Riding along Changdao Avenue you have already come along a number of largely empty apartment complexes - and then you arrive at the European Style town center. And it is somewhat dystopian. Houses, bridges, towers - all inspired by European architecture. But overwhelmingly empty. A shop here and there, blasting out loud music to let anyone in town know they are open. But shop after shop waiting for a tenant - and has for some time.
Sad to see, but not unsurprising as any one of the apartment complexes, and there are many, can take up more people than living in the surrounding villages. And not sure who wanted to move here from Shanghai or Nantong (yup, to my surprise, this part of Chongming Island belongs to Nantong, Jiangsu).