Houston Chinatown

[snoopy123]

You're dreaming if you think Asians will ever return downtown. As for looking down on the "strip-centers" on Bellaire - REALITY CHECK: that is our New Chinatown. Face it, the richest white developers in this town can't even create a tightly-knit, pedestrian-friendly urban district. How do you suppose the Chinese will do it? They won't. They have Bellaire. They're happy. If Chinese investors wanted to rebuild old Chinatown, they would have already. Instead I drive Bellaire today and counted 4 new large developments inside the belt alone. I counted another 3 outside the belt, but those are going to be Vietnamese.

Speaking of the Vietnamese, they've done a hell of a better job revitalizing midtown's Little Saigon, and its still nothing compared to Bellaire & Beechnut west of the belt.

Old Chinatown? Give it up. Take down the signs, move on and just build lofts & townhomes instead. As for New Chinatown & whatever you call the Vietnamese district on Bellaire, embrace it - because it runs from US59 all the way to Synott. That's not going anywhere.

Oh, that last little rant made me think of something, Snoopy: What do the Vietnamese developers call their area of Bellaire anyway? And the Chinese - is it New Chinatown or just Chinatown?

I am not sure what the Vietnamese call their area of town, but one thing I know for sure is that they stick togther like glue and will be a major factor in the future development wise, politics, and everything else.

As for Chinatown, it is known as just Chinatown. Some people do call it New Chinatown, or Southwest Chinatown, which I just find confuses the heck out of people with all those terms. Chinatown is suffice.

[HeightsGuy]

I'm all for historical preservation, but am I mistaken in thinking the "old" Chinatown (both midtown and east of the GRB) aren't really that old to begin with? Didn't both these areas spring up in the late 70's-80's?

Chinatown is where the action is, and that's southwest Houston now. If I want to get a bowl of Pho on Travis Street I'll be heading to "Midtown" to get it.

[Jeebus]

I would imagine Little Saigon can't be any older than the late 70's, due to obvious factors surrounding post-war immigration.

What about calling Bellaire something like: "Southeast Asia Over Southwest Houston". Yeah, yeah, I know its a little long..

[snoopy123]

I would imagine Little Saigon can't be any older than the late 70's, due to obvious factors surrounding post-war immigration.

What about calling Bellaire something like: "Southeast Asia Over Southwest Houston". Yeah, yeah, I know its a little long..

Just going a bit overboard on that one.

[Jeebus]

Just going a bit overboard on that one.

I know.

[VelvetJ]

Tourism is what is needed for the City of Houston. By developing another attraction here, which is part of Houston's culture, will boost our image greatly.

We have all talked about bringing the olympics and world events to Houston. Making Houston's Asian community a major attraction will definitely help us in the long run. Compared to cities like LA and NY, we have a huge Asian population as well, but we lack the image aspect which the committee is trying to fix.

Now that's what I'm talking about. It's good to see others see the value in a city our size having a strong tourism element and why that's important. But watch out snoopy123, someone may accuse you of wanting to turn Houston into Las Vegas .

Snoop123, you also hit the nail on the head about making Houston's large Asian community a major attraction. That's what I meant when I stated earlier that Houston should take advantage of the fact that we have the largest Asian community in the south and the only designated "Chinatown". Promote it, push it, emphasize it, make signs directing people to it, place a huge spotlight on it, scream to the heavens about it, etc. Does the average person know Houston has the largest Asian community in the south? Does the average person know Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the nation? Probably not. That should change. That is not saying Houston does a terrible job now, it's just we could do a lot better.

And when people come here, they should be able to see the diversity, feel it, smell it, hear it, and engage in it. For example, we all know about the Harwin retail district, but I would love to see a more cohesive scene there that sort of tie everything together. Instead of having to jump in and out your car driving from one warehouse to the next, why not create a sort of designated shuttle that starts at a Harwin Main Center type of development, and can drop people off at different locations so they can shop. Plus add a huge sign at the beginning of the district to indicate the start and end of it? I'm just rambling but hopefully I got my feeling across.

Jeebus, since you don't feel there is any hope for old Chinatown, then why NOT just bulldoze the whole place and build Sugarland and a trolley afterall?

Also, there is nothing to face. We know the New Chinatown is the happening place right now. My point is why can't it be happening along side Old Chinatown? At this point, the Bellaire strip center corridor may always be the stronger of the two, but IMO there is no need to just throw Old Chinatown to the wolves. It's location alone and the future of Downtown, is enough for someone to keep an interest in it.

I do feel there is still hope to revitalize old Chinatown. It just needs a good plan and some good people behind it. Oh and of course money .

[Guest danax]

What about calling Bellaire something like: "Southeast Asia Over Southwest Houston". Yeah, yeah, I know its a little long..

Maybe just call it Little Asia to cover the entire region, or maybe come up with one of those hip little acronyms .

It's an organically grown area in that it was sprouted by the people, for the people. It might even eventually merge into Little India around Hillcroft, which would create a huge asian village.

Ethnic enclaves inside the city can be hard to sustain if new immigrants don't continue to land there and the American born children of the immigrants move away. Places like Chinatown in SF have somehow survived but I'm wondering how long it can withstand the gentrification pressures within that super expensive city.

Being outside of the hot housing of the inner-loop, our Chinatown might be able to sustain itself for many generations, at which time those strip centers will be classic relics worthy of preservation.

[RedScare]

There is no more Old Chinatown. The land is being sold to developers for townhomes. The Asian community has put its efforts into making the Bellaire district the centerpiece of the Asian marketplace, and is frankly, doing a very good job of it. There are only a couple of Asian restaurants left east of 59.

It might surprise Houstonians, who don't hear the marketing efforts of the City, but Chinatown IS marketed pretty heavily. Houston has heavily promoted its status as the most diverse big city in the US for some time now. Wisely realizing that promoting its cowboy and country beginnings also carries a stigma of, well, country bumpkins and small town, Houston marketing promotes its diverse population, restaurants, new stadiums, rejuvenated downtown, business friendly climate, and of course, NASA. Chinatown is an important part of the mix.

[editor]

So basically, you're saying that 20 years from now, you can own a loft in Chinatown - except there will be no ethnic Chinese buisiness left there.

It happens. Neighborhoods evolve. The neighborhood where I was born was German immigrants. Then it was black. Then it was Puerto Rican. Now it's New York's "New Chinatown."

Sometimes ethnic neighborhoods just disappear. There's virtually nothing left of Chicago's Little Italy. And Greektown is just a strip a few blocks long these days. Meanwhile, Ukranian Village is booming, and the various Polish neighborhoods are full of tens of thousands of people who never need to learn English.

Things change.

[editor]

What both Chinatowns need is some promotion. They should have New Year's parades, and annual Chinese boat races like other cities do. Right now, all of Houston's Asian districts rely on word of mouth for promotion. Well, when there's a language barrier in the way that word doesn't go very far.

For Houston's Asian districts to be taken seriously by the tourism industry, they're going to have to do something serious to get people's attention.

[Jeebus]

So no matter what happens to Chinatown, should we still keep the signs up directing what few tourists we have to the wrong neighborhood?

[RedScare]

Just a couple of the sites marketing Chinatown and Vietnamtown.

http://www.vietnamtown.com/

http://www.chinatownmap.com/

[VelvetJ]

What both Chinatowns need is some promotion. They should have New Year's parades, and annual Chinese boat races like other cities do. Right now, all of Houston's Asian districts rely on word of mouth for promotion. Well, when there's a language barrier in the way that word doesn't go very far.

For Houston's Asian districts to be taken seriously by the tourism industry, they're going to have to do something serious to get people's attention.

But didn't you hear Redscare say the city already markets Chinatown pretty heavily? The promotion that you and I think our Chinatown needs, apparently already gets it. Right?

Redscare, I will admit I have not seen any official city promotional videos since the late 90's (I am in a industry that would actually give me the opportunity to see things before they were released to the public. In fact I saw the proposals for Enron II before many of the executives). The videos I saw then didn't give me a true reality of how diverse Houston is. Of course the narration would say Houston is diverse and they would show a couple of Asians dancing around in traditional Asian garb during a festival, but there are a ton of less diverse cities that do that. In fact I have seen tourism videos from Birmingham Alabama that show the exact same thing but when you think of Birmingham, typically one doesn't think a large Asian population. Images like that don't stick or have much of an effect.....at least for me. I only hope our most recent promotional tools are done better and provide more information.

I'm with you editor in that something serious is going to have to be done to really put our Asian asset on the map. It deserves to be.

[RedScare]

Like I said, I don't see the promos, because they don't show them in Houston. But, I have been TOLD that the emphasis is on Houston's diversity. Now, if they lied to me, well, what can I say?

[editor]

I think it's pretty safe to say that if the HAIF crowd doesn't know about it, it's not well publicized.

[nmainguy]

My only experience with people from Asia in Houston has been with Chinese and Vietnamese. The Chinese I've known don't seem to have any intrest in acclimatinig themselves into US society other than the economic advantages offered here. They tend to prefer being an island unto themselves. So anything called Chinatown will be whatever and where ever they want it to be regardless what anyone else thinks. Like it or not, they are free to exercise those right as US citizens.

On the other hand, the Vietnamese I know seem to have embraced our culture economicly and otherwise while keeping in touch with their own history.

I have a few good friends who are 1st generation Vietnamese who have raised their children to value and embrace their new-found US culture with all it's opportunities-much in the same way many of our own immigrant ancestors did.

Anyway, that's just my observations-generalised and limited as they may appear.

[snoopy123]

Just a couple of the sites marketing Chinatown and Vietnamtown.

http://www.vietnamtown.com/

http://www.chinatownmap.com/

There is a new site, a much better and official Chinatown website you left out: http://www.chinatownconnection.com

[snoopy123]

My only experience with people from Asia in Houston has been with Chinese and Vietnamese. The Chinese I've known don't seem to have any intrest in acclimatinig themselves into US society other than the economic advantages offered here. They tend to prefer being an island unto themselves. So anything called Chinatown will be whatever and where ever they want it to be regardless what anyone else thinks. Like it or not, they are free to exercise those right as US citizens.

That is a problem in Chinese culture. The first generation Chinese in the U.S. are more isolated in thinking and everything they do. What we need to do is bridge that gap between first gen. and now. We cannot change how they think but we can use different methods to alleviate the isolation and by promoting Chinatown by the new generation Chinese individuals, the isolation problem can be solved. What I am involved in right now is to bridge that gap, to open up Chinatown to the rest of Houston, and to promote it to the entire U.S.. ChinatownConnection.com is designed specifically to alleviate the culture gap both internally (Chinese side) and externally (Outside of Chinese community).

[editor]

There is a new site, a much better and official Chinatown website you left out: http://www.chinatownconnection.com

That site is not official. It's just someone's site.

[nmainguy]

That is a problem in Chinese culture. The first generation Chinese in the U.S. are more isolated in thinking and everything they do. What we need to do is bridge that gap between first gen. and now. We cannot change how they think but we can use different methods to alleviate the isolation and by promoting Chinatown by the new generation Chinese individuals, the isolation problem can be solved. What I am involved in right now is to bridge that gap, to open up Chinatown to the rest of Houston, and to promote it to the entire U.S.. ChinatownConnection.com is designed specifically to alleviate the culture gap both internally (Chinese side) and externally (Outside of Chinese community).

It's up to them to assimilate or not. They have been given a great opportunity in this country. It's their's to take advantage of or not. If they choose to remain isolated, then so be it. I can't think of another group of immigrants that haven't embraced the US to some extent. They needed no prodding. If prodding is required, perhaps they've knocked on the wrong door. However, the best thing going for them is that once they knock, the door is swung wide open.

That site is not official. It's just someone's site.

It's an advertising portal. Nothing more.

[snoopy123]

That site is not official. It's just someone's site.

Actually after looking at the two sites you have listed, that Chinatownmap is nothing more than ad too and an outdated map. I believe alot of those stores have either closed or moved. Not official either. At least the ChinatownConnection.com one has good content about Chinese in Houston and also great dining guide. I'm not here to brag or trying to promote anything, just speaking what I feel and experience.

[houstonsemipro]

Anyone got the latest deveploments in Chinatown?

[snoopy123]

Anyone got the latest deveploments in Chinatown?

I participated in the Asian American Business Council here in Houston and this is what they had to say about ongoing Chinatown projects:

The Asian American Business Council (AABC) held a news conference today to discuss the project of renovating Houston Chinatown along Bellaire Blvd. in southwest Houston. The news conference today discussed three issues that needs to be addressed to make Chinatown a tourist attraction. The three issues are:

Security

Beautification

Promotion

Security - Houston Chinatown will get increased security. A security guard in a marked vehicle will patrol the streets of Chinatown from Diho Square west to Beltway 8 and north to Harwin Rd from 10am to 9pm, 7 days a week. Property owners as well will increase their shopping center parking lot lightings and install cameras to help deter crime. The AABC will need private donations to fund this entire security section of the project. It hopes that businesses as well as Houston City Council will contribute to this project.

Beautification - Talks have begun in making Chinatown more eye pleasing and cleaner. Plants and flowers will be planted in the median of Bellaire Blvd. going east of Beltway 8. There will be remodeling of certain shopping centers, some of which have already begun. Houston Chinatown signs are also in the works to let visitors and tourists know about the area.

Promotion - Promoting Houston Chinatown and getting people to come using online and print methods. Houston Chinatown Web Portal is the main source to attracting people and promoting Houston's Chinatown. This promotional stage is still developing as the first two steps are being implemented.

[houstonsemipro]

Thanks for the info, snoopy. But, last time I was there I've seen alot of construction going on. Is it finished?

[snoopy123]

Thanks for the info, snoopy. But, last time I was there I've seen alot of construction going on. Is it finished?

They are still finishing up the constructions. Dun Huang Plaza phase 1 is complete but it is just office spaces right now. Some of the older shopping centers like Diho square and Dynasty shopping center will get a facelift too.

For those who are not too familiar with Houston's Chinatown, I found this person's journal to be quite entertaining. It is his perspective and journey to Chinatown Houston each week.

Asian Waldo Houston Chinatown Journal

[snoopy123]

Location:

Chinese Community Center

9800 Town Park

Houston, TX 77036

713-271-6100

Saturday, Janurary 28 | 10am-4pm

[desirous]

What both Chinatowns need is some promotion. They should have New Year's parades, and annual Chinese boat races like other cities do. Right now, all of Houston's Asian districts rely on word of mouth for promotion. Well, when there's a language barrier in the way that word doesn't go very far.

For Houston's Asian districts to be taken seriously by the tourism industry, they're going to have to do something serious to get people's attention.

Word of mouth lives in a different dimension among Asian residents. From what I have seen, Chinatown is the default place to eat for Chinese visitors; outside Chinatown might as well be the Great Unknown to them. These are people that speak of [Chinese] "food" and "western food."

[houstonsemipro]

Why haven't a developer try to uplift the Old Chinatown? Build more condo towers, or a mixed-use entertainment site? I think the Old Chinatown would be a A+ to downtown's tourist.

[Jeebus]

Why haven't a developer try to uplift the Old Chinatown? Build more condo towers, or a mixed-use entertainment site? I think the Old Chinatown would be a A+ to downtown's tourist.

Can't really sell Chinatown without the Chinese huh?

[snoopy123]

Why haven't a developer try to uplift the Old Chinatown? Build more condo towers, or a mixed-use entertainment site? I think the Old Chinatown would be a A+ to downtown's tourist.

They have given up the Old Chinatown. They as in the entire Chinese population in Houston. The new Chinatown in Southwest Houston is replacing it and will become the next tourist attraction for Houston without a doubt. So much has already been invested and there will be more to come. The old downtown Chinatown is a thing of the past. Regardless, Houston is so big and spread out, location of Chinatown makes little difference.