Coming Down Alert – Maoming North Road

I went away from Shanghai for a few weeks and when I got back several blocks of centrally located downtown lane houses in the former International Settlement were gone completely.  Quite a few blocks, perhaps as many as ten, came down completely along Maoming Road North (formerly Moulmein Road) close to the junction with Weihai Road. The land is cleared now and flattened with the inevitable wall stuck up – what’s coming I have no idea but I doubt it will be an improvement. The structures previously were classic lilong alleyways fronting onto the main street and interconnected. The street fronts were small independent shops that in themselves made a change from the endless ranks of Starbucks etc now lining the streets around that area.

Below is a picture of the west side of the street where the housing has been cleared and below that is a shot of the eastern side of the street where traditional buildings remain to give you an idea of what was lost architecturally and in terms of a bustling community.