Rundown downtown Hefei regenerated with shops and bars
Updated: 2016-01-11 07:45
By Zhu Lixin in Hefei(China Daily)
|
||||||||
At the end of 2012, Zhu's company signed a contract to renovate the village. The reclamation depots were soon moved out and renovation of the dwellings' external facades started the following March.
The plan preserved the properties and allowed the owners to earn a considerable amount in rent every year, Xu said.
When the company started to attract tenants, Briton Jeremy Hayes moved his bar, Shipyard, into the village. From afar, the neighborhood seemed no different from those similar areas in almost every city in China. People usually called such places "villages in the city", but "the situation here was quite different", Hayes said.
At the time, it was packed with dozens of two and three-story dwellings, but "there were just brick walls and dusty floors", he said.
"I was pretty sure this was the right place I wanted to move the bar to," he said. "Personally, I don't like modern streets, compared with the old ones."
The preference is one shared by many expats, Caban included. Chatting with the customers and enjoying the music at Shipyard, she said she felt at home, because "more than half of the people here are foreigners and most of us know each other well".
A few months after Hayes moved in, 50 more shop owners followed, occupying all of the buildings. Since the area had such a bad image before, no one had high expectations. "To a certain extent, we were surprised to see the result," Zhu said.
Hayes said: "Since the development pace of cities in European and other Western countries is more gradual, such villages in the city are often better preserved," he said. "I think this is how a real city should be."
Economic data provided by Xu's colleagues tell a positive financial tale about the renovated village.
"The street has attracted more than 900,000 visitors since the end of 2013. The stores see a combined daily operation revenue of around 150,000 yuan ($23,115) and have more than 600 employees in total," Xu said.
Most rental contracts are for 10-year terms, "a considerable time, which is beneficial for the company's stable and continuous development", he said. "Hopefully, the village will be there for a long time."
Barkeeper Jeremy Hayes prepares a drink for customers at his bar, Shipyard, on Shuguang Road, Hefei. Provided to China Daily |
- A glimpse of Spring Rush: little migrant birds on the way home
- Policy puts focus on genuine artistic students
- Police unravel market where babies are bought, sold as commodities
- More older pregnant women expected
- Netizen backlash 'ugly' Spring Festival Gala mascot
- China builds Mongolian language corpus
- 2 Chinese nationals killed, 1 injured in suspected bomb attack in Laos
- New York, Washington clean up after fatal blizzard
- 'Plane wreckage' found in Thailand fuels talk of missing Malaysian jet
- Washington shuts down govt, NY rebounds after blizzard
- 7 policemen, 3 civilians killed in Egypt's Giza blast
- Former US Marine held in Iran arrives home after swap
- Drone makers see soaring growth but dark clouds circle industry
- China's Zhang reaches Australian Open quarterfinals
- Spring Festival in the eyes of Chinese painters
- Cold snap brings joy and beauty to south China
- The making of China Daily's Tibetan-style English font
- First trains of Spring Festival travel depart around China
- Dough figurines of Monkey King welcome the New Year
- Ning Zetao, Liu Hong named China's athletes of the year
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
8 highlights about V-day Parade |
Glimpses of Tibet: Plateaus, people and faith |
Chinese entrepreneurs remain optimistic despite economic downfall |
50th anniversary of Tibet autonomous region |
Tianjin explosions: Deaths, destruction and bravery |
Cinemas enjoy strong first half |
Today's Top News
National Art Museum showing 400 puppets in new exhibition
Finest Chinese porcelains expected to fetch over $28 million
Monkey portraits by Chinese ink painting masters
Beijing's movie fans in for new experience
Obama to deliver final State of the Union speech
Shooting rampage at US social services agency leaves 14 dead
Chinese bargain hunters are changing the retail game
Chinese president arrives in Turkey for G20 summit
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |