NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Gov. Kathy Hochul has awarded Manhattan's Chinatown $20 million to help the area recover from the coronavirus pandemic, the governor announced Wednesday.
The funding comes through the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which calls for a “bottom-up” and “community-led” distribution of the millions to spur economic activity.
“Chinatown is back. We have been through too much for too long and we are rising up, my friends,” said Hochul at a news conference.
It’s not yet clear exactly where the money will go. A Local Planning Committee will develop a Strategic Investment Plan for spending the funds. The committee will be made up of municipal representatives, community leaders, and “other stakeholders,” Hochul’s office said in a press release.
“What we’re going to do is make sure that you can build on your history; your legacy as a cultural destination. And we’re also going to make sure that we’re creating catalysts to ensure that the business that are here — but the new businesses who have the opportunity to go anywhere they want — will realize that this is one of the best places to do business.”
Hochul said the committee will solidify ideas in about a year. The funding was praised by local electeds and community groups.
Local councilwoman Margaret Chin said the Regional Economic Development Council overseeing Chinatown submitted a “comprehensive and visionary” bid to win the funding, with three suggested anchor projects.
Chin said two of the suggested projects in the bid would focus on using funds to aid in improving Kimlau Square and the struggling East Broadway Mall.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer described Chinatown as the hardest-hit area during the pandemic.
“I strongly believe...Chinatown was hurt more than any other community,” Brewer said. “If you add the fact that we didn’t have tourists, we didn’t have office workers, we didn’t have court workers and then you had a lot of anti-Asian hate...continuing today.”
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