New York’s Chinatown in Manhattan is considered one of the largest Chinatowns in the United States, containing the largest Chinese population. Chinatown is located in lower Manhattan consisting of approximately two square miles of shops, homes, restaurants, and much more for the Chinese community. The population is estimated at around 70,000 to 150,000 citizens. Most Chinese immigrants favor going there when they first come to the United States. However more recently, more varied ethnicities are moving into the neighborhood.
Goods were sold along the sidewalk as customers could come down from their apartments for some groceries. Small vendors now battle larger stores for business in Chinatown.
Chinatown was largely supported of their own people in the Chinese community due to racial discrimination and self segregation. They created a structure internally which consisted of associations of governing for the community, businesses, offices, and such which supplied the people who health care, items needed for everyday living, food, and of course: jobs.
In the late 1960’s, without an immigration quota to abide by, the population boomed. Chinese immigrants flocked into Chinatown from the mainland. They expanded Chinatown much further than it started, taking over parts of Little Italy. They would purchase buildings and apartments to turn into businesses selling garments and goods using cash. They started receiving foreign investments from Hong Kong, this makes Chinatown one of the biggest and hottest commodities when it comes to living, immigration, and small societies that are self structured.
The buildings in Chinatown today are the same buildings built throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Rent on some of the apartments and store fronts in Chinatown are some of the highest rates in the city due to their new building of luxury housing throughout their community. The buildings in Chinatown are now tightly packed in together, but the blocks have expanded to add more room for the constantly growing Chinatown. New York Chinatown is now home to the majority of Chinese immigrants and a key point for tourists from all over the world. The town houses hundreds of stores, restaurants, and markets for the residents and tourists who pass through.
Chinatown in the past was lined with individuals who sold foods from their own country. Now modern versus authentic fight each other in the dwindling Chinatown for tourist business and revenue.
