Foreigners Street gets a makeover

Laowaijie, or Foreigners Street, is undergoing a major facelift to make itself friendlier — and perhaps quieter — for visitors and local residents alike. The 500-meter-long area, a stretch of Hongmei Road, is filled with bars and restaurants featuring cuisine from Germany, Belgium, Greece and at least 14 other countries. It is a popular leisure spot that crowds people every day.

However, the street’s prosperity has caused some friction with neighborhood residents who complain about excessive noise and unpleasant cooking fumes, especially at night.

Constant communications

Talks have been going on between both sides to reach a compromise suitable to all. The upgrade of the street is aimed at resolving issues and diversifying businesses by expanding street activities into a neighboring innovation zone.

Zhang Wucai, deputy manager of the street’s operations, pointed out that two restaurants with some of the most advantageous locations on the street have closed because their leases were not renewed.

“The two restaurants used to have the heaviest fumes and smells, but now that they have moved, we have introduced chocolate and coffee shops to replace them,” he said.

A lot of effort is going into improving the environment.

Many restaurants and bars have been asked to install soundproof window glass and doors to keep the noise down, especially when live music is staged at night.

Better views

“We want to cause least disturbance to nearby residents,” Zhang said. “Besides lifting standards for fume emissions, we also asked the venues to put more greenery on rooftops to give residents a more pleasant view out of their windows.”

Many residents are willing to try to accommodate street businesses because they do bring income to the area and make it distinctive.

“This is a process of constant communication, improvement and mutual understanding,” Zhang said.

Meanwhile, plans to link the street with the innovation zone are being mapped out.

“People coming to Laowaijie will be able to eat, hang out and see cultural elements and fashion boutiques at the same time,” he said. “They can bring their pets along, and some may even want to start up their

own businesses.”

Pet-friendly facilities

Zhang said that big data analysis reveals that many foreigners coming to the street have pets — usually very large dogs. It’s important to add features that cater to pets and their owners, he said.

Given the proximity of the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center, Zhang said the introduction of imported food products to the street area is also under consideration.

“Overall, the upgrade aims to cater for the different needs of different people who live and work in the area, and come for leisure activities,” he said.

Many of the businesses on the street have been there for more than a decade.

The German Countryside Restaurant, for example, was opened by a German woman who married and stayed in Shanghai. Missing home cuisine, she started the restaurant.

Her restaurant has become popular with German expats as well as other foreigners and locals because of its authentic cuisine.

“The street is becoming more international and at the same time more local,” said a resident surnamed Ma, who said he is happy to see the upgrading.