Salinas Chinatown Design Guidelines

The City of Salinas is located in one of the richest agricultural areas in the United States.  During the turn of the century many Chinese immigrants found work as farm laborers in the area.  Later Japanese, Filipino and Mexican immigrants joined the agricultural work force while all residing in this area called Chinatown.  The presence of these rich cultures during the past 100 years, created a bustling and exciting Chinatown in Salinas.

Over the decades, Salinas’ Chinatown gradually declined and has become increasingly isolated from the rest of the City.  Vacant buildings, empty lots and isolation contributed to the high crime rate in the area.

In an effort to revitalize the Chinatown area, The Architecture Company worked with the local Salinas City government, the Salinas Downtown Community Board, California Department of Transportation,   and students from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Architecture and Planning and from California State University of Monterey Bay to create an overlay set of Design Guidelines and master plan.  The intent of the project was to revitalize the blighted community and create a new cultural center in one of the existing building in Salinas Chinatown.