Chinatown Stitch: Reconnecting Philadelphia’s Historic Chinatown

The Chinatown Stitch project is set to transform Philadelphia’s historic Chinatown neighborhood, reversing decades of disruption caused by the Vine Street Expressway (I-676). This $159 million initiative will reconnect the community by covering two-and-a-half blocks of the sunken expressway and creating a public park with green spaces, walkways and bike trails for the community.

“It’s a very dangerous roadway for people to cross, especially our senior citizens and people who go to school here. So to have this project funded, we’re going to completely reverse the danger and make it safer for pedestrians,” said John Chin, executive director for Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation.

With 100,000 vehicles using it every day, the expressway is a major safety risk. Between 2018 and 2022 alone, there were 839 crashes in the area. The expressway is also an environmental risk that constantly spews car exhaust into the only Philadelphia neighborhood without a park or green space. 

Addressing Historical Divides

When construction started in the 1960s the Vine Street Expressway, the construction effectively severed Chinatown, displacing families and businesses left with little access to schools, places of worship and opportunities on the other side of the highway. 

The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation’s Chin, called the project “an amazing reconnecting project where residents, immigrant business owners, and local and state officials are writing a new chapter in Chinatown’s history to undo the harm of I-676, which splits Chinatown.”

The project will create a park spanning a two-and-a-half block section of the expressway between 10th and 13th streets, with construction expected to last three to four years. The funding, from a program established under the 2021 infrastructure law, is part of Biden’s clean energy plan to create cleaner and more sustainable communities.

Project Features

Once completed, the project will include:

• Green Spaces: A new park will offer recreational opportunities while reducing urban heat effects.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Paths: Improved infrastructure to promote mobility and safety.
• Cultural Preservation: Spaces reflecting Chinatown’s unique heritage and community identity.

Councilmember Mark Squilla emphasized the project’s value: “As Philadelphia’s only neighborhood without a public greenspace within its borders, the Chinatown community is overdue for an upgrade in the form of park and gathering space. Our City’s Chinatown community is special and we hope to see it thrive for years to come with the Chinatown Stitch being a point of great pride.”

Economic and Community Benefits

The Chinatown Stitch – so called because it will sew the neighborhood back together – will stimulate economic growth by creating jobs during construction and attracting visitors to the revitalized area. Philadelphia is one of the first municipalities to receive funding for this type of project through President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan.

“During the years of this project, it will create family-sustaining, high-paying jobs right here in our community,” said U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle, highlighting the economic opportunities this initiative will bring.

Additionally, enhanced infrastructure will support local businesses, making the neighborhood more accessible and vibrant. The park and public spaces will provide much-needed recreational areas in a neighborhood lacking green spaces, further improving quality of life.

A Historic Step Forward

The Chinatown Stitch project is not just about infrastructure—it’s about righting historic wrongs. 

As U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle remarked, “We will finally be repairing a historic wrong, an injustice that was done to a community. It will be a transformative day for our city.”

With construction expected to begin in 2027, the project is poised to reconnect the neighborhood, celebrate its heritage, and ensure a cleaner, sustainable future.