For Immediate Release
You are invited for a walking tour of the new and improved Chinatown February 16-17, 2007
Contact: Joan Grangenois-Thomas, 914-833-7093, jthomas@douglasgould.com
Year of the Pig Brings Clean Streets to New York City's Chinatown
Project of the Chinatown Partnership Offers Positive Results
New York -- Revelers at this year's Chinese New Year celebration of the Year of the Pig might notice some subtle, yet remarkable differences in the area. Gone is graffiti from fire hydrants, mail boxes and lamp posts; store fronts and sidewalks have been power washed. Although, on February 18th the 30 yellow-clad workers hired to clean and spruce up the area will have that day off since Chinese tradition forbids using a broom or picking up garbage on the day of Chinese New Year, bright and early on the day after all the revelry the industrious workers will be out cleaning up the debris from all the festivities. The effort is all part of Clean Streets, a signature program of the Chinatown Partnership.
So far over two million pounds of litter have been collected by workers over the past four months, bringing the first successful and sustained beautification effort to this area - and Chinatown - back to life.
Each day, every block is cleaned - that's right - each day, every block is cleaned. Highly trafficked areas may be cleaned twice or even three times a day. It is this dedicated maintenance of the area, approximately one mile by two miles, which has resulted in such success.
"Clean Streets has created a completely different environment here in Chinatown and we want everyone to come see for themselves," said Wellington Chen, Executive Director of the Chinatown Partnership.
Residents and business owners agree. "I've been living and working here in Chinatown all my life. I am delighted when I walk out of my shop and look up and down the street in either direction," said Andy Liu, owner of Fu Quiang Enterprise Inc., a gift shop on the corner of Mott and Pell. "We still have all the unique sounds, activities and aromas you would expect - it's just so much cleaner and inviting now to work here and we hope visitors will agree."
Photos that starkly contrast conditions before and after the inception of the Clean Streets program can be found at the Chinatown Partnership website, www.chinatownpartnership.org/
Month-by-month statistics are provided below.
Chinatown Partnership
Clean Streets Project Results (October 2006 - January 2007)
SERVICE | OCT 2006 | NOV 2006 | DEC 2006 | JAN 2007 | TOTAL |
| Trash Collected (estimate in lbs.) | 503,075 | 478,175 | 613,650 | 430,825 | 2,025,725 |
| Ambassador Outreach | 199 | 967 | 949 | 728 | 2,843 |
| Lamp Posts Painted | 84 | 376 | 223 | 45 | 728 |
| Alarm Boxes Painted | 0 | 29 | 15 | 3 | 47 |
| Fire Hydrants Painted | 0 | 146 | 95 | 1 | 242 |
| Mail Boxes Painted | 87 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 111 |
| Fire Hydrants Painted | 0 | 146 | 95 | 1 | 242 |
| Pedestrian Cross lines Painted | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 70 |
A walking tour of the area with a representative of the Chinatown Partnership can be arranged by contacting Joan Grangenois-Thomas at 914-833-7093 or jthomas@douglasgould.com.
The Chinatown Partnership was established in 2005 to rebuild and improve Chinatown in the aftermath of 9/11. It works in partnership with residents, businesses, civic groups and nonprofit organizations to make Chinatown a stronger center of commerce, culture and tourism. For more information visit the organization's website at http://www.chinatownpartnership.org/ .