Construction of Fisherman's Wharf started this morning on the west bank of the Huangpu River in Yangpu District.

The wharf will host a cluster of entertainment and commercial outlets along with office space.

Construction of the wharf's two main buildings also started today. One resembles the shape of a leaping fish and the other a regular fish to commemorate the city's history.

Shanghai evolved from a small fishing village about 1,500 years ago. The short name of Shanghai is "Hu," which is an ancient fishing tool.

The leaping fish building will be 179-meters tall, will have 37 stories and will open in May 2010, along with the wharf.

The other building will be 42-meters tall and built on a waterfront area of 200 meters along the Huangpu. It will house entertainment facilities, a five-star hotel and a fishing museum.

The "fish's mouth" will face the Huangpu and be a sightseeing platform for tourists.

Project managers hope that the wharf will become a major tourist attraction for visitors to World Expo 2010. Two ferry terminals are also planned for the wharf by that time.

(Shanghai Daily January 11, 2008)