December 30, 2005
Government Press Release
Bigger Taikoo Shing business zone mooted

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051019/IMG_2910.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20051019/IMG_2916.jpg

The Town Planning Board has proposed amendments to the draft Quarry Bay Outline Zoning Plan, which seek to expand the commercial zone in Taikoo Shing.

The amendments involve rezoning a piece of land to the south of Taikoo Shing Road near the junction of Tai Mou Avenue from 'Commercial/Residential' to 'Commercial', and another piece of land next to Cityplaza from an area designated as 'Road' to 'Commercial'.

The board said the amendments reflect the land's proposed commercial use, adding there is no plan to develop the area shown as 'Road' into a public road. The area will form part of the redevelopment site for commercial development.

The land, together with the adjoining Cityplaza 1, will form a continuous commercial zone, it said.

Public viewing details

The draft plan (No. S/H21/22), is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at the following locations:

* Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, 15/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point;

* Planning Enquiry Counter, 17/F, North Point Government Offices;

* Planning Enquiry Counter, 14/F, Sha Tin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Sha Tin;

* Hong Kong District Planning Office, 14/F, North Point Government Offices; and

* Eastern District Office, G/F, Eastern Law Courts Building, 29 Tai On Street, Sai Wan Ho.

Any person affected by the amendments may submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board on or before January 20.

Copies of the draft plan are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei, while the electronic version is available at the board's website : http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb .

god! I love u hkskyline! thx for the info! My taikoo shing is still getting better and better!

太 古 摩 廈 地 積 比 竟 達 30 倍
太 古 將 持 有 的 公 園 （ 右 ） ， 地 積 比 轉 移 至 港 島 東 中 心 地 盤 內 （ 左 ） ， 後 方 為 太 古 城 安 盛 台 。
　　(星島日報報道)本報獲悉，太古旗下魚涌一座摩天商廈，獲批增加近一倍的樓面，令該物業地積比，高近三十倍，遠超正常的十五倍。該幢樓高六十九層的「商廈巨無霸」，總樓面高逾一百六十萬方呎，其中近八十萬方呎樓面得以落成，原來是成功轉移毗鄰由太古持有的一個公園之地積比。儘管太古成功搭上「尾班車」，不過，消息人士指，事件引起政府部門高度關注，有關方面事後已緊急堵塞漏洞。

　　太古旗下魚涌華蘭路十八號商廈，近日剛命名港島東中心，將於○八年落成，可紓緩商廈供應短缺，然而，該座總樓面逾一百六十萬方呎的巨廈所處位置，為太古於○三年間，收購兩幢分別是萬邦及益新舊工廈，原址佔地合共僅五萬五千多呎，以日後新落
樓面計算，地積比竟高達二十九點一倍。

　　本報向屋宇署查詢此事，發言人回覆﹕「整個地盤包括兩幢已拆卸大廈舊址，以及毗連一幅由太古城第三期分割出來的空地組成，總面積為一萬零二百一十三方米，最高地積比為十五倍，根據有關核准圖則，該發展項目的總樓面面積符合建築物條例規定，該發展項目屬一般地盤合併，並不涉地積比轉移的問題。」

　　太古地產發言人則回應，港島東中心樓面計算，除了來自兩個舊工廈，還獲政府批准，將毗鄰公園地皮注入，該地皮面積逾五萬多呎，故合併後地皮面積逾十萬呎，以地積比率十五倍興建。

　　根據○二年太古年報顯示，港島東中心位處的華蘭路十六號，包括屬於兩個舊工廈的五個地段，惟○四年年報顯示，該處增加了三個地段，合併後地盤面積擴至十萬九千九百二十九方呎。

　　地政總署地段索引圖顯示，新增地段正是魚涌華蘭路的公園，土地註冊處資料顯示，該地段由太古旗下Taikoo Shing Deelopment Limited持有，現場所見，該公園西面毗鄰港島東中心地盤，將來會成為拔地而起的巨廈，北面則連接住宅屋苑太古城安盛台。

　　原來，該公園存在多時，太古城街坊皆表示﹕「公園於九十年代落成，四年前更於此設立高球練習場，令環境大為改善。」

　　不過，規劃署資料顯示，公園所處地皮，從七六年十月二十九日的首份魚涌分區大綱規劃圖開始，一直規劃作住宅/商業用途，換言之，這是一幅具商業或住宅價值的用地。

　　規劃圖又顯示，○三年八月二十二日，該地皮才由住宅/商業用途，更改為休憩用地。香港測量師學會前會長陳佐堅解釋，皆因該地皮商業地積比，已被轉移至毗鄰商廈，地皮不能再作商業發展，但依然是私人土地，是太古持有的公園。

　　陳氏認為，發展商既為住戶保留公園，同時不浪費有價值的地皮，是雙贏方案。中原測量師行董事總經理黎堅輝也說，太古「食腦」盡用土地資源。一家大型地產商更聲稱，「太古巧妙的計數，充分顯示他們的機智，懂得這樣計數，唔使做啦」。

　　雖然有關做法符合規定，地政署亦強調不存在轉移地積比，但一名政府消息人士透露，自從太古成功轉移公園地積比，該商廈於○三年六月獲批則後，引起政府部門廣泛關注，為避免區內物業發展過高，有關方面已設法堵塞漏洞。

　　本報查閱城規會資料所得，自○三年八月太古所持的上述公園地皮，改作為休憩用地外，政府並一次過收緊區內發展限制，訂下商業發展最高地積比為十五倍，還為部分商廈設高度限制，例如日後太古坊若重建，林肯大廈建議高度不得超過一百一十二米，和域大廈高度不得超過一百六十米。

　　他解釋，上述做法限制物業將來的重建發展，高度少於一百六十米商廈，折合樓高最多四、五十層，換言之，港島東中心這種摩天巨廈將成絕響。

政 府 堵 漏 洞 廣 泛 收 緊 限 制
政 府 近 日 收 緊 九 龍 塘 物 業 高 廈 限 制 ， 受 影 響 的 包 括 和 域 臺 、 天 樂 園 、 福 景 苑 及 映 月 臺 等 。
　　(星島日報報道)太古鰂魚涌一座摩天商廈，成功轉移毗鄰公園之地積比，令該廈價值暴漲至逾百億元。不過，同類事件難於重演，皆因政府已堵塞有關漏洞，除了修改鰂魚涌區內發展限制，近期也收緊九龍塘區高度限制，令一些合併標售的舊樓，發展高度受到限制。

　　太古旗下鰂魚涌華蘭路十八號商廈，成功轉移毗鄰公園之地積比，令該廈發展價值大增至逾百億，儘管太古成功為商廈增值，但同類事件難於重演，皆因政府已堵塞漏洞，除了於二○○三年八月，修改鰂魚涌區內發展限制，近日也收緊九龍塘區高度限制，令一些合併標售的舊樓，發展高度受到限制。

　　根據城規會修訂，於九龍塘義德道及筆架山道一帶共十二塊土地，加入十三層的高度
制，影響的物業包括和域臺、天樂園、福景苑及映月臺等，現時該批物業樓層由五至八層不等。

　　另外，廣播道一號、香港電台大廈及商業電台現址，高度限制為十層，喇沙利道及蘭開夏道一帶共八塊土地，高度限制為八層，此外屬商業用途的華都大廈及建新中心亦加入六層及八層高度限制。

　　地產業人士表示，九龍塘不斷有小業主聯手放售物業，長實等發展商積極於區內吸納土儲，政府預見區內陸續出現重建，該修訂有效限制區內物業高廈，避免出現摩天巨廈。

　　由於成功轉移毗鄰公園之地積比，港島東中心發展的地盤面積，由本來只有五萬五千方呎的物業，擴至十萬九千九百二十九方呎，發展總樓面由原來的八十萬方呎，驟增至一百六十萬方呎。地積比成功轉移，也令該廈大為增值，業內人士表示，以區內商廈市價每方呎逾七千元計算，以此計該幢商廈價值由五十六億元，暴漲至一百一十二億元。

　　業內人士估計區內商廈市價每方呎由六千元至逾七千元，以港島東中心該優質甲廈而言，呎價約七千元，美聯營業董事黃漢成表示，區內甲廈均為出租，不過計算租金普遍逾二十多元，區內商廈市價每方呎至少逾六千元。

　　中原香港商廈部高級營業經理黃瑋琮表示，區內太古城中心目前呎租達二十七至三十元，由於商廈短缺，未來租金看漲，雖然區內沒有出售的甲廈作指標，若以回報計算，市值每方呎逾七千元。

　　港島東中心所佔的地皮，包括毗鄰的公園，公園存在十多年時，但一直都規劃作住宅/商業用途，太古透過將它改為非休憩用地，將地積比轉移至毗鄰港島東中心發展地盤。兩幢舊工廈為萬邦及益新工廈，其中太古花長達六年時間，收購萬邦工廈逾九成權益，並引用「強制性拍賣條例」，於二○○二年五月一統該廈業權，作價三億一千萬元，是香港首個引用土地收回條例統一業權的物業。益新工廈則是太古成功於○一年向小業主收購，成功統一業權。

Regarding this sort of backlash, I really don't understand the mindset of the government...

if they are so concerned with the canyon effect and over-urbanization, why would they still prefer 4 fatter, wider, albeit shorter buildings, then a single supertall space left over for public space/park?

The Taikoo Shing example is a perfect solution. Instead of building a 20-30 floor office tower surrounded by residential flats in addition to the originally proposed one, by keeping the park in place it ensures the view/property value of the residential flats and it gives a nice public space for everyone... in return the upper floors of the now taller office tower also get a better view, so wht's the problem?

Besides, in another wht.. 40, 50 years, demand would b high enuf to force buildings up another 20 floors higher, so building shorter buildings now is just counter-intuitive to long term development isn't it?

i agree. The gov is just stupid. In the case of the HK East Center, how is it different from a project like Central plaza where the tower use only part of the land, and leave a lot of open space for public use? Just because there is a road seperated the two sites in the HK east center site? It just doesn't make sense.

http://www.oneislandeast.com.hk/images/building2.jpg

HK$2 Billion Contract Awarded for One Island East

Swire Properties today (Thursday, 16 March 2006) announced the main contract award for One Island East, valued at over $2 billion, to Gammon Construction Limited. The project is scheduled for single-phased completion in March 2008, aided by a pioneering digital project management system which will facilitate collaboration across all disciplines of the development process so that the completion date is achieved. This in turn will reduce construction waste significantly. Also underscoring Swire Properties' environmental protection values will be a paperless bidding process.

Sharing the same vision, Thomas Ho, Chief Executive of Gammon Construction Limited said, "I believe we share the same values and business ethic as Swire Properties and we look forward very much to working with them on introducing safe, environmentally responsible and technically innovative construction at One Island East."

Swire Properties' Chairman, Keith Kerr said, "One Island East embodies Swire's continuing commitment to the development of our investment portfolio on the eastern shore of Hong Kong Island. It is a process evolved over the past 30 years and one which will continue into the future so that it remains one of the territory's best managed commercial communities. With over 300 multinational corporations already resident in the hub, One Island East will offer a premium business environment and will integrate with the facilities already well established in the area."

This 70-storey, triple Grade-A office building, will add a further 1.5 million square feet to Swire's Island East investment portfolio. Strategically located, One Island East commands superlative views of the harbour and is within the immediate proximity of both Taikoo and Quarry Bay MTR stations. It is comprehensively serviced by the public transportation network and supported by car parking for 1,000 vehicles. Pedestrian access to the rest of Island East is well facilitated by a covered walkway system, private roads and landscaped plazas.

In addition, businesses within One Island East will be able to leverage off The Matrix infrastructure that provides super high-speed and cost efficient telecommunications with dedicated fibre-optic links that ensure the highest degree of security and privacy. This is reinforced by the tenanted presence of over 350,000 sq ft of data centres and world-class carriers in Island East.

Surrounding One Island East is a host of dining, shopping and entertainment facilities that help form a quality community for work and leisure. Over 60 restaurants and cafes complemented by alfresco dining unique of the area offer cuisine for diversified tastes and budgets. In the vicinity is the 1.1 million square feet Cityplaza shopping centre which has excellent choices of shopping and entertainment including over 160 shops, an ice rink, five first-class cinemas with two elite-grade Director's club houses. Whilst Butterfield's, a private members club which operates within TaiKoo Place, provides the ideal venue for elegant dining and conferencing.

Island East is one of the territory’s best planned and established business districts, consisting of over seven million sq ft of office and retail space stretching from TaiKoo Place in the west, to the Cityplaza retail and office complex in the east. All of the Island East area is developed and managed by Swire Properties.

太古建摩廈 港島東最高
17 March 2006

【明報專訊】太古地產現正積極打造港島東地標，昨與金門建築簽訂鰂魚涌港島東中心（即前萬邦工業大廈）的建造工程合約，建築費為20億元，該廈共有70層，高280米，總樓面155萬方呎，預計08年3月落成後，將成為港島東最高及全港第8高的大廈，僅次於第7位的中環長江集團中心。

太古03年成功將集團持有、毗鄰萬邦工廈旁的匯圃高爾夫球場合併發展，將球場的地積比率轉移，一同計算地盤面積及發展樓面，得以興建這幢摩廈，而且不用補地價。港島東區的商廈普遍屬20至40層的物業，太古現時持有的港島東商廈中，最高的濠豐大廈亦只有41層，其次是39層高的康橋大廈，港島東中心落成後，將在區內鶴立雞群。

甲廈租金今年升勢料放緩

太古地產主席簡基富昨日表示，05年甲級商廈租金大升後，06年升勢會放慢，但預期空置率會持續下降。對於政府考慮推出商業地，作小量定期拍賣。身兼地產建設商會執委會主席的簡基富表示，市場需要的不是單一種地皮，而是住宅及商業地也需要。他稱現時只要勾地價能彈性處理，機制便能運作暢順。

簡基富﹕補價程序需加快

對於大發展商聯署去信特首曾蔭權，指補地價申請程序緩慢，他表示，不對個別的事件作出評論，僅認為補價程序有需要加快。

他續說，集團於內地正積極尋找項目，包括曾競投上海浦東地皮，但未能中標（即世紀大道地皮，由和黃投得 ），而現時仍未於上海落實任何發展項目，於香港則與中巴籌備發展北角渣華道項目。他亦表示，於港島東的商廈，暫時未有擴充樓面計劃。

（明報記者周偉強報道）

It's gonna be a beautiful :-) Can't wait for it to start going skyward! :-D

How tall is this building in meters?

How tall is this building in meters?
280m

'Crown jewel' office project finally begins in Quarry Bay
Leslie Kwoh
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Leading land developer Swire Properties has begun construction on its HK$2 billion office flagship in Quarry Bay, following a year-long hiatus triggered by high vacancy rates in the office market.

Demolition of the two former buildings, Melbourne Industrial Building and Aik San Factory Building, at the site on Westlands Road was completed 13 months ago but, "because the commercial aspect was not so good, we did not feel the need to rush," Swire's head of public affairs, Miranda Szeto, said at a presentation Monday.

While construction is not expected to be completed until 2008, high demand in the area means Quarry Bay office rents have more than doubled over the past year to average HK$31.21 per square foot a month, and are expected to increase by another 30 percent in the next 12 months, according to Knight Frank.

The 70-story glass office complex, which will add 1.5 million square feet of office space to Swire's investment properties portfolio, is currently the only major Grade A office development under way on Hong Kong Island after overall office property completions fell to a 35-year low last year.

Senior project manager Kenneth Ng described One Island East as the crown jewel in Swire's Island East business district, which includes 61 residential blocks and 12 commercial buildings.

It will also be the tallest building in Quarry Bay, at 308 meters, only 27m shorter than Hong Kong's tallest building, Two IFC.

A covered walkway will integrate the complex with neighboring Tai Koo Place.

Ng said he predicted construction would be "exceptionally efficient" as more than 2,100 glitches in structural planning, such as plumbing obstructions, were identified and resolved in the design stage, with the help of HK$10 million 3-D digital visualization software Swire adopted last February.

According to Ng, previous clashes between design and actual construction were checked manually and randomly by consultants, and only at an advanced stage of construction, thus resulting in a high wastage rate of new and unused fittings and finishes.

Design clashes alone were responsible for about 2,000 cubic meters of construction waste at Three Pacific Place, which Swire completed in 2004, he said.

As such wastage is expected to be completely eliminated in the One Island East project - the first project in Hong Kong to use the software - Ng estimated that total construction waste would be reduced by 15-25 percent. He predicted the new "Designing Out Waste" initiative would bring long-term gains for Swire, especially after accumulating landfills prompted the government to implement waste charges in January ranging from HK$27 to HK$125 a ton for all projects costing HK$1 million or more.

One Island East will also be the first project in Hong Kong to use "concrete crushers," multimillion dollar vehicles used during demolition to "bite" materials into smaller chunks, which can then be more easily divided into groups for recycling.

Only about 1 percent of waste from demolition works for the One Island East project went to landfills, Ng said.

The remaining 99 percent was recycled or reused, including 57,125 tonnes of concrete and bricks, 2,840 tonnes of steel and 740 tonnes of other inert materials - which would have incurred anywhere from HK$1.6 million to HK$7.6 million under the new waste charges scheme.

Responding to concerns that One Island East would overcrowd the area, where office workers often complain they endure long restaurant lines during lunch hour, Szeto said she was "confident" the new complex will spark a new flurry of supplementary commercial developments.

It will also be the tallest building in Quarry Bay, at 308 meters, only 27m shorter than Hong Kong's tallest building, Two IFC.


:eek2: :eek2:

2IFC is over 400m...

It changes to 308 metres?

Strange bit about the IFC and all.

So it's 300m+?

If so...

US7
2IFC
Central Plaza
Bank of China
Centre
Nina Tower
HKEC (Hong Kong East Center)?

all over 300m?

ah... they should find a better name for the tower...
east centre sounds so lame. :(

i don't understand why ppl can't be a little bit more creative.... IFC/ICC.. now it's HKEC? =.= mmm...

ah... they should find a better name for the tower...
east centre sounds so lame. :(

i don't understand why ppl can't be a little bit more creative.... IFC/ICC.. now it's HKEC? =.= mmm...
It is called One Island East (HKEC is a direct translation of the Chinese name)

A couple of close up photos provided upon request.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v737/homeofthereds/IMGP1680.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v737/homeofthereds/IMGP1682.jpg

Cool THANKS!!!!

nice!
i guess they're already building it! :-) This one should go up fast :-)

Supposed to be done by '08 innit?

Wow. I had no idea it was under construction. This beauty deserves its own thread in the international construction section :)

I just checked with my parents... our new apt in Tai Koo Shing has bedroom windows directly facing the construction... I'll make sure I post pics of the construction progress when I go back this summer

P.S. My dad was complaining that he couldn't get any sleep coz they start working @ 8am and they're "banging the foundation" :-D

Lol I sleep fine!

Which building are you staying in?

thx!
the foundation is very deep.

Lol I sleep fine!

Which building are you staying in?

I forgot the name, just know it's the one right above a 7/11

A right - not that far away from me then. Not more than a hundred paces south of me.

Excuse me?. What is that project?

Excuse me?. What is that project?
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=7943038&postcount=63

Oh! Thanks, hkskyline.

Render...

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/8742/islandeast6lc.jpg

Oh! Lord!! very outstanding indeed.

hmm... feels like it's facing the wrong direction if thaz how they're gonna build it.. shouldn't that curvy thing on top be facing the water instead?

I think this isn't really a special building.

hmm... feels like it's facing the wrong direction if thaz how they're gonna build it.. shouldn't that curvy thing on top be facing the water instead?

Yea..I just did a quick photoshop job :D without taking into account perspectives and so on ...

In any case I don't have another render (does anyone?) of Island East apart from that one which shows a different perspective.

ICC Mini

Pretty much.

Maybe this is a job for Sher?

Traffic concerns over new tower in Taikoo Shing


(SCMP) 04月 21日 星期一 11:34AM

Residents and workers in Taikoo Shing are bracing for more traffic and increased pollution - from a new office tower in the area.



The 70-storey One Island East, which opened on April 1, will bring an average of 650 more vehicles an hour into the area when most of the tenants move in this summer, according to estimates by developer Swire Properties.

District councillors and residents fear that the traffic - three times more than before the Quarry Bay landmark was developed - will clog the narrow streets, causing more noise and dust.

The company's head of public affairs, Miranda Szeto, admitted the tower - already 87 per cent leased - would attract more cars and pedestrians to the area. But the impact would be much less than the figures suggested, she said.

"The extra traffic will be mostly private vehicles, not trucks or cargo vans as it used to be," she said, referring to traffic flow at the two industrial buildings that were demolished to make way for the tower. "And the extra cars will be diverted among various roads within the area ... it's not like they will all jam into one street at a particular moment."

Westlands Road, which leads to the tower, has already been changed to more clearly direct drivers and allow smoother traffic flow.

But Eastern District councillor Andrew Chiu Ka-yin, a long-time resident in the area, and his neighbours were worried much of the increased traffic would come from the Island Eastern Corridor through Taikoo Wan Road, bringing more noise and dust.


"Swire said vehicles would be encouraged to drive to the corridor through Hoi Tai Street on the harbourfront, but drivers tend to pick the shortest route to their destinations, and that is Taikoo Wan Road."

Meanwhile, people who drive to work at Taikoo Place were worried that finding a parking space would become more difficult. As One Island East does not have its own car park, drivers would have to use the car parks under Taikoo Place.

But Ms Szeto said the number of parking spaces was adequate. Figures showed that of the 1,300 spaces available, only about 70 per cent were used.

The Transport Department said Swire had not provided figures on the traffic implications of the new office tower, but a government engineer said roads in the district should be able to cope for the next five years.

One Island East, however, is the first of a number of developments expected to add to the congestion in the next few years. The 350-room Cityplaza Hotel on Taikoo Shing Road is expected to open next year.

Swire is also seeking to redevelop three office blocks at Taikoo Place

Traffic concerns over new tower in Taikoo Shing

I agree with TD area-wide shouldn't have a problem to handle the extra average 650 vehicles an hour, but I would be more concerned with Westlands Road and Pan Hoi Street, especially at where the two intersect.

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7/25

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