Part 1: A 100-Year Legacy of Disruption

Last year, Philadelphia elected its 100th Mayor, a politician who then and now asks citizens to put their ones up in the name of “One Philadelphia, a city United.” However, 316 days from her election and 260 days from her inauguration, and after much pushback from various residents and community groups, Mayor Parker gave her approval for 76 Place, a major development project that has been characterized by a marked division between corporate and community interests. Located near Chinatown, this project reignites debates over the city’s long history of displacing low-income and immigrant communities in the name of progress. Despite studies and council hearings, the question lingers: will this project become just another chapter in Chinatown’s long history of struggle against divisive urban planning?

A History of Disruption

Philadelphia’s Chinatown was founded in the 1870s by Chinese immigrants fleeing violence on the West Coast. These early residents established businesses, cultural institutions and a tight-knit community around Race Street. Over the decades, Chinatown grew into a thriving neighborhood known for its deep cultural connections and support networks. But as the city’s plans for urban expansion continued, Chinatown became the target of disruptive infrastructure projects that undermined its stability and threatened its existence.

From the Broad Street Spur in the 1920s to the Vine Street Expressway in the 1960s, major transportation projects were undertaken in Chinatown, often without regard for the impact on residents. When the city announced plans for the Vine Street Expressway in 1966, Chinatown mobilized its protest, sparking a 30-year battle to protect the neighborhood. Despite fierce opposition, which included concerns about the preservation of Holy Redeemer Church, the expressway was completed in 1991 in a modified form. The expressway became a physical and social barrier, dually dividing and isolating Chinatown, cutting off pedestrian traffic and posing a safety hazard. Between 2018 and 2022 alone, more than 800 traffic accidents were recorded on the stretch of road that cuts through Chinatown, a clear indication of the ongoing risks posed by this infrastructure.

The Vine Street Expressway was only one of many projects that threatened to fracture Chinatown’s landscape. From the Convention Center to the Market East Commuter Rail, and failed proposals for a federal prison, casino, and baseball stadium, each of these projects threatened displacement and disruption for residents. According to members of the Save Chinatown Coalition, these developments “have caused Chinatown to lose between 25% and 40% of its land.” Together, they illustrate a pattern of disregard for Chinatown’s needs and survival. 

Healing the Divisions

In recent years, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of “The Chinatown Stitch”—a government-backed initiative designed to address the “historic wrongs” of infrastructure that divided the neighborhood. Part of the 2021 federal infrastructure bill, the Chinatown Stitch is a $159 million project to cap sections of the Vine Street Expressway. By creating green spaces, bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly areas, the Stitch aims to reconnect Chinatown with the surrounding neighborhoods, create safer crossings and promote a healthier environment. Scheduled to begin construction in 2027, the Stitch is a rare acknowledgement of past injustices and a long overdue attempt to close the gaps created by divisive infrastructure.

 For Chinatown residents, the Stitch was a promising sign that the government recognizes the impact of these historic wrongs. Yet, as new development pressures like 76 Place continue to loom, many in Chinatown worry that the same cycle of disruption may repeat itself. While the Stitch offers a path to healing and unity, projects like 76 Place — which are largely driven by corporate interests and could disrupt low-income communities — threaten to undermine those gains and remind the neighborhood that the fight for its future is far from over.

Even as the Stitch promises to reconnect Chinatown with the rest of Philadelphia, the new threat  of the proposed 76 Place arena has quickly polarized businesses and residents. While proponents argue that the arena could bring jobs, tourism, and investment, many Philadelphia community members worry that it will accelerate gentrification, drive up rents, and displace residents — while not actually delivering on  the promised boost in jobs, and threatening the very community the Stitch aims to heal.

Brittany Alston, Executive Director of the Philly Black Worker Project and a member of Black Philly 4 Chinatown, tells Generocity that, “…the folks who live there tell me that they don’t want a stadium, that’s actually enough for me to not examine the job quality. If we were to have the conversation about why a whole community should not be erased at the sake of billionaires and we have a conversation about job quality, I think that we’re actually not having a conversation about the workforce that informs most of our economy…”

As Generocity dives into the complexities of the 76 Place project over the next several weeks, we will examine different perspectives on the development and explore the potential impacts and tradeoffs that could shape Chinatown’s future and redefine Philadelphia’s approach to a “united city.”