New York City, New York story
A Haven in Chinatown
In the heart of Chinatown, a forty-four story brown brick tower stands as a symbol of community resilience. Built in 1975, Confucius Plaza was the first major publicly funded hous…
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In the heart of Chinatown, a forty-four story brown brick tower stands as a symbol of community resilience. Built in 1975, Confucius Plaza was the first major publicly funded housing project created almost exclusively for Chinese Americans. Organizers spent years securing support through the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program to ensure affordable homes for neighborhood residents.
Locally, the tower is regarded as a vital piece of Chinatown history. Just outside, on a traffic island at the intersection of the Bowery and Division Street, stands the statue of Confucius, sculpted by Liu Shih. Together, the plaza and the tower mark a turning point in how the city supported the specific needs of its immigrant communities.
Updated June 2026