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In the 1930s, under the efforts of Chinese-American community leader Peter
Soo Hoo Sr., the design and operational concepts for a New Chinatown evolved
through a collective community process, resulting in a blend of Chinese and
American architecture. The Los Angeles Chinatown saw major development,
especially as a tourist attraction, throughout the 1930s, with the
development of the "Central Plaza", a Hollywoodized version of Shanghai,
containing names such as Bamboo Lane, Gin Ling Way and Chung King Road
(named after the city of Chongqing in mainland China). Chinatown was
designed by Hollywood film set designers, and a "Chinese" movie prop was
subsequently donated by film director Cecil B. DeMille to give Chinatown an
exotic atmosphere. |