Chinatown Improvement initiative
Chinatown Improvement initiative
The Chinatown Improvement Initiative is a series of low cost, high visibility projects that demonstrate how Oakland Chinatown can be clean, safe, and well-maintained for Businesses, children, families and visitors.
Chinatown Clean
團結一心, 共建乾淨華埠!
Chinatown Clean
團結一心, 共建乾淨華埠!
CHINATOWN CLEAN - ambassador program
The Chinatown Clean Ambassador Program demonstrates in a pilot area how a clean and welcoming environment makes families, shoppers and visitors feel safe and improves business.
Chinatown's sidewalks and facades are the most impacted across all of Oakland's business districts. Numerous factors create unsafe and unwelcome shopper experiences. Narrow sidewalks in relation to high volume of pedestrians and cars, rampant graffiti tagging, dumping and litter over many years has heavily impacted Chinatown's commercial zones.
The Chinatown Clean Campaign focuses on an initial 2 block "pilot zone" for targeted cleaning and improvement efforts (see map below). Launching an innovative workforce development project with Asian Health Services and Asian Prisoner Support Committee, we created the Chinatown Clean Ambassador Program. Already we have been responsible for:
4 times a week street maintenance in the pilot zone
Interfacing with 20+ merchants each day
80-100 pounds of small trash pickup per day, 16,000 pounds collected in 11 months
25+ graffiti tags abated per week, 1100+ tags abated in 11 months
35+ See Click Fix reports per week. Based on reports, 1700+ Public Works cases closed in 11 months
Highly effective coordination with Public Works staff for chronic dumping, power washing, sidewalk repair and graffiti abatement in pilot zone
GOALS
Immediately de-clutter streetscape appearances in a Zone 1, with an initial focus on litter, gutters and ground floor graffiti
Seed sustainable relationship-building efforts with merchants and property owners towards better block awareness and participation
Implement “Chinatown Clean” capital improvement projects in strategic areas
CHINATOWN CLEAN - PRODUCE STAND DESIGN CONTEST - begins august 2018
Chinatown is a heavy pedestrian and sidewalk-oriented environment. Safety and visual organization helps businesses, shoppers and visitors of all ages.
In response to narrow sidewalks and the need to support merchants with encroachment issues, we created the Produce Stand Design Contest. Launched in the summer of 2018, it is currently in production at Fremont High School Architecture Academy. The Chinatown Improvement Initiative is working with staff and students from Fremont Academy and Laney Woodworking Department to design and build space efficient displays that respond to merchant needs.
This will relieve sidewalk congestion and help visually organize produce into pleasing displays.
Our test pilot stands go up in August 2018 with Yuen Hop Noodles and Hop Lung Market.
CHINATOWN CLEAN - CACA Building, 8th and Harrison Street
Activating, Beautifying and Lighting Vacancies
Vacant spaces attract graffiti, litter and feel unsafe. This is especially true at night in a Chinatown that lacks public pedestrian lamp lighting.
Chinese American Citizens Alliance building on 8th and Harrison was chronically-tagged and unlit for several years. The Chinatown Improvement Initiative worked with owners to restore the groundfloor facade, remove tags and unsightly wood paneling, clean the adjacent sidewalks, open windows, and add public artwork and lighting.
We coordinated the art installations and lighting with Castlemont Sustainable Urban Design Academy, and the Harrison Senior Housing Art Workshop, under the guidance of artist Ming Cheung.
Graffiti has ceased on the facade since the improvements. It is well-lit and visually open at night. It has transformed from a blighted property to a highly-visible corner location, and has attracted many inquiries and tenancy proposals.
To find out more and participate in the Chinatown Clean Campaign, please email chinatownimprovement@gmail.com
Chinatown Clean - Public Artwork
CHINATOWN CLEAN FEATURE PROJECT:
The Yuk Yau Fence project: 1st phase complete by March 17, 2017
***Graffiti already dramatically reduced in what was a high tagging area***
Check it out during the OCA Monthly "PickItUp" Cleanup!
Second Sundays Each Month, 11-2pm
10th and Harrison, Oakland Chinatown
Chinatown Clean - Public Artwork
CHINATOWN CLEAN FEATURE PROJECT:
The Yuk Yau Fence project: 1st phase complete by March 17, 2017
***Graffiti already dramatically reduced in what was a high tagging area***
Check it out during the OCA Monthly "PickItUp" Cleanup!
Second Sundays Each Month, 11-2pm
10th and Harrison, Oakland Chinatown
The Yuk Yau Fence Project is a public art collaboration led by the Chinatown Improvement Initiative. It involves two generations of Chinese and Tongan immigrant artists, Yuk Yau CDC, Yu Ming Charter School, and SUDA Castlemont High School.
Thanks to artists Shu Yi Lu (Oakland Asian Cultural Center), Sandra Chang (Yu Ming), Jeadi Vilchis (SUDA FabLab) and Ofiu Fihaki (Civic Design Studio) for the beautiful work!
Thanks also to Lailan Huen for the opportunity!
PHASE II PLANS:
- Expansion of the public art to the 9th Street Side of Yuk Yau Fence. March 13-17, 2017
- Annual renewal of the fence, working with local schools and community groups.
- Solar panel lighting for the art pieces to add increased pedestrian safety during night times.
Chinatown Community
Supporting Public Events, Clean Sidewalks, Capital Improvements
* * * Lincoln Summer Nights Every 1st Friday, June - October 2018* * *
June 1, July 7, August 3, September 7, and October 5 - 5-8pm
Congratulations on a great summer and fall series! At our final event of 2017, we had over 600 attendees, 70 volunteers and 25 community organizations and businesses participating. Looking very forward to 2018!
And please support MADISON PARK WEDNESDAYS,
every 1st Wednesday of the month in Chinatown Madison Park!
Chinatown Community
Supporting Public Events, Clean Sidewalks, Capital Improvements
* * * Lincoln Summer Nights Every 1st Friday, June - October 2018* * *
June 1, July 7, August 3, September 7, and October 5 - 5-8pm
Congratulations on a great summer and fall series! At our final event of 2017, we had over 600 attendees, 70 volunteers and 25 community organizations and businesses participating. Looking very forward to 2018!
And please support MADISON PARK WEDNESDAYS,
every 1st Wednesday of the month in Chinatown Madison Park!
The Chinatown Improvement Initiative identifies and supports active community projects that improve the quality of life in Oakland Chinatown. We are a proud collaborator of the the following projects:
- 2018 Lincoln Summer Nights - June 1, July 6, August 3, September 7, October 5. 5-8pm Lincoln Square Park
- OCA Monthly Chinatown Cleanup
- Oakland Mosaic Trashcan Project
Chinatown Grow
Expanding celebrations of Asian culture around Chinatown
Chinatown Grow
Expanding celebrations of Asian culture around Chinatown
LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS AND STREET DECORATIONS IN OLD OAKLAND
On Feb 2, 2018, the Improvement Initiative worked with the property owners in Old Oakland to celebrate Lunar New Year. It is the 2nd Annual Lunar New Year Celebration in Old Oakland adjacent to Chinatown. 9th Street at Broadway was lined with beautiful lanterns. Highly visible windows on the corner of 9th and Broadway displayed public artwork and giant Chinese paper cut carvings. The artwork, created especially for Lunar New Year, illustrate the history of Old Oakland and 7th Street in West Oakland. We also coordinate a lion dance celebration during the Friday Farmers Market.
Once a vibrant part of Chinatown, in recent decades Chinese and Asian communities faced legal and personal discrimination in immigration, building and rental policies. We were thrilled to work with the owners to uplift our histories, and continue the cultural celebrations of the Asian communities that reside and spend time in the area every day.
Chinatown Study
Chinatown Study
Phase 1 complete!
Download the Study Here
SF State Asian American Studies Graduate program
The Chinatown Improvement Initiative partnered with SFSU Graduate Studies professor Russell Jeung to begin an in-depth look at Asian business and residential migration patterns in Oakland Chinatown and the greater Bay Area.
phase 2 underway
