Zhenru Subcenter rises from former urban village
The under-construction Zhenru Subcenter in Putuo District
The former sites of Shanghai's largest seafood market and Putuo District's biggest urban village are being transformed into a “public activity center” with skyscrapers and commercial hubs.
The Tongchuan Road Aquatic Product Market and Hongqi Village have been demolished to make way for the core of the Zhenru Subcenter.
The historic town will become a new subcenter of the city, along with Xujiahui in Xuhui District, Wujiaochang in Yangpu District and Huamu in the Pudong New Area.
“Construction is in full swing to develop Zhenru into a public activity center serving the Yangtze River Delta region,” Cao Liqiang, Party secretary of Putuo, told a press conference on Tuesday.
The former Tongchuan Road market, which was shut down in November 2016, will be developed into the “Yi Street” project by the end of 2025, featuring industry, commercial, accommodation and cultural venues.
Shanghai Film Palace, an international movie and cultural exchange landmark, has been planned on the site to boost the film industry while serving the cultural demands of residents, said Du Chunwen, director of the Zhenru management committee.
Construction has started on a Metro station for Lines 14 and Line 15; it will feature a "water curtain rooftop" and underground commercial facilities.
Tongchuan was once considered the best wholesale and retail fresh seafood market in Shanghai, if not the entire region. But local residents also long complained about the market’s stench and noise.
The Taopu Central Greenbelt
Design institutes from home and abroad are invited to map out the area's blueprint. Commercial complexes will start construction around 2024, and the project is scheduled to be completed by 2025.
Hongqi Village, a former notorious run-down urban settlement, has been listed among the first batch of demonstrations in the makeover of the city’s remaining urban villages. Hongqi will become a project known as “Zhenru Mirror,” featuring office buildings, commercial and cultural sites and residential communities.
Two landmark buildings will serve as headquarters of scientific innovation enterprises across the Yangtze River Delta region.
The former urban village will also feature eight spaces with idyllic themes such as “fishboat evening singing,” “Zhenru sunset,” “Tongchuan flavor” and “sky bazaar.” They will create a new shopping destination along with a Gingko Plaza.
Zhenru was originally formed between 1208 and 1224 during the Song Dynasty. A monk named Yong’an erected Zhenru Temple and built a xianghua (scented flower) bridge, which brought worshippers to the area. Markets were later developed around the temple, which still exists, along with Zhenru Pagoda.
The town, formerly known as Taoxi, or peach creek, which sat between the former Jiading and Shanghai counties, was one of the city’s four most prosperous marketplaces.
The Zhenru Subcenter will cover 6.2 square kilometers, based around the West Railway Station and expressways connected with the Yangtze River Delta region. The transport hub at the station handles over 40,000 passengers daily.
Sightseeing paths have also been planned for the subcenter for visitors to enjoy both the riverside greenery along the Zhenrugang, Dachangpu and Taopu rivers as well as the Caoyang Community, which sprang up in 1951 as a home to model workers of the city and has been listed as a heritage site by the city government.
Caoyang Community
