Jing'an has completed the massive relocation of Huayanli, a 7,500-ton shikumen stone-gated housing complex, the largest move of its kind in China.
Built in the 1920s and 1930s, the three-building brick-and-wood complex covers 4,030 square meters. It was moved back to its original site on June 7 after being temporarily shifted 48 meters west and 46 meters north in late 2023 to make way for redevelopment in historic Zhangyuan Garden.
Relocation, which began on May 19, used 432 hydraulic "walking robots" beneath the structure, allowing it to move around 10 meters per day.
With Huayanli back in place, work can now begin on a major underground project at Zhangyuan that will add over 300 parking spaces and serve as a transfer hub for three Metro lines.
The move is part of a larger restoration of Zhangyuan's East Zone, set to reopen by 2027. At over 140 years old, Zhangyuan is one of Shanghai's largest and best-preserved shikumen complexes. Renovations started in 2018, with the West Zone reopening in 2022. (Source: Shanghai Daily)
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