The Harbin municipal government is restore, protect and enhance the famous Central Avenue – to make it an even bigger national tourist draw and stylish shopping mecca -- in capital city of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province, according to local officials.

The avenue, measuring over a kilometer long, is currently the longest pedestrian street in China and the only cobbled street in Harbin. Built in 1898 by Russian constructors, it has been the most prosperous commercial hub in the city for over a century.

Officials said the city plans to enhance the overall style of the historical and cultural blocks in the street and fully demonstrate Harbin's characteristic architecture.

They added that the local government aims to build it into a vibrant European-style cultural leisure area, a national high-quality pedestrian street and one of China's most famous cultural tourism destinations.

The historical and cultural block that incorporates Central Avenue is located in the Daoli district of Harbin city.

It covers a total land area of 89.84 hectares, comprising a core protected area of 19.60 hectares and the controlled construction zone of 70.24 hectares.

According to the "Central Avenue Traditional Historical and Cultural Block Protection Plan" -- issued by the natural resources and planning bureau of Harbin -- no new construction or expansion activities are allowed within the core protected area. However, construction and expansion of necessary infrastructure and public service facilities are excluded from that provision.

Under the plan, the height, volume, color and style of newly built, rebuilt and expanded buildings and structures in the controlled construction zone must be stylistically compatible with the old historical and cultural block.

Officials said that buildings that have been designated cultural relic protection units and buildings that have been registered as immovable cultural relics, will be strictly protected in accordance with the cultural relics protection law.