WASHINGTON, D.C.
A staple businesses in D.C. Chinatown must vacate their properties in less than three months to make way for a new luxury hotel, according to the Save Chinatown Solidarity Network (SCSN).
Full Kee restaurant and Gao Ya Hair Salon are the two businesses that must find a new place by July 1. This comes after long-time legacy restaurant Jackey Cafe also closed down recently due to developments in the area.
On Monday, SCSN was told by hotel developers Rift Valley Capital that it will not be extending the notice to vacate date.
SCSN claims these businesses are being forced to vacate just ahead of summer, which is the busiest season of the year, and is asking for the developers to push back the vacate date to September 30, 2025.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A wave of uncertainty and frustration has swept through D.C.’s Chinatown after several small business owners received notice that they must vacate their premises within 90 days. The abrupt displacement comes amid plans to demolish part of the historic neighborhood to make way for a new luxury hotel development.
The eviction notices, issued late last week, affect over a dozen businesses on a key block along H Street NW. Many of these shops—ranging from family-run restaurants and herbal medicine stores to long-standing souvenir shops—have operated in the area for decades, some passed down through multiple generations.
“This isn’t just a store for me, it’s my family’s legacy,” said Linda Chen, whose parents opened their dim sum restaurant in 1984. “Three months? That’s not enough time to pack up 40 years of history.”
The incoming development, a high-rise hotel with upscale retail and dining space, is part of a broader trend of gentrification in the Chinatown and Penn Quarter neighborhoods. While city officials tout the project as a boost to local tourism and revenue, critics argue it represents another chapter in the ongoing erasure of one of D.C.’s most visible cultural enclaves.
“This is cultural displacement, plain and simple,” said James Wong, director of the Chinatown Community Heritage Foundation. “What’s being lost isn’t just small business—it’s language, tradition, community, and identity.”
Over the past two decades, the character of Chinatown has slowly shifted. Rising rents and commercial development have pushed out many Chinese American families and businesses. The number of Chinese residents in the neighborhood has dwindled to fewer than 300, down from thousands in the mid-20th century.
While the city has encouraged revitalization efforts in the form of bilingual signage and annual cultural events, activists say such efforts are hollow without policies that protect the remaining Chinese-owned businesses.
Business owners say they were blindsided by the short timeline. Many report they were not given opportunities to renegotiate leases or offered relocation assistance.
“We’ve been loyal tenants for years,” said David Liu, owner of a popular tea shop. “To be treated like this is heartbreaking. It sends a message that we’re disposable.”
Calls for a delay or intervention are growing louder. Community organizations are urging D.C. Council members to step in and request a pause on the project, citing the need for a comprehensive impact review and discussions with affected tenants.
“This neighborhood is more than a location—it’s a living archive of Chinese American history in Washington,” said Councilmember Anita Lee, who represents Ward 2. “Once it’s gone, we won’t get it back.”
The developer behind the hotel, MetroGate Properties, issued a brief statement saying it was “committed to honoring the neighborhood’s heritage” and would “explore options to support transitioning businesses.” No specifics were provided.
As the countdown continues, residents and advocates plan to hold a public rally this weekend, hoping to pressure city leaders into action.
“This is our home, even if the leases don’t say so anymore,” Chen said. “We’re not leaving quietly.”
