“The first recorded Chinese immigrant who moved to Detroit was a man named Ah Chee,” said Michigan State Senator Stephanie Chang (D-3rd District, Detroit). Ah Chee moved to Michigan in 1872.
Since then, thousands of Chinese have made Detroit and southeast Michigan their homes, but the city’s Chinatown district on Cass Avenue just south of M.L. King Boulevard lost its Chinese population to the suburbs decades ago.
There’s an effort now to bring recognition to the Asian Americans in Chinatown and encourage Asian American businesses to locate there.
Chang led a news conference on Monday to announce one million dollars will be provided from the state to improve the Chinatown streetscape.
State senators Mary Cavanaugh (D-6th District, Redford Township) and Sarah Anthony (D-21st District, Lansing) also spoke in support of the funding.
Detroit’s Chinatown gets $1 million for streetscape renovation
Senator Anthony said that in the last 40 years, many communities have been left out, but with the recent Democrat majority, there has been a commitment for projects like this.
“Part of that commitment was telling the stories, the diverse history that make Michigan an amazing state,” Anthony said.
The announcement on July 29 coincided with the demolition of an historic structure on Cass Avenue exactly one year ago.
Related: Historic Detroit Chinatown building razed despite city council, Asian American community backlash
The condemned and long-vacant building owned by Olympia Development had been the offices of the Chinese Merchants Association and the Shanghai Cafe, a popular Chinese restaurant.
The demolition happened despite the pleas of some Asian American groups.
Midtown Detroit will be overseeing the streetscape improvements which are expected to begin next year.
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