While much of Chinatown is returning to normal in the aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center, many local residents are having a hard time recovering. Chinatown, close to ground zero, was hard-hit after 9/11/2001. Many streets were closed and tourism which accounts for a large part of the local economy was way down. But Chinatown is also far enough away from ground zero so that economic help was not as available as for areas closer to the site.

Eights months later, business and life, at least on the surface, are on the upswing. Streets that were off-limits are once again accessible...