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June 17, 2008

Old Beijing is being lost to development

  • Alarmed by the destruction, the city agreed in 2002 to preserve 25 historic areas, but the destruction has continued amid a property boom that is transforming the city.
    • By HENRY SANDERSON
    Associated Press Writer

    BEIJING — When Olympic marathon runners pass through Beijing's historic Qianmen neighborhood this August, the gray-brick storefronts with red and gold curved eaves will only look like traditional Chinese architecture.

    The area's main shopping drag is being rebuilt with two- and three-story commercial buildings that will house name brands from Prada to Starbucks. In the narrow alleys to the east, more than 10,000 families have been moved out of their one-story courtyard homes that are a symbol of old Beijing to make way for pricier residences, high-end restaurants and a boutique hotel.


     
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