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56 /PHOTO FEATURE

The “tong laus” in Lee Tung Street were demolished during the redevelopment project and replaced by modern skyscrapers.
an Chai, one of the busi- ese (唐樓). Back in those days, visiting all over the world love to visit the
ness districts in Hong Lee Tung Street for invitation cards of place especially during festivals when
WKong, is densely packed a wedding banquet was a must for the seasonal decorations fill the pathway
with skyscrapers and landmarks. bride and groom-to-be. with festive spirits.
Walking underneath buildings of In 2005, the Urban Renewal Au- The outlook of the street seems
modern architecture in Lee Tung thority resumed all the property rights to have improved. However, former
Street, few people still remember the of Lee Tung Street and initiated a re- tenants who were forced to leave and
past glories of Hong Kong’s printing vitalisation project. Its old buildings gave up their businesses, could not
industry and the street where it was were demolished in 2007 and replaced return to where they belonged. The
nurtured. by newly designed architecture. High- shop rents in Lee Tung Avenue have
During the 1950s, Lee Tung Street class boutiques, specialty shops, res- soared after the renewal. Most of the
was a street famous for printing and taurants, cafés and hotels moved in shops are luxury chain stores selling
manufacturing of wedding cards. It and became the new occupants. cookware, accessories and cosmetics,
is why the street was also known as Lee Tung Street, renamed as Lee or restaurants offering Japanese and
“Wedding Card Street”. Printing shops Tung Avenue after its remake, has be- French gourmets without any rela-
lined up along the sideways in tene- come a popular tourist spot, for Insta- tions to the wedding card business.
ment houses or “tong laus” in Canton- grammers in particular. People from Target customers of the street have