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Qianmen Area
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 A new plan for the development of Qianmen Avenue, one of the last remnants of the business centers of old Beijing, should allow it to keep its distinctive local flavor while transforming it into a modern commercial pedestrian street by 2008. The blueprints were released on the official web site of the Beijing Municipal Development Planning Commission on Saturday. Work on the project is slated to begin later this year. High priority will be given to preserve the historic area抯 old courtyard homes and alleyways. The targeted 1.45-square kilometer area will be built to have four main zones for culture, food, shopping and entertainment. Trolley cars will also run to transport and entertain tourists. Qianmen Avenue runs south from Tiananmen Square, just to the west of Bedding抯 central axis. The area is home to 50 couryards and hutongs listed as state-level heritage sites, as well as 80 famed shops that have been operating for over a century, such as the Liubiju sauce and pickle shop, Tongrentang drugstore, Ruifuxiang silk shop, Neiliansheng shoes store and Zhangyiyuan tea shop. |
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