The renewal project of Nenjiang road in Heping district officially kicked off on Aug 23. As the first urban renewal project in Tianjin, it has opened a new page in the development of the city. Urban development in central areas has turned from the expansion of "quantity" to the improvement of "quality" with more renewal projects set to launch in the future on the path of high-quality development. It is of great significance for improving the quality of residents' life, vitalizing old streets, and cultivating new economic growth points.

Few countries have gone through as much urbanization in just a few decades as China has. Clusters of tall buildings sprung up, and newly-built areas rapidly expanded the boundaries of the city. Limited by ecology, population, heritage conservation and other factors, development on this model has gradually slowed down and given way to a new stage. The people-oriented model that puts more emphasis on quality over quantity will inevitably become the new trend of urban development.

Heping district is the traditional urban center of Tianjin. The available space for expansion in the district is very limited since there are a large number of old houses. Many houses, for historical reasons, do not have independent kitchens and bathrooms which makes difficulties in their meeting the needs of modern life. Such houses are a key part of the renewal based on the principle of preserving the historical culture and the city style.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, the central city zone will strive to complete the transformation and upgrading of old houses that are not planned for rebuilding, and to renovate others.

Urban renewal benefits not only the people, but also the new economic growth. It is necessary to fully mobilize social capital to participate in the renewal through market operation when facing large demands.

People's lifestyles evolve as buildings age. Urban renewal will also be a sustaining project. With its advance, cities will become more livable, the quality of residents' life will continue to improve and the vitality of industries will continue to increase.