Downtown Saigon is in flux these days, as old buildings come down and new structures rise from the rubble. While the past few years have brought major changes to District 1, this year has been particularly significant in the evolution of its neighborhoods, leaving decades-old communities in limbo as they wonder over the fate of their markets, apartment blocks and general surroundings.
One such community is that of Cho Cu, the roadside market crowded onto a block of District 1’s Ton That Dam Street. Earlier this year, city officials announced the market would be demolished shortly after Tet, along with two other District 1 markets. However, the market, known for its imported products, remains in place, part of a neighborhood that has fast transformed into the city’s sleek downtown business district.
A local institution, Cho Cu’s residents form a tight-knit community whose businesses provide fellow Saigoneers with both high-quality imports and local items like produce and street food. The area managed to survive the sidewalk-clearing campaign of District 1 People’s Committee Vice Chairman Doan Ngoc Hai’s earlier this year; however, as the city evolves, there’s a strong chance that change will come to Cho Cu. In the meantime, here are a few photographs from the beloved downtown market as evening sets in:
