BEIJING, October 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As building an “exquisite city” becomes the main focus of its urban renewal campaign, the old streets of neighborhoods in east China’s Weihai City are now regaining their vitality.
Taking Weicheng District as an example, the 3 square kilometer area including historical areas, unused factories and a port area has undergone renovation focused on innovation and preservation, providing it with a better environment for enterprise upgrading and people’s livelihood.
In the bay of Zhihai Port, a new multi-purpose urban complex that has become popular since this summer, a unique landscape shaped like a “whale jumping out of the sea” is now in front of visitors’ eyes, as its frame and super-long steel arch structure help overcome the difficulties of combating seaside erosion.
Built on a former port area, this vibrant urban complex offers people a splendid panoramic view of the sea with its 40-meter-long floor-to-ceiling windows, nicknamed the “eyes of the giant whale”, attracting an average of more than 10,000 visitors per day.
Taking Zhihai Port Bay as a starting point, urban renewal trends are sweeping the surrounding lanes and streets of Weicheng District, the heart of Weihai’s urban renewal campaign.
In Qixia Street, a century-old street in Weihai, 17 old houses have been reconstructed with original materials to restore their past appearance and refresh people’s memory of the famous local soup dish, show, party, market, etc.
“Before urban renewal, the bad environment nearby always made it difficult for us to do business,” said a longtime local restaurateur, adding that currently his restaurant reaps three times the monthly turnover of the past.
On Chinese Zodiac Street, cultural heritage and commercial activity now find a clever balance after 15 months of renovation. In addition to zodiac animal sculptures and an elegant plaza, judicious business planning precisely avoids homogeneous competition.
“After the street reopened, my creative cultural products store has become a popular destination for night economy enthusiasts, especially young tourists,” said the store owner.
Along Xinweifu Road, historical sites with memories related to “Weihai in 1902”, such as the old ceramic factory and shipyard, have been preserved through micro-renovations while 65 cultural enterprises have been introduced to boost cultural consumption.
Urban renewal is not about rebuilding but refining, noted Li Ruiling, head of Weihai’s Housing and Urban and Rural Development Bureau, saying the city has preserved history and implemented modern functions in old neighborhoods to make them more welcoming places.
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SOURCE Xinhua Silk Road
