I have relatives that live in Confucius Plaza, sometimes referred to as Confucius Tower. Confucius Plaza is an expansive apartment complex with historical significance found in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
First off, it’s the tallest building in the tallest and largest development in the neighborhood at 433 feet (132 meters) and housing 762 apartments (besting the nearby Chatham Apartments). In addition to being 44 stories tall, it also stands out because the exterior is made of an ugly brown brick. It was constructed in 1975 and it sure looks that way — you can’t miss Confucius Tower if you tried.
Confucius Plaza’s Address and Location:
Located on Bowery Street in Chinatown, Confucius Plaza is such a massive complex that the entire space is triangulated by Bowery street and Division street, with the Manhattan Bridge on the East side.
Confucius Plaza’s address is:
Confucius Plaza
33 Bowery Street
New York, NY 10002
You can get to Confucius Plaza by taking the subway: N/Q/R/W/6/J/M/Z to Canal Street or the B/D to Grand Street. You can also take a bus there as the M9 and M103 are right nearby.There’s a Citi Bike station on the premises too, at the corner of Division and Bowery, just north of Chatham Square and right by the statue of Confucius.
An Apartment Complex Confucius Can Be Proud Of
Tourists come to Confucius Plaza mostly to visit its famous landmark – a 15-foot bronze statue of Confucius, the Chinese philosopher whom the building is named after. Odd that you’ll find many of the neighborhood’s residents meditating as Chinatown isn’t known for it’s tranquility.
Sculpted by Liu Shih, the statue was presented by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association as a token of appreciation, and to commemorate the U.S. bicentennial. At its base, a Confucian proverb is inscribed aside an American Flag, praising a just government with remarkable leaders of wisdom and ability. [New York Mag]
In addition to being the first public-funded housing project built almost exclusively for Chinese Americans and being a limited-equity housing cooperative, the complex is multi-use with the Yung Wing Public School, P.S. 124 (K-8), optical shop, travel agent, book store, community space, pharmacy, florist, and a day care center. \
Confucius Plaza not only has several resources attached to the building, but it’s steps away from hundreds of Chinese restaurants found on Bayard, Doyers, and Mott streets (including Noodle Village).
Main Image: Panoramio
