Waverly Place

Waverly Place is defined by the ornate, brightly painted balconies that lean over its narrow, two-block stretch. Often called the Street of Painted Balconies, this lane runs between Washington and Sacramento Streets in the heart of Chinatown. Throughout the nineteenth century, discriminatory zoning laws prevented the Chinese community from expanding outward, which pushed residents to build upward instead. This resulted in a dense layering of family associations, social halls, and Taoist temples located directly above street-level laundries, restaurants, and shops.