When I first moved to Beijing, the southwest corner of Chaoyang Park was a top destination for nightlife fans. To the south were spots like Latinos and The Big Easy, the latter with a superb wraparound bar and Bloody Marys, while westward brought one to the likes of Goose & Duck, Souk, Black Sun Bar and, later, Bling, Club Juicy Spot and Salt and Pepper. Most famous of all was Suzie Wong, which finally served its last drink over seven years ago.
Anyway, that entire strip is seeing a major redevelopment, known as DT Park, starting at the Fenghuang Center on the southwest corner. DT Park, based on the project plans, aims to include a diverse range of venues, including coffee shops, bars, a music venue and a wide range of restaurants and terraces.
The goal is to give consumers an option on par with Sanlitun and that is part of a larger project involving the area at large. The project is couched in the context of urban renewal contained in China’s fourteenth five-year plans.
It’s yet another destination that aims to regain its relevance–see renewal in the Friendship Store area–and a source at the project told me there are dozens of vendors already in place, with the goal of having an official opening in the spring. I’ll have more details soon.
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