End of an era for dilapidated community in downtown Shanghai

Residents of one of the last remaining dilapidated communities in Shanghai's old town will soon be relocated, as most of them have signed relocation agreements.

The second phase of the relocation project for the northern part of Qiaojia Road community – where Xu Guangqi (1562-1633), a scholar and politician during the Ming Dynasty, was born – is underway, after more than 98 percent of residents put their names on the dotted line.

Qiaojia Road block, in the former center of Shanghai, covers 2 square kilometers, but the road stretches for less than one kilometer. Xu's former residence is still there.

Albert Einstein and his wife visited the residence of painter Wang Yiting on Qiaojia Road in 1922.

Credit: Wang Rongjiang / SHINE

Credit: Wang Rongjiang / SHINE