One of the most frequently visited landmarks in Chinatown is the 15-foot bronze statue of Confucius, the Chinese philosopher, in front of the complex. Sculpted by Liu Shih, the statue was presented by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association as a token of appreciation, and to commemorate the U.S. bicentennial. At its base, a Confucian proverb is inscribed aside an American Flag, praising a just government with remarkable leaders of wisdom and ability.
Confucius Plaza Apartments is a limited-equity housing cooperative in Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City. The 44-story brown brick tower block complex (433 ft (132 m)) with 762 apartments was constructed in 1975 at a cost of $38.387 million The building was the first major public-funded housing project built for almost exclusively Chinese Americans.