Architects have drawn up a blueprint to give Wan Chai a facelift that would introduce pedestrian zones and special theme areas and also exploit its 'run-down' character.
Central to the proposal are 10 pedestrian areas between and around Queen's Road East and Johnston Road.
The plan by Urban Watch, a pressure group made up of architects, planners and academics, aims to maintain the area's character and characters, including the old women under the Canal Road flyover who offer the da siu yan ritual - in which paper effigies of customers' enemies are symbolically beaten. The plan has been presented to the Wan Chai District Council and Land Development Corporation.
Urban Watch chairman Wong Wah-sang, also associate professor of architecture at Hong Kong University, said the design proposal would be relatively inexpensive - about $10 million to $20 million - but would attract tourists and residents alike.
'Wan Chai has the characteristics of an old town and a commercial centre at the same time. Much of the area is run-down, but being run-down could be a feature that is to its advantage,' Mr Wong said.
Mr Wong said pedestrian zones could be extended, with each street highlighting existing characteristics. He said that, for example, Tai Yuen Street could become a dry groceries street, while Tai Wong East Street, where there are now several pet shops, could be turned into a 'bird street'.
The pavements along Lee Tung Street and Wan Chai Road, strategically located between Queen's Road East and Johnston Road, could be further widened to accommodate trees and bushes. The group singled out Lee Tung Street for special attention. It said the street's 1950s-style buildings should be turned into museums and hotels with ground-floor shops and roadside cafes.