New York City, New York story
A Legacy in Chinatown
High above the intersection of Bowery, Doyers, and Division Streets stands a brown brick tower that marks a turning point for Chinatown. Completed in 1975, Confucius Plaza was the…
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High above the intersection of Bowery, Doyers, and Division Streets stands a brown brick tower that marks a turning point for Chinatown. Completed in 1975, Confucius Plaza was the first major publicly funded housing project built almost exclusively for Chinese Americans. Organizers had spent the early seventies securing support through the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program to ensure affordable housing for neighborhood residents.
The 44-story complex remains locally significant as a symbol of community empowerment and stability. Down on the traffic island, a statue of Confucius, sculpted by Liu Shih, watches over the plaza, grounding this modern residential tower in ancient cultural tradition.
Updated June 2026