The Evolution of Boston's Chinatown
The Evolution of Boston's Chinatown
1-35 Albany St. is located on the site of present-day Chinatown and has a unique location, as it sits at the convergence of Chinatown and the Leather District. Therefore, not only was this site affected by the shift of the leather industry to the South of Boston, another key narrative in regard to reconstructing the history of this parcel is the evolution of Boston’s Chinatown, and how the influx and patterns of immigrants impacted the nature and condition of this location over time. Similar to the Leather District, the majority of Chinatown is located on filled land, as it was part of the expansion of the South End of Boston during the 1830s where fifty-five acres of land was filled to create Albany St. in the new South End
Mapping Inequality
Following the 1880s, there was an influx of Chinese immigrants who settled in what became Boston's Chinatown. One of the major factors that contributed to the increase of immigrants was the clearance of the Fort Hill area in 1969, which forced poor immigrants to find new housing in the nearby South End. As a result, this district declined as an attractive residential neighborhood, as commercial and industrial interests began to dominate. An important component in the identity of Chinatown is the environmental degradation and inequality of the area, looking specifically at the history of redlining in the district. Using Mapping Inequality as a visual guide that highlights 1930s Redlining Grades, the parcel of land between Albany St. and Hudson St. is located in a red zone which equals “hazardous.” According to the map’s legend, hazardous zones are considered the least desirable districts. This source goes into some detail regarding the conditions of this area, where it describes this parcel as a highly congested and less desirable area with primarily brick buildings, limited home purchase and and poor to fair repair of buildings.
Chinatown and the Garment District
The garment industry gained popularity in the middle of the 19th century, as there was an increased demand for clothing, however similar to the leather industry, the garment industry relocated to the South of Boston following the 1872 Fire, and expanded into Chinatown at the same time period that Chinatown was being established. In 1900, the dirt and noise from the Boston Elevated Railway caused a lot of residents to relocate, lowering the property values and leaving the Chinese and garment factories as the dominating force in the landscape. For more detail on the impacts of railroad transportation visit Railroad Infrastructure on the home page. The images above highlight the expansion of the garment district into the parcel located on Albany St, with garment buildings in blue and Chinatown buildings in red, from around 1920 and 1930.
Plans for the Central Artery- The Threat to Chinatown and the Garment and Leather Districts
There were several variations of plans proposed for the construction of the Central Artery, which became a major threat to Chinatown and Boston’s Garment and Leather Districts, as the plans were destined to eliminate large portions of these districts. The original route proposed by the Public Works Department was planned to cut right through the Leather District, which would have destroyed $9,000,000 in property. The Artery's route also would have resulted in the removal of the newly constructed Chinese Merchant’s Building. As a result, in 1954, industry workers and Chinese merchants joined together to oppose the route, by signing a petition asking Gov. Christian Herter to reconsider the planned route. Mayor Hynes also showed his opposition to the plan and proposed an alternate route that shifted the artery from the shoe, garment and Chinatown districts to the Fort Point Channel, which would have the artery going behind South Station. However the construction of this plan was seen as too costly in the end due to the loss of taxable property.
Therefore, another plan was developed as a compromise to Hynes' suggestion. The new route spared the 1951 Merchant’s Building worth $1,000,000, however it would do considerable damage to the heart of Chinatown. During this period, Mayor Hynes and other officials prioritized the economic benefits of the leather industry in Boston, and felt it was crucial to save a large portion of the Leather district, as cutting through Chinatown would be the least costly in the end. However, there was strong opposition from the committee to the change the route, therefore the finalized plan was to have the expressway run below Albany St. with the arterial surface road provided on this stretch.
Chinatown Landmarks: The Chinese Merchant's Building and the Chinatown Gate
Chinese Merchant's Building
Located between Hudson and Albany St. at the intersection of Kneeland St, the 1951 Chinese Merchant's Building was constructed as a new landmark that marked the entrance into Chinatown. The majority of the buildings on the parcel between 1-35 Albany St. were demolished in the construction of the Central Artery, however the Chinese Merchant's Association Building was spared. Despite avoiding the same fate as the rest of the parcel, the size of the Merchant's building was reduced by 1/3 on its Albany St. facade in order to make way for the Central Artery.
Today, this parcel is located next to the Chinatown Gate, at the intersection of Beach St, and it was constructed as a visual symbol of new beginnings in Chinatown with the hopes of creating a more attractive area for businesses and residents. The gate was part of the recasting of the park at Chinatown’s Beach and Hudson Streets, that extends to the Rose Kennedy Greenway, replacing the block of buildings that existed on this parcel.
Bibliography
"Chinatown Atlas." Moakley Archive and Institute: Digital Collections
"Chinatown gate in Boston." Photograph. 1976. Digital Commonwealth.
Harris, John. "Along the 'White Way'." Boston Globe (1960-1989), Jan 16, 1983.
"Intersection in Boston's Chinatown." Photograph. 1976. Digital Commonwealth.
Kennedy, Lawrence W. Planning the City Upon a Hill: Boston since 1630. Boston: The University of Massachusetts Press, 1992.
“Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America, 1935- 1940.” Digital Scholarship Lab
"Senate Votes Central Artery Route Change." Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), Jun 22, 1955.