Le Hong Phong Street: A bustling street with a vibrant atmosphere.

(Baonghean)Day after day, as I walk along this street, every corner, every tree on the sidewalk remains familiar, even though the street's appearance seems to change daily due to the continuous opening of new businesses and the renovation of the offices on both sides. Le Hong Phong Street is considered one of the central streets that creates the distinctive urban rhythm of Vinh City...

A corner of Le Hong Phong street.

Someone once said, quite rightly, that Le Hong Phong Street is one of the streets that clearly reflects the chronological order and spatial transformations of Vinh's development. Le Hong Phong Street, over a kilometer long, is considered to preserve many traces of the old town because it lacks high-rise buildings, and although it is now brightly lined with signs and storefront decorations of various services, behind it are still rows of houses and kiosks from decades ago.

The first source of pride for Le Hong Phong Street is perhaps its concentration of large schools and training institutions, such as the Provincial Political School, and long-standing high schools like Huynh Thuc Khang and Phan Boi Chau, and Hoa Sen Kindergarten... Among them, Huynh Thuc Khang High School, formerly Vinh National High School, was one of the three national schools opened by the French government in Central Vietnam in 1920. It produced many famous figures such as Dang Thai Mai, Nguyen Canh Toan, Hoang Xuan Han, Hoai Thanh, and Nguyen Xien... And, for a generation of older intellectuals from the three provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh, who, through their life experiences, cherish and follow the development of their homeland and country, they surely always remember the Vinh Collège and later Huynh Thuc Khang High School, feeling honored and proud of their education.

Those who love this street once wondered if the authorities had a deliberate intention when establishing Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School on this street, as if wanting to expand the traditional academic achievements of Huynh Thuc Khang High School?! Perhaps another deliberate intention, to complete the pride of the street, was to name the street after the first General Secretary of the Party, at the intersection connecting with streets named after revolutionary landmarks (Phong Dinh Cang), and the names of patriots from generations who heroically sacrificed themselves for the nation's independence and freedom (Nguyen Thai Hoc, Nguyen Van Cu, Nguyen Duc Canh, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai). The street also evokes a sense of nostalgia for the city's post-war reconstruction and development, reflected in the old-fashioned C7 and C8 buildings of the Quang Trung apartment complex, which, according to the plan, will soon be replaced by new urban high-rises; or in the graceful large sphere atop the North Central Meteorological and Hydrological Station headquarters...

Le Hong Phong Street was once famous for its culinary spots, such as the "street of affordable rice" stretching from the Provincial Police Department to the Meteorological and Hydrological Station, which has now been cleared; the beer and barbecue stalls that naturally lost customers gradually gave way to newer types of businesses; or the "oxtail and hot wine" shop, which, after food safety inspections, has been downsized but remains a popular destination for visitors to Vinh wanting to enjoy rustic snacks in a street space imbued with the depth of memory of a Nghe An city. However, when talking about Le Hong Phong Street, one must mention the "coffee experience" with once-famous brands like Mehico, or those steadily developing like Cinema Cafe 2, and a series of new cafes where the business owners focus not only on coffee quality but also on a "modern" service space targeting young customers. The street also features an increasing number of centers and supermarkets selling tiles and interior furnishings, which, if you have the time to stroll around and browse, can create a unique and enjoyable experience.

The fashion shops are bustling with activity.

It turns out that modern streetscapes in Vietnam aren't defined by grand, imposing structures. Le Hong Phong Street in Vinh City certainly exemplifies this with its dynamic and dynamic array of small businesses constantly emerging and replacing each other. Their innovative signage and storefront designs, along with their youthful and modern styles, give first-time visitors the feeling of bustling streets in Hanoi or Saigon. These include snack shops, high-end designer clothing stores, and affordable fashion boutiques; followed by various public and private office services that are always crowded with customers, creating a lively atmosphere hidden behind every street corner and familiar green tree. Although it's just a street, Le Hong Phong Street speaks volumes about the urban sprawl from the city center to the development belt and in all four directions towards the suburbs. The bustling activity of buying and selling accumulates and then gradually dissipates as it moves from the beginning of the street near the Fountain Garden roundabout down towards the end of the street near the Customs roundabout.

According to the plan, the future urban focal point of the street will be at both ends, with a new urban area replacing the Quang Trung apartment complex at the beginning of the street and an administrative area at the end. But even then, the street will likely retain its unique character as a tranquil, confidently developing street with significant historical landmarks spanning nearly a century, such as Huynh Thuc Khang High School or the Tam Phuc intersection where it meets Nguyen Van Cu Street, a landmark that evokes memories of a bustling Indian quarter more than a century ago...

Dinh Sam