Why don't any of New York City's Chinatowns have a red, decorative, ornamental gate like so many of the country's (and the world's) other enclaves? No particular reason, though not for a lack of trying, so that's why neighborhood activists and designers are mobilizing with renewed zeal to build at least one, ideally in both Manhattan and Sunset Park: "Proponents say the structures are critical aspects of a Chinese enclave's architectural and emotional tapestry, serving as tourist attractions as well as landmarks that define a neighborhood's boundaries and symbolize a cultural threshold." So maybe someday soon, the city will have something like D.C.'s pretty entryway, pictured at right. [NYT; photo via Wikipedia/Postdlf]
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