Then and Now: 11th and Race looking east, Philadelphia

1959-2008

Apart from its many culinary wonders, Chinatown is a rather fascinating place. Quite unlike much of downtown, many of Philadelphia's old warehouses and factories still stand in Chinatown behind the neon and backlit signs. The transition from the area from an industrial district to a lively mixed-use residential and services-oriented neighborhood is perhaps one of our downtown's most overlooked yet fascinating stories. The factory building on the very right of the picture has been converted to a multi-story parking structure and houses a well-known noodle restaurant on the ground floor. The terra cotta tower at 1010 Race St. now houses luxury condos, and the street is home to several restaurants, bakeries, shops, and a supermarket.

Original Image: "Department of City Transit-39532-0." 1959. Philadelphia City Archives. PhillyHistory.org. Philadelphia Department of Records. 3 Nov. 2008. http://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/MediaStream.ashx?mediaId=25825.