Welcome to Chinatown

We stood up to the City. We won, but this is JUST the beginning. There's more work ahead -- we need you now more than ever. Today, four days after we filed a lawsuit against the City, a New York County Supreme Court judge granted a temporary restraining order immediately STOPPING nighttime drilling and overnight construction at the Manhattan jail site. It's not over. This is the first step of many. Donate now to protect what we've won and make sure Chinatown's voice is heard.

This is what the City is forcing Chinatown's seniors, businesses, and residents to sleep through for six more years, with just 30 minutes of relief a day. And it’s why we’re taking it to court to restore normal, humane construction hours. Donate to fund our lawsuit to protect Chinatown seniors and businesses A new City permit lets drilling, staging, and construction at the White Street jail site run until midnight, with oversized deliveries until 5:30 a.m. Saturday work is now allowed. Chung Pak seniors live right up against the other side of the construction fence. Small businesses sit just 20 steps across the street. Medical offices around the corner have had to cancel hundreds of patient appointments due to construction-related water shutoffs. “Nearly every day, I have to leave my apartment to get away from the noise, but I can’t even get that far before I can hear it at the park or nearby streets too.” — Anna, 72 "The intense vibrations felt at ...139 Centre Street...are concerning enough that my staff asked if there was an earthquake....this is very concerning to me and hundreds of medical professionals in our building.” — M.D. at 139 Centre Street The City broke its word In April, the City promised to pause after-hours work and listen to Chinatown. Now, without public review, it reversed course with this permit. Why? Because they need to open the jail by 2032, a deadline already five years late. The jail was approved based on an environmental review that NEVER included 18-hour workdays or 23 hours of around-the-clock work. Chinatown keeps being forced to pay for the City’s delays. And we’ve had enough. We’re taking it to court On behalf of small businesses around the site, Welcome to Chinatown has filed an Article 78 petition alongside other community leaders. We’re asking the court to restore normal, humane construction hours. We support closing Rikers safely, and we know this flawed plan is from the de Blasio era. But Mayor Mamdani’s City is approving late-night drilling now – he has the power to stop this. We’ve raised our concerns in good faith, in meetings, letters, and town halls. Each time, we were told to trust the process. Each time, the process asked more of us. This lawsuit is our last resort to be heard. How your donation funds the fight Since 2021, we’ve funded every step of this fight so far: the research, the organizing, the town halls. Taking the City to court is more than one nonprofit can sustain, and Chinatown deserves a fighting chance. Your gift, big or small, helps us reach our $350,000 goal and see this case through. Every dollar of your support will fund this legal fight and help every neighbor stay informed and involved. Welcome to Chinatown kept small businesses alive through the pandemic, and since 2021 we’ve fought the jail’s health, environmental, and structural risks. In 2019, Neighbors United Below Canal sued the City over this same project and won. That ruling was overturned on appeal, but it proved the City has to answer to Chinatown when we organize and rally. Don’t wait Every night we wait, the drilling continues. The approved after hours are already in effect. Donate what you can, then share this page with everyone who calls Chinatown part of their history or home. We’ll post updates here as the case moves forward. In the Press New York Mag Neighbors Sue The City AmNews After-Hours Construction at Manhattan Jail Site FOX5 Coalition of Support, Structural Risks at Jail ABC7 Elevated Toxins Near Jail Site Documented NY Independent Research Uncovers Health Risks NY Daily News Op-Ed Danger Below at New Jail Site New York Post Leaders Warn Mayor to Reconsider Jail Across Social Media Missing Data, Air Quality & Health Concerns Town Hall The City’s Gaps in Air Quality Data A Plea to Mayor Mamdani in Mandarin