Once the hub of Chinese American life in Los Angeles, the 24-block neighborhood northeast of downtown has lost much of its luster since its heyday in the 1940s.
During daylight hours Chinese shops and restaurants clustered around three main plazas in Chinatown draw visitors hunting for cheap souvenirs and authentic Asian cuisine. But, it has become a virtual dead zone after dark, despite efforts by city officials and business leaders to attract more crowds. (Source: Los Angeles Times, May 8, 2010).