 0 A Growing Neighborhood of Chinese immigrant familU!• 0 A Thriving Asian Busine•• Center 0 A Center of Acces• for A.aian Immigrant• 0 A Community of the Future CHINATOWN Defined by Essex Street to the north, the Mass Pike to the south, the Southeast Expressway to the east, a~d Harrison Avenue to the west, the present land area of Chinatown was created by the f illing of tidal marshy known as the Sou.th Cove, on the east side of the "Boston Neck". Although there was some early construction in this remote area of the city, the Neck served primarily as the single link betv;een the Boston peninsula and the mainland. The filling of South Cove began in 1806 as part of the citywide landfill movement to create more space for Boston 1 s growing population. 'I'he first landfill extended out to Harrison Avenue. Divided into small lots for residential purposes, the area was first occupied by middle-class Yankee Americans. The predominantly residential character lasted only 30 years, how~ver, and since then the area has been continuously threatened by incOmpatible land· uses. Between 1833 and 1839, the greater part of t he South Cove was filled in by the South Cove Associates for railroad depots and yard space. Such development made the area undesirable for res i dences, causing many families to move out. As land values declined, leather and garment industrLes established bases there also, making the area still less habitable. A sucession of immigrant groups, each progressi~ely more foreign to American eyes--- the Irish,the Italian, Jews, Greeks, Syrians and Chinese--- soon replaced the Yankees. Low in rent and close to the depots, the area became the t raditional first settling place for immigrants. :Sach group inherited and re-used housing left oehind by the original i D~ab itants, contributing to the architectural st ock only through religious architecture. Many ~r oups left the area as they became increasingly assimilated to the American ivay of lLfe and improved their economic situation. The Chinese , however, remained as the only group of Boston immigrants to establish-a distinct and permanent community in the area of their origin settlement. The Chinese ftrst appeared in Boston about 1870, when 100 men were brought from the West t o break a shoe factory striKe in North Adams. In 1883, more people came t o construct the telephone building on Oxford Street. The first Chinese settlement i~as a street of tents along Ping-on Alley (Oliver Place ), and by 1890, the community was concentrated in the block bounded by Harrison, Beach, Oxford, and Essex Streets. In Boston, the early Chinese Community was small--- 200 in 1890 --- and predominantly male because of strict immigrant ion laws. Hindered by language and cultural barriers and governed by "family associations " which took care of all economic and social needs, it was a community unto i tself. Most workers felt no attachments to America because they intended to return horne when they had made enough 1noney. 1 . The Chinese Community remained small and closed until the 1950's. Anti-foreign sentiments softened after World War II, ru1d liberal immigration acts admitted more Chinese, mostly women,into the country. 'rhe Chinese population in Boston jumped from 1600 in 1':1 40 to 52"0 in 1960, and 7900 in 1970. At the same time, the Chinese i .:;..zigra.11ts b e~....n t (} vi .:-: ..- '" h e United States o.s a permru1ent home, since they could no longer return to China, ru1d establishment of families strengthened ties to the community Barries slowly began to break down \-then the second generation of Chinese grew up and looked for opportunities outside the community. At the same time, Americans, attracted by the food and gift items, began to "discover" Chinatown. Ironically, while the community today iS taking root and growing, the ~and area f or housing has continuously been reduced by outsi de forces. ~ ' he original housing i n the area ~ lad been seriously C.iminished by the demolit ion of tenements t o save taxes. f ollowing t he universal decline in land values after 1928, which was not paralleled by the decline in assessment. During the 1950's and 1960's, institutional expansion ( 'l'-NEHC ) on the west ru1d highway expansions ( Southeast Expressway and Mass Pike) on the south and east resulted in the destruction of many housing units as well as reducing the possibility for residential expansion in these directions. With the Combat Zone and the proposed Theater District on the west and Lafayette Place on the north, Chinatown is in effect an area restricted on all sides. Also, development pressures along these edges sharply raised land prices within Chinatown, thus making construction of much-needed low-income housing for Chinatown residents highly unprofitab While many Chinese were forced to move to Allston or the South End to seek housing many still prefer to live in Chinatown despite the overcrowding and the time-worn condition of these 19th century row houses. Attachment to the area grew mostly out of cultural ties to the communtiy, language barriers and proximity to the work place. In addition to the housing problem, the community is also faced with shortage of human services, unemployment,lack of public improvement and open space. These problems had become so severe that in the early 1970's Chinatown broke its long s.ilence and expressed its grievances, focusing attention on community problems. These efforts led to several· positive steps such as the construction of subsidized apartment highrise ( Tai Tung Village, ~ Quincy Tower, Mass Pike Tower ) the Golden Age Center, a health center, and Quincy Community School. The problem still exist, however, as Chinese immigrru1ts continue to pour into Boston at a rate of 300 per year. Thus the survival of Chinatown as a viable ethnic neighborhaood in the heart of the city requires continued invol vement by community groups as well as commitments from public and private sources. 2. BEACH STREEr Since employment opportunities were closed elsewhere, most Chinese had to work in restaurants, grocery stores, and trading companies within the community. These establishments in turn l'einforced the community's central position for Chmese immigrant living in other parts of new England. RESTAURANT, TYLER STREET After the 1950s, many new restaurants, gifts shops and grocery stores were built or remodeied,complete with modern architecture and neon signs to respond to the new interest of Americans in Chinese cuisine and gifts. MIXED USE ON HARRISON AVENUE Out of both economic necessity and choice, many Chinese live, work, and socialize in Chinatown. Workplaces and residences are in close juxtaposition. The row houses, \.Jhich the Chinese had inherited from the preceding immigrant groups, were remodeled to have commercial establishments on the ground floors and residences on top. Thus, while to visitors Chinatown might seem to be solely a commercial area, it is also a home -for many people. PARKING LOT AT HARVARD AVENUE In the late 1970s, after many tenements were taken down, the cleared land wa.s used as parking lots. :rt \-las a. profitable venture as the area is within walking distance t o 3ost on 1 s retail district. Other events which reduced the housing stock in Chinatown during this period were the establishments of hosj:ri:tals in the area, a second wave of garment industries along Kneeland Street are part of a major traffic plan. TUFTS NEW ENGLAND MEDICAL CENTER A highly significant element which stands at the western edge of Chinatown is the Tufts-New England f<ledical Center. Established in 1930. it is a university teaching center, comprising three hospitals and the ~ufts University School of Medicine and Dental Medicine. Expansion Program spread over many blocks between Washington Street and Harrison Avenue. NEt/ QUINCY SCHOOL COMPLEX The Quincy School complex was planned and slated for construction in 1973, and was completed in 1975 to meet the increasing needs in education, health care end community services. It houses the South Cove Community Health Center, Dis tricL 7 School Department Office, recreational facilities and various educational ~~~~n~ CHINATOvll~ BOYS'CLUB It was found in 1970 by Walter Jamie • It is a center for educational and re­ ereational activities for youths in Chinatown. OLD QUINCY SCHOOL, 1847 Built in 1847, Quincy School was the first Boston school to have a separate room for each class, a separate desk for each student, and the first to have a head and sub-head masters. The student population reflected the diffenert ethnic groups who lived in the area. At the turn of the century, Quincy School could boast 14 different national groups.