Chinatown Development Project Construction Begins

City officials gathered Thursday morning to announce the start of construction on the much-anticipated Blossom Plaza in Chinatown.

The project, initially scheduled to begin in August, will open in Spring 2016.

The mixed-use plaza will consist of 237 residential units, 18,500-square-feet of restaurant and retail space, and 270 parking spaces.

Blossom Plaza will be located on the former site of the famous Italian restaurant, Little Joe's.

Councilmember Gil Cedillo and Assemblymember Ed Chau vowed to help preserve memorabilia from the legendary eatery, which opened in 1927.