Feds designate Chinatown-Little Italy

The new Chinatown Little Italy Historic District won recognition last month from the National Register of Historic Places. Known for its intersection of Italian and Chinese immigrant cultures, the neighborhood roughly bounded by Worth St., Lafayette St., E. Houston St. and the Bowery was designated by the State Historic Preservation Office last fall. The designations do not prevent the neighborhood’s buildings from being demolished, but property owners may be eligible for tax benefits and historic preservation grants. The Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, which sponsored the application, will hold information sessions for property owners in April.