Washington DC’s Chinatown which many say has already been pushed out by a sports arena built in 1997 is facing new threats.
Two longtime businesses have been given three months to close up shop and move to make way for a luxury hotel, reports WJLA.
The Save Chinatown Solidarity Network say Full Kee restaurant and Gao Ya Hair Salon next door have been given to July 1 to vacate.
The businesses have requested an extension until September 30 but say the developers Rift Valley Capital has denied their request.
“I like working here because this is Chinatown,” said Feng Fang Liou, owner of Full Kee to WUSA. “There are lots of tourists that come here but there’s also a Chinese community. In the past, there were lots and lots of Chinese people.”
The Save Chinatown Solidarity Network says before the arena which is now called Capitol One Arena, 3,000 Chinese called the neighborhood home. That has dwindled to about 300 people.
Eddie Moy has owned the buildings for decades but says its time to sell.
“I’ve been doing this for all my life I just want to move on,” he said to WUSA.
Fox5 reports the neighborhood is already feeling pressure from the planned renovations this summer of the Capitol One Arena. There will be no events scheduled at all this summer at the venue and that means a big decline in traffic.
It just has an impact on the whole neighborhood and Chinatown,” said Daisuke Utagawa, a partner at Daikaya Restaurant on 6th and G Streets in Chinatown.
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