Mayor de Blasio Announces Plan for Restoration of Historic Chinatown Building

October 5, 2021

City to undertake $170 million restoration of 70 Mulberry Street

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced a $170 million plan to reconstruct 70 Mulberry Street, a historic, City-owned building in the heart of Chinatown. The building, which was severely damaged by a fire in January 2020, is a cultural and community hub for Chinatown. The plan announced today will preserve and restore portions of the building’s historic façade, add two additional floors, and result in over 68,000 square feet (sf) of space. The building was previously home to five community and cultural organizations, all of which will be welcomed back as tenants. 

“70 Mulberry Street has been a beloved gathering place for the Chinatown community for generations,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “After the devastating fire in January 2020 destroyed much of the building, we promised to rebuild. This historic $170 million commitment will preserve the historic façade and add two floors of additional space, ensuring the community and nonprofit tenants have an incredible building to return to. These investments will ensure 70 Mulberry can continue to be a critical community space for generations to come.”

The plan announced today is the product of an over one-year community visioning process that featured a community survey and a series of public forums and events. The visioning process was guided by the 70 Mulberry Advisory Committee, consisting of building tenants, local elected officials, and representatives from Manhattan Community Board 3. As part of its work, the advisory committee also commissioned a preservation assessment to assess the condition of the building’s façade and gather repair recommendations. 

The restoration of 70 Mulberry Street will include:

• Over 50,000 square feet of space to return tenants
• A new multi-purpose room new that could serve as an auditorium and gym to provide recreation space to the community
• Over 6,500 square feet of additional office and community spaces
• Building enhancements to ensure greater accessibility, including an elevator

Substantial completion is anticipated in 2027. More information on the reconstruction of 70 Mulberry Street is available at nyc.gov/70mulberry.

"A $170 million commitment from the Mayor to rebuild 70 Mulberry represents a bright future for Chinatown’s residents.  For the first time, Chinatown will have a fully accessible auditorium/gymnasium and a community space for artists, and the 5 non-profits who were forced to relocate after the fire will finally be able to return.  By preserving the building’s facade and constructing a state-of-the-art facility, the city is making a historic investment in a community that has uniquely suffered over the last few years. I am grateful to the Mayor for the significant increase in funding, and I thank DCAS for their commitment to the community engagement process.  I look forward to seeing my former elementary school become a vibrant community center for generations to come," said Council Member Margaret Chin.

“70 Mulberry Street is an integral part of Chinatown’s history and served vital social functions,” said Representative Nydia M. Velazquez. “It is crucial that all community stakeholders have their voices heard and are fully engaged to ensure a timely restoration that preserves the building’s heritage while embracing the future. I call on all stakeholders to participate in the survey and townhall to help envision the future of this local gem.”

"I commend Mayor de Blasio and his administration for committing an additional $90 million in funding for 70 Mulberry Street, a place that is a cornerstone of the Chinatown community," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. "I look forward to hearing about the proposed designs to restore and keep parts of this historic building intact, and a continuation of the efforts to engage with the community and local stakeholders.”

“It’s great news for the Chinatown community and for so many people who know and love 70 Mulberry Street that the Mayor has followed through with his promise to provide the capital funding necessary to bring this community treasure back to life,” said State Senator Brian Kavanagh. “Today’s commitment of $170 million to rebuild the building and restore its historic facade will enable the project to move forward in a manner consistent with the inclusive visioning process that our community leaders, the displaced tenant organizations, and my fellow elected officials and I called for in the days immediately following the catastrophic fire—and which the City has welcomed. While some of the details still need to be worked out, I am heartened that the community and cultural organizations that were displaced by the fire will be welcomed back and will be able to serve our community for many years to come.”

 "It's been over a year since a fire burned down 70 Mulberry in the heart of our community," said Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou. "The Mayor made a commitment to make our community whole again after the devastating fire and to keep this space as community space. We are thankful for the much needed funding that the City has stepped up to commit to this project. It will bring more accessibility and opportunities for services to the future space. Going forward, we must ensure that we continue engaging our community to discuss how best to approach design and future use for this critical project. Thank you to all of our elected partners, non-profit organizations, and community stakeholders for their tireless work." 

“The Chinese-American Planning Council thanks Mayor de Blasio for the increased investment to rebuild 70 Mulberry Street. We are delighted to know that there is a commitment to restore the building, move back in the five nonprofit tenants, and add a couple floors to meet growing community needs,” said Wayne Ho, President and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council. “We would like to thank the Mayor’s Office, DCAS, DFTA, and elected officials – Congresswoman Velazquez, Senator Kavanagh, Assembly Member Niou, Manhattan Borough President Brewer, and Council Member Chin – for their support since the fire. We are excited that CPC’s Chinatown Senior Center will be part of this modernized, ADA accessible community center, providing more than 300 seniors per day with a hot meal, social interaction, cultural programs, English classes, public benefits enrollment, and more.”

"The Museum of Chinese in America alongside its neighbors are grateful to the Mayor's leadership, NYC DCAS, and Councilmember Chin for their advocacy to create a true community center in the heart of Chinatown. MOCA looks forward to documenting its creation as a major milestone in Chinatown's preservation," said Nancy Yao Maasbach, President, Museum of Chinese in America.

“Chen Dance Center thanks Mayor de Blasio and Councilwoman Margaret Chin for their heroic support for the restoration and rebuilding of the iconic 70 Mulberry Street; home to 5 leading non-profit organizations of Chinatown. The restored site will be a cultural and educational hub for the community, and a compelling destination for all New Yorkers,” said H.T. Chen, Artistic Director of Chen Dance Center.

“The City’s continuing commitment to re-build 70 Mulberry Street, amid recovering from the challenges of a global pandemic, is to be commended.  We thank Councilwoman Margaret Chin and her staff’s untiring effort to include this re-building commitment in the City’s capital plan, Mayor Bill de Blasio and all involved City agencies’ dedication, and all our local elected representatives’ caring, support, and exercise of their leadership to bring this first ADA compliant community center in Chinatown another step closer to reality.”  Lee further urged the City “to engage local vendors, contractors, and workforce in the planning, design, supply, and build out process of the building, so that this community center is truly built by the community,” said Hong Shing Lee, Executive Director of Chinatown Manpower Project (CMP).

“There is still a long road ahead of us, but the outlook has just been made much promising as the City has taken a substantial step toward re-building 70 Mulberry Street”, said Echo Wong, Board of Director of the United East Athletic Association (UEAA).  “We look forward to the additional space for the community that the new funding commitment has made possible, and the added programming potential it creates.  We can hardly wait for these social service, health and wellness, history and art, and leadership development programs to benefit the multi-generational users of this facility.”  Wong continues “UEAA wishes to thank Mayor de Blasio and Councilmember Chin for staying committed to their pre-COVID promise.  Today’s announcement gave us a much needed new hope after a long year and a half of uncertainty and despair.”

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纽约市长白思豪宣布華埠历史建筑修复计划

市政府将拨款 1.7 亿美元修复 70 Mulberry Street

纽约市长白思豪 (Bill de Blasio) 今天宣布了一项耗资 1.7 亿美元的计划，以修复 70 Mulberry Street，这是位于華埠中心的一栋历史悠久的市属建筑。该建筑是華埠的文化和社区中心，于 2020 年 1 月遭受火灾，损坏严重。今天宣布的计划将保护和修复该建筑的部分外墙，以及增加两层楼，最终打造的空间将超过 68,000 平方英尺。该建筑以前是五个社区及文化组织的所在地，修复后，我们仍欢迎这些组织以租户身份返回入驻。 

今天宣布的计划经过了为期一年多的社区愿景规划过程，其中包括社区调查和一系列公共论坛和活动。愿景规划过程由 70 Mulberry 咨询委员会指导，该委员会由该建筑的租户、当地民选官员和曼哈顿第三社区委员会的代表组成。咨询委员会还委托进行了一项保护评估，以评估该建筑的外墙状况并收集维修建议。 

70 Mulberry Street 的修复工程将包括：

• 为租户提供超过 50,000 平方英尺的空间
• 一个新的多功能空间，可以用作礼堂和体育馆
• 超过 6,500 平方英尺的额外办公和社区空间
• 建筑功能优化，以确保拥有更多无障碍设计，包括一部电梯

预计2027年基本完工。更多关于修复 70 Mulberry Street 的信息，请前往 nyc.gov/70mulberry。

纽约市全市行政服务部介绍

纽约市全市行政服务部 (Department of Citywide Administrative Services, DCAS) 提供有效的共享服务，以支持纽约市政府的运作。该部门以保障公平、有效性和可持续性的承诺指导其与城市机构在招聘、雇用和培训员工方面的工作；为 56 座公共建筑提供设施管理服务；收购、出售和租赁城市物业；每年采购超过 10 亿美元的用品和设备；以及在整个城市设施和车队中实施保护和安全计划。更多有关 DCAS 的信息，请访问 nyc.gov/dcas，或者在 Twitter、Instagram、Facebook、LinkedIn 上关注我们，以及收听 Inside Citywide 播客。

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紐約市長白思豪宣佈華埠歷史建築修復計劃

市政府將撥款 1.7 億美元修復 70 Mulberry Street

紐約市長白思豪 (Bill de Blasio) 今天宣佈了一項耗資 1.7 億美元的計劃，用於修復 70 Mulberry Street，這是位於華埠中心的一棟歷史悠久的市屬建築。該建築是華埠的文化和社區中心，於 2020 年 1 月遭受火災，損壞嚴重。今天宣佈的計劃將保護和修復該建築的部分外牆，以及增加兩層樓，最終打造的空間將超過 68,000 平方英呎（6,317 平方公尺）。該建築以前是五個社區及文化組織的所在地，修復後，這些組織以租戶身份歡迎返回入駐。 

今天宣佈的計劃經過了為期一年多的社區願景規劃過程，其中包括社區調查和一系列公共論壇和活動。願景規劃過程由 70 Mulberry 諮詢委員會指導，該委員會由該建築的租戶、當地民選官員和曼哈頓第三社區委員會的代表組成。諮詢委員會還委託進行了一項保護評估，以評估該建築的外牆狀況並收集維修建議。 

70 Mulberry Street 的修復工程將包括：

• 為租戶提供超過 50,000 平方英呎（4,645 平方公尺）的空間
• 一個新的多功能空間，可以用作禮堂和體育館
• 超過 6,500 平方英呎（603 平方公尺）的額外辦公和社區空間
• 建築功能優化，以確保擁有更多無障礙設計，包括一部電梯

預計 2027 年基本完工。更多關於修復 70 Mulberry Street 的資訊，請前往 nyc.gov/70mulberry。

紐約市全市行政服務部介紹

紐約市全市行政服務部 (Department of Citywide Administrative Services, DCAS) 提供有效的共享服務，以支援紐約市政府的運作。該部門以保障公平、有效性和可持續性的承諾指導其與城市機構在招聘、僱傭和培訓員工方面的工作；為 56 座公共建築提供設施管理服務；收購、出售和租賃城市物業；每年採購超過 10 億美元的用品和設備；以及在整個城市設施和車隊中實施保護和安全計劃。更多有關 DCAS 的資訊，請前往 nyc.gov/dcas，或者在 Twitter、Instagram、Facebook、LinkedIn 上關注我們，以及收聽 Inside Citywide 線上有聲節目。

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