The two primary prongs towards approaching the project were through interviews and through a walking tour (Criss-Cross) on the ground. This was supplemented by a review of external literature, although the availability of articles written about Chinatown North specifically was scant. Most articles discuss Chinatown as a whole, without distinguishing the areas north and south of the Vine Street Expressway. In reality, most of the articles about Chinatown are about the area south of the Expressway, i.e. the main Chinatown. Nonetheless, there are some relevant snippets about Chinatown North, such as those within the compilation of oral histories edited by Lena Sze [4]. Although sparse, the literature review helps to contextualize the entire project, providing a framework for the understanding of the history and background of Chinatown North.
Another important document was the 2004 Chinatown Neighborhood Plan [7], obtained from the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC). Drawn up in conjunction with the Callowhill Neighborhood Association and Asian Americans United, this document undertakes a thorough assessment of the strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and challenges, relevant to the Chinatown area. A substantial amount of the document looks at the Chinatown North/Callowhill area in particular, since many of the plan's proposals involve re-connecting the northern area with the main Chinatown. The Chinatown Neighborhood Plan was extremely valuable in providing a comprehensive contextualization of the issues at hand, including the frictions that would inevitably result from growth in the western region of Chinatown North that blends into Callowhill.
The ideas from the literature review are then fleshed out more fully through the interviews and field observations. The first of the pair of interviews was with Andy Toy, Managing Director of the Eastern Tower Community Center Project at the PCDC. The other interviewee was with YQ, a Penn student and friend of the author, who grew up living in Chinatown (and, critically, lived in Chinatown North for a few years) and is now living in South Philadelphia. Field observations that led to the compilation of photos which Criss-Cross comprises were undertaken on two separate occasions. Together, the interviews and the observations narrate a story of how multiple forces are working simultaneously in the neighborhood, in a complex, interrelated manner that is best summed up as Criss-Cross.
Another important document was the 2004 Chinatown Neighborhood Plan [7], obtained from the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC). Drawn up in conjunction with the Callowhill Neighborhood Association and Asian Americans United, this document undertakes a thorough assessment of the strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and challenges, relevant to the Chinatown area. A substantial amount of the document looks at the Chinatown North/Callowhill area in particular, since many of the plan's proposals involve re-connecting the northern area with the main Chinatown. The Chinatown Neighborhood Plan was extremely valuable in providing a comprehensive contextualization of the issues at hand, including the frictions that would inevitably result from growth in the western region of Chinatown North that blends into Callowhill.
The ideas from the literature review are then fleshed out more fully through the interviews and field observations. The first of the pair of interviews was with Andy Toy, Managing Director of the Eastern Tower Community Center Project at the PCDC. The other interviewee was with YQ, a Penn student and friend of the author, who grew up living in Chinatown (and, critically, lived in Chinatown North for a few years) and is now living in South Philadelphia. Field observations that led to the compilation of photos which Criss-Cross comprises were undertaken on two separate occasions. Together, the interviews and the observations narrate a story of how multiple forces are working simultaneously in the neighborhood, in a complex, interrelated manner that is best summed up as Criss-Cross.
