I tend to think that Cincinnati's Asian community is more spread out and is sadly more suburban.  Areas from Blue Ash/Montgomery/Indian Hill, to Evendale/Sharonville/Springdale, to West Chester/Mason/Fairfield all have significant numbers of Asian people and Asian businesses.  Evendale alone has a pan Asian supermarket, a smaller Japanese food market, a Dim Sum restaurant, 2 other Chinese restaurants, and an Indian restaurant. If you continue to drive up Route 42 you see tons of these markets, and even a Patel Brothers large grocery in Sharonville.

Asian Town Center should open very soon with a great mix of restaurants, shops and offices.  Here's a link to their website http://www.asiantowncenter.com/  Also, Asian Town Center is across the street from Tyler Village, so the potential for great synergy here is amazing.

 

As for AsiaTown, it is not struggling.  The Asian community has been in the area since migrating decades ago east from the Rockwell location.  Present day AsiaTown has the highest concentration of Asians in our region (its true that many more are in the suburbs, but they are spread out across the region).  If you go to any of the restaurants or particularly the markets in AsiaTown English is often the last language you hear.  This is what makes the area authentic and less touristy than Chinatowns in other cities, but also presents unique challenges, particularly if you are comparing AsiaTown to say Little Italy.  AsiaTown caters to the Asian community needs/goods/services extremely well, and the area is very busy in that respect, but with the exception of restaurants it is not yet the tourist draw it could be.  However the Year of the "Chinese Zodiac" public art project has greatly raised AsiaTown's profile.  A website was launched last year (www.asiatowncleveland.com) and this year, in addition to the seasonal Year of the Tiger sculptures, permanent public art will be installed.  There are also plans for banners and other initiatives to make the area more inviting to visitors.  Hopefully you all will see the impact of these initiatives, as well as new developments like Asian Town Center, this year. 

 

So in short, definitely check out AsiaTown and support these efforts.  And go beyond the restaurants and venture into one of the markets like Tink Holl, Park2Shop, Asia Foods, and more.  Nothing's on the shelves is in English, and its just a great experience most Clevelanders miss that's right here in town.  I certainly did not know about it before working in the area.

I tend to think that Cincinnati's Asian community is more spread out and is sadly more suburban. Areas from Blue Ash/Montgomery/Indian Hill, to Evendale/Sharonville/Springdale, to West Chester/Mason/Fairfield all have significant numbers of Asian people and Asian businesses. Evendale alone has a pan Asian supermarket, a smaller Japanese food market, a Dim Sum restaurant, 2 other Chinese restaurants, and an Indian restaurant. If you continue to drive up Route 42 you see tons of these markets, and even a Patel Brothers large grocery in Sharonville.

 

Very true. Same goes for the hispanic areas as well ... especially around Tri-Cnty.

 

MidwestChamp, thanks for the Asian Town Center update and link.

I didn't realize this was gonna be so big (115,000 sf).

I love the Asiatown grocers. Sushi supplies ie nori, wasabi, pickled ginger, are  way less than 1/2 the price of typical stores. Asia Food on St. clair is not the most modern of the bunch, but it has the BEST carry out roast duck. I have tried most of the other ones but Asia Foods is the winner. I was in on Thursday and asked about the move and they had no set date yet.

 

 

I love the Asiatown grocers. Sushi supplies ie nori, wasabi, pickled ginger, are  way less than 1/2 the price of typical stores. Asia Food on St. clair is not the most modern of the bunch, but it has the BEST carry out roast duck. I have tried most of the other ones but Asia Foods is the winner. I was in on Thursday and asked about the move and they had no set date yet.

 

 

Just wait until the new Asia Foods opens in Asian Town Center!  :wink:

There is a new concept in the works tilling in downtown Cleveland that will offer local restaurants, small farmers and community gardeners as well as individuals to grow their own food year round! It is the Gardens Under Glass concept that will transform "The Galleria" into a neighborhood community institution that will offer the above gardening opportunities, specialty art galleries and unique shops/businesses and services already housed in the building---as well as an expanded selection of eco-friendly merchants carrying many independently and locally made products to serve life's daily needs. Some of the products such as art, furniture or clothing you can find in the place will be made from recycled materials.

 

Gardens Under Glass at the Galleria can also serve as a "bookend" of sort for the adjacent emerging Asia Town neighborhood---as it is located in central downtown Cleveland's northeastern most edge, opposite of Asia Town. These places are already virtually linked by nearby Rockwell Avenue. There can be a great synergy between the two places as local residents and even restaurants can rent/lease out spaces in hanging gardens to grow foods locally and hydroponically.

 

That said, in the simplest of words, is the very basic concept; and what a great re-invention of building and downtown district this can be! The aquarium idea there would have been great but there were structural limitations....anyway....I don't want to spoil the surprise on this...so please visit the website for further details about the proposed project. Maybe this can be posted in a gardens thread too...but pushers of this project are looking for interest....

 

see: www.gardensunderglass.vpweb.com

There is a new concept in the works tilling in downtown Cleveland that will offer local restaurants, small farmers and community gardeners as well as individuals to grow their own food year round! It is the Gardens Under Glass concept that will transform "The Galleria" into a neighborhood community institution that will offer the above gardening opportunities, specialty art galleries and unique shops/businesses and services already housed in the building---as well as an expanded selection of eco-friendly merchants carrying many independently and locally made products to serve life's daily needs. Some of the products such as art, furniture or clothing you can find in the place will be made from recycled materials.Gardens Under Glass at the Galleria can also serve as a "bookend" of sort for the adjacent emerging Asia Town neighborhood---as it is located in central downtown Cleveland's northeastern most edge, opposite of Asia Town. These places are already virtually linked by nearby Rockwell Avenue. There can be a great synergy between the two places as local residents and even restaurants can rent/lease out spaces in hanging gardens to grow foods locally and hydroponically. That said, in the simplest of words, is the very basic concept; and what a great re-invention of building and downtown district this can be! The aquarium idea there would have been great but there were structural limitations....anyway....I don't want to spoil the surprise on this...so please visit the website for further details about the proposed project. Maybe this can be posted in a gardens thread too...but pushers of this project are looking for interest....see: www.gardensunderglass.vpweb.com

It would be good to also post this in Cleveland Developments or Northeast Ohio Developments...Anyway... This sounds like a wonderful idea!! I am so impressed with all the green/ urban garden initiatives occuring right now in Cleveland (especially on the east side.) I see this project as having the potential not just to create synergy with the Asiatown neighborhood but the immediate neighborhood developing in the east (The Avenue District). This center could be a great draw for people living in the Avenue district and provide them with a year-round farmer's market. The idea of a farmer's market in downtown is just awesome!!It sounded from the article like this development was going to occur? Is this true or is the development still in the planning stages?

It is being planned out currently---But having said this, it is being aggressively approached by very dedicated people---and gaining great interest for participation. Some funding will be needed, but all in all, this is very doable. The cast of those who can make this a reality is coming together nicely. I think that it is such a unique re-invention of the building. I see this happening. The concept is really quite simple but very unique and achievable. Anyone wanting to share the link on another thread is welcome.