Philadelphia‘s Chinatown neighborhood faces good news and bad news.

An ongoing proposal continues to offer hope to locals wanting to reunite their community, which was separated decades ago by a highway. But the solidification advantages could then be erased by 76 Place, a development plan from Penn Valley‘s David Adelman. Aliya Uteuova covered this wrinkle in The Guardian.

The Vine Street Expressway divided one of the oldest and largest Chinatowns in the 1960s.

Although it provided commuter convenience, the roadway also split a geographic and cultural community in two. Local resources like Holy Redeemer Church and the Crane Community Center, for example, became virtually inaccessible to spots like the dim sum shop Bai Wei and the Chinatown firehouse.

Grassroots activist group Asian Americans United now wants to reconnect the neighborhood with a visionary plan to cover the expressway. The proposed “cap” could host parks and commercial/residential properties.

The $1.3 billion 76 Place basketball complex proposed by Penn Valley’s David Adelman, however, could well erase any community advantage in reuniting the geography.

The arena proposal is currently undergoing further study, especially in light of residents’ concerns.

“[76 Place] would kill Chinatown,” said Debbie Wei, founder of Asian Americans United.

Read more about Philadelphia’s Chinatown in The Guardian.

_____

CBS3 Philadelphia coverage of the idea to reunite Chinatown.