Already, Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood is decorated well with the Friendship Archway and the Chinese zodiac animals on a nearby crosswalk. Now, new, creative signage can be seen along sections of H and 7th streets NW with 20 red metal banners with the name of the neighborhood and Chinese characters.
According to a press release, this is a collaborative project between the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (MOAPIA), the Department of Housing and Community Development (DCHD) and the DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID). It is also a result of the Chinatown Cultural Development Small Area Plan, developed by the DC Office of Planning, MOAPIA, and community organizations in 2008.
Earlier this year, 34 red smart waste receptacles were installed in the neighborhood, decorated with Chinese-themed motifs on the lids and on a side plaque, which displays a Chinese dragon. The smart technology sends alerts when the trash can is filled to a certain level.
• DC Government Debuts New Street Banners in Chinatown [Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs]
• DowntownDC BID, Anacostia BID and D.C. Government Pilot Waste Sensors [Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs]