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SSF Chinato3 construction projects
San Franciscos Chinatown is facing significant disruptions as three major construction projects are scheduled to hit the historic neighborhood nearly all at once.
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's Chinatown is facing significant disruptions as three major construction projects are scheduled to hit the historic neighborhood nearly all at once. While city officials emphasize that the work represents much-needed infrastructure improvements, local merchants and residents argue that the overlapping timelines are creating too much strain on the community.
3 projects
One of the projects is already underway at Portsmouth Square, which has been fenced off. The other two initiatives include renovations to the Chinatown Public Library and updates to the Chinatown Public Health Center.
San Francisco Public Works is managing all three projects, representing a city investment of more than $150 million.
"Those are big investments for infrastructure improvements for Chinatown," said Rachel Gordon, spokesperson for the Public Works Department. "I wish I had a magic wand to make it happen immediately. We're going to do everything we can as a city to coordinate with all the departments and community groups to minimize the impact."
Last week, the city broke ground on the Portsmouth Square improvement project, which will close the park for about two years. The closure has hit nearby businesses and displaced vulnerable community members. A small grocery store located steps from the square reported that business has already dropped 20% to 30%.
"I can only guess that perhaps people want to avoid this construction area," said grocery store worker Leong Lim.
‘Living room’ of Chinatown
The square is often referred to as the "living room of Chinatown," and its closure has left a group of local residents in their 70s and 80s with nowhere to go. Speaking in Toisanese, the residents expressed that they have not been treated with consideration. They noted that other parks in Chinatown are too far for them to easily walk to, and the closure has eliminated access to vital public bathrooms used by both residents and tourists. Members of the group are now forced to socialize on street corners and in alleyways.
"We're going to conceal the retrofitting into the walls," said City Librarian Michael Lambert, while showing the inside of the historic Chinatown Public Library branch. "We're going to restore this reading room to how it looked 100 years ago."
Construction on the library is expected to begin late this summer or in the early fall. Once the branch closes, a temporary library location will open on Grant Avenue. Meanwhile, work on the Chinatown Public Health Center, located by the Broadway Tunnel, is scheduled to begin next month.
Chinatown merchant Ed Siu criticized the city’s handling of local feedback. "Everything input," Siu said. "They're not absorbing all the input. They're not understanding all the input right now."
In response to community demands for portable toilets near Portsmouth Square, Public Works officials stated they are currently working on a solution. The department is also distributing information cards to merchants so they can help keep residents and visitors informed as the projects move forward.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU
The Source: Interviews with Chinatown residents and merchants, SF Public Works Department, City Librarian Michael Lambert