My objective for week #2 was to learn about Chinatown's habitat as it relates to ecosystems, sustainability, and placemaking.
Public Walkability & Transportation
Chinatown generally rates between 95-100/100 for pedestrian walkability, public transportation, and bike paths. Those are incredibly high numbers, but they're not exaggerated. Chinatown has numerous bus routes, including my favorite DC Circulator. The Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metro Station is also a central hub for the city's red and yellow subway lines. The station is relatively clean and well-maintained, although train delays are a common issue, and safety concerns remain a critical problem. There are, for example, always loiterers at the top of the SE corner metro entrance (7th & H St., NW).
DC has become infamous for the 7,000+ rental scooters lining its sidewalks. Fortunately, scooter clutter has decreased significantly over the past year as Lyft, Bird, and other companies require users to dock their vehicles in designated, sometimes geofenced locations.
Photo #1: Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metro Station, via Wikimedia. Photo: #2: Metro Center Station at the corner of 12th and G Streets.
Streetscape, Greenspace, & Environment
Chinatown features the beautiful Friendship Archway on H Street, which was dedicated in November 1986. It remains one of DC's major public artworks.
Chinatown also hosts several excellent greenspaces. Unfortunately these mini-parks are frequently occupied by homeless, and can be unsafe for residents. There are few if any play areas specifically designed for children in Chinatown, but there are a few schools nearby in Mount Vernon Triangle that include playgrounds.
The water and air quality in Washington DC are average among U.S. cities. The tree canopy, however, is highly rated.
Photo #1: Chinatown's Friendship Archway in 2004, via Wikimedia by Postdlf. Photo #2: The freshly unrolled grass in front of the National Building Museum on August 28. You can see workers taking a break after rapidly finishing the project. Photo #3: The Apple Carnegie Library is surrounded by manicured lawns. I took this picture on August 30 to report the broken sprinkler on the northwest quarter, but it also highlights the neighborhood's fantastic tree canopy. Photo #4: The average air quality index (AQI) in DC is okay, ranging between 40-60, via AccuWeather.
Housing & Food
Housing options in Chinatown are good. Rental apartments are relatively high quality, well-maintained, and diverse in type. While DC rents continue to increase, there are several housing developments opening up in Chinatown and nearby neighborhoods. This commercial competition has helped keep rents comparatively low. Yet Chinatown does not, to my knowledge, offer mixed-use housing for both business and residence. This is an area in which Chinatown could improve.
Regarding the food scene, Chinatown is filled with excellent Asian restaurants, as well as other cuisines. The closest grocery store is the Safeway located 490 L St. NW. There are other options, like the Trader Joe's and Wegmans pictured below, but those will require some travel plans. There are also regular farmer's markets in the area, although produce here is relatively expensive.
Photo #1: Safeway just north of Chinatown, via Kenneth Emerson. Photo #2: Trader Joe's offers a great grocery selection, but is located 1.5 miles away from Chinatown. Photo #3: CityCenter hosts a farmer's market. Photo #4: The Wegmans at 41 Ridge Square NW is a 4.7 mile trek away, but it's a beautiful store.