Mexicali’s Callejón Chinesca reopened to the public last weekend after nearly two months of closure, following inspections of all 12 buildings lining the historic alleyway in the city’s Chinatown district. Mayor Norma Alicia Bustamante Martínez confirmed the reopening on May 28, saying the decision came after a final round of inspections led by city officials.
Cornisa Collapse Triggered the Shutdown
The alley was shut down on March 29 after a concrete cornisa, a decorative ledge on the third floor of the old Mercado del Ahorro building, broke away and fell. A woman suffered minor injuries, and two commercial stalls were damaged. The city government ordered an immediate closure and announced the demolition of the damaged section, along with structural reviews of all buildings in the Centro Histórico.
The building where the collapse occurred belongs to Mexicali’s municipal secretary, Rodrigo Llantada Ávila, who has owned it since 2023, according to the mayor’s earlier statements reported by El Imparcial.
Inspectors Found Missing Safety Features
Municipal Civil Protection staff and private architects inspected each of the 12 buildings facing the alley. Víctor Hugo Delgado, the city’s Cabinet Coordinator (Coordinador de Directores del Ayuntamiento), oversaw the final review. Inspectors found problems that included exposed electrical wiring, damaged plaster, and a lack of emergency exits.
Bustamante Martínez acknowledged that many of the historic buildings were never designed with emergency exits. Civil Protection proposed alternatives to widen access points and meet minimum safety requirements. Merchants spent weeks upgrading their spaces to comply with both Civil Protection and Fire Department standards.
Merchants Grew Frustrated With Long Closure
Some merchants grew impatient as the closure dragged on, according to The Baja Post. The repairs varied by building, but electrical installations and general structural safety over the alley itself were the most common issues flagged. The mayor said no building would reopen until inspectors were satisfied it posed no risk to pedestrians below.
La Chinesca is one of the largest Chinatowns in Mexico, with roots dating to the early 1900s when Chinese laborers helped build Mexicali’s irrigation canals. The Callejón Chinesca, a narrow pedestrian alley lined with restaurants and shops, sits in the heart of the district, a few blocks south of the Calexico border crossing. The area also draws visitors to its famous underground tunnels, remnants of a subterranean city built by Chinese immigrants more than a century ago.
The alley is now fully open to foot traffic with no restrictions. This story was first reported by El Imparcial and The Baja Post.