Coming Down Alert – Jingxing Road

The bulldozing of Hongkou (Hongkew) is moving forward apace – quite startling amounts of land are being cleared and this means removing a vast number of structures. Additionally, to prepare for future demolition, growing amounts of housing and other properties are being abandoned, cleared or created as slums by intent down into Yangpu (Yangtzsepoo). Bizarrely at the same time that Yangpu District is trying to raise awareness of Yangpu’s industrial architectural history with some new signs.

Anyway, if you haven’t strolled along Hongkou’s Jingxing Road (formerly Jansen Road) now would be a good time to do it as by the summer it won’t be there. A large portion of the street is already cleared, more is being cleared as you read this and all will be gone soon. It’s an older Hongkou street that once marked the expansion of the Settlement east to Yangtzsepoo. The road was always primarily residential.

The most clearly threatened block that you need to see soon, if you’re to see it at all, is the block between Huimin Road (Baikal Road) and Yulin Road (Yuuin Road) – which has its own problems – see here.

The corner of Jingxing and Huimin – gone

The first storey balconies that stood above the shop houses were always a nice feature on Jansen Road

The lanes running behind the front buildings on Jansen Road are now cleared and ready to go – see them soon or miss them!