Nicolas Garcia Woman with Umbrella Chinatown Central Plaza

. . . As “New Chinatown” marks its 70th anniversary today, those celebrating will include the so-called grandchildren — the second- and third-generation Chinese American professionals like Ron Louie who no longer live in Chinatown but keep a finger there nonetheless.

“We all have our professions, but we want to keep the tradition alive,” said Louie, 69. “If it wasn’t for our parents’ sacrifice, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

The Louies opened their store in Central Plaza because the original Chinatown was razed for Union Station. Its founding families lived at a time when the Chinese were prevented from buying property, obtaining bank loans and securing desirable jobs.

It wasn’t until the next generation that Chinese began to find mainstream professional success.

Many fled Chinatown and moved to the modern Chinese community to the east, in the San Gabriel Valley.

Yet a handful of families, like the Louies, who were part of the neighborhood’s 1938 opening, still cling to the narrow pedestrian streets and pagoda-style buildings.

Many will be present tonight at a retro anniversary celebration meant to evoke the glamour days when Hollywood stars would descend on Chinatown.

Organizers will show historic photographs, a swing band will perform and one of Central Plaza’s more recent tenants will unveil newly installed neon lights along the roof lines of his three buildings — an ornament that long distinguished Central Plaza until the lights fell into disrepair in the 1980s.

“We want to pay tribute to these original merchants,” said George Yu of the Chinatown Business Improvement District, which helped organize the event that’s open to the public. “I think they’d be proud to see what their children have become.” Read the rest of this story . . .

Visit the Heritage Parkscape online and on flickr.
Learn more about Monuments, Diversity, and Democracy.