Historic Chinatown: Preserving Identity, Embracing Change
As one of the city’s most culturally rich and historically significant neighborhoods, Chinatown has long balanced the preservation of its architectural and cultural identity with the pressures of redevelopment and adaptive reuse. With recent conversations around the potential reimagining of key buildings, the area is once again at a pivotal crossroads.
Curated by the AIA|DC Historic Resources Committee (HRC) in collaboration with the AIA|DC Asian American Designers Union (AADU), 1882 Foundation, and the DC Preservation League, this tour highlights notable historic sites and examples of adaptive reuse and more recent development projects. The tour offers a chance to see firsthand how the District’s built environment reflects its ongoing story of transformation.
Take a closer look at the neighborhood’s layered history - its origins, cultural evolution, and the importance of representation in preservation in this 6-stop tour.
If you're interested in learning more about the history of Chinese Americans in Washington, DC, you can take a look at the Historic Context Study completed in 2025: https://dcpreservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ChineseAmericansDC-HistoricContextStudy.pdf
Sites 6
Finding Asian American History and Historic Chinatown Tours: Temple of Cun Yum
The Temple of Cun Yum relocated to this building in the late 1990s from its original location on the 4th floor of the former Golden Palace Restaurant on 7th Street NW. The Temple is rooted in Chinese…
Finding Asian American History and Historic Chinatown Tours: Wah Luck House
The Wah Luck House was designed by Alfred H. Liu and built in 1982, making it one of the oldest affordable housing complexes in Chinatown. It is home to the most densely concentrated group of Chinese…
Historic Chinatown Tour: 623 H Street NW: The historic building, dating to 1869, has had many alterations over the years.
Like many historic buildings in Chinatown, the present building is comprised of several periods of construction.The portion of the building viewed from H Street NW was constructed before building…
On Leong Chinese Merchants Association: The On Leong Chinese Merchants Association building, with its Chinese Eclectic architecture, is a landmark of DC's Chinatown.
The On Leong Chinese Merchants Association building is significant as the long-time home of On Leong Tong (from 1932 to 1997), the city’s preeminent Chinese benevolent association. Mutal aid…
Historic Chinatown Tour: Friendship Archway: Similar in style to arches found in other Chinatowns around the country, the Friendship Archway serves as a gateway to the neighborhood.
The Friendship Archway, which spans H Street at 7th Street NW, has become a significant landmark and symbol of DC's Chinatown. The arch was designed in the Paifang style by Alfred H. Liu and completed…
Finding Asian American History and Historic Chinatown Tours: Da Hsin Company
Da Hsin Company began operating at this site in the 1980s and provides Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) services in addition to selling homewares, gifts, and dry goods. The TCM counter sells…Tour curated by: AIA|DC Historic Resources Committee (HRC) in collaboration with the AIA|DC Asian American Designers Union (AADU), 1882 Foundation, and the DC Preservation League