On August 31, 2024, in New York, the “Reopen Park Row Coalition” held a meeting at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association to advocate for the reopening of Park Row. Participants emphasized the importance of energy flow, symbolizing the free flow of “energy,” and called on the city government to listen to the voices of the community and reopen Park Row to inject fresh vitality into the area.
The attendees highlighted that the Mayor of New York had promised to reopen Park Row as long as Chinatown reached a consensus. However, now that the Chinatown residents have come to an agreement, the city government is delaying the reopening citing the need for traffic studies and the construction of a bus island.
Former New York State Judge, Doris Ling-Cohan, believes that these reasons have set unnecessary obstacles to reopening Park Row. She also pointed out at a town hall meeting in July that the city government holds a double standard of not requiring 100% community support in other neighborhoods.
Co-Chairman of the Greater Chinatown Civil Rights Alliance, Chen Jian Shan, stated in an interview with our publication the significant losses Park Row’s closure for 23 years has brought to Chinatown in terms of economy and medical emergency response. He noted that despite the government investing $50 million in renovating Kimlau Square, these efforts would be in vain without reopening Park Row. He emphasized that reopening Park Row is crucial for the development and revival of Chinatown and should be the primary focus at present.
His viewpoint highlighted the importance of Park Row to Chinatown and the differing opinions between community leaders and the government’s priorities. The community believes that addressing traffic issues, rather than beautification projects, can more substantially drive the revival of Chinatown.
In order to promote the reopening of Park Row, the “Reopen Park Row Coalition” was established by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, the Chinatown Core District Alliance, Doris Ling-Cohan, and others. This meeting also urged the Mayor to attend the town hall meeting and fulfill the commitment to reopen Park Row.