# TAIPEI | Projects & Construction



## hkskyline

*Old city block finds new creative life *
1 September 2009
Taipei Times

After six years of restoration work, a dilapidated city block in Taipei's Wanhua District has returned to life as a new arts district that the Taipei City Government hopes will complement its efforts to reinvigorate traditional local culture in the area. The new arts district officially opened on Saturday in conjunction with the two-month long Popiarts Old Street Cultural Festival.

Kangding Road Lane 173 (173) was left largely untouched by the massive developments that have been taking place in and around the now cleaned up and modernized Lungshan Temple. The hookers and purveyors of pirated porn and snake products have now been ushered off the main thoroughfare into less visible back alleys, replaced by the rather more convivial No. 12 City Park. This gradual process of modernization and restoration has now extended one block to the east.

The rectangular city block that lines this alley has had its old and more evocative name revived. Po-Pi-Liao, literally translated as the "peeling workshop," was formerly the center of Taipei's lumber business.

Wang Wen-tu, borough warden for Fuying, where Po-Pi-Liao is located, said that this city block gained its name because it was where the bark of logs that had been towed from Fujian Province in China was stripped away and prepared to be made into construction materials. "During the Qing Dynasty, the river ran right up to this part of town," he said. "It is one of the oldest parts of Taipei, and its wealth was built on the sale of much-needed timber for construction." Although it later fell on hard times, Po-Pi-Liao was once one of the richest and busiest areas of Taipei.

Remnants of the block's golden days are evident in the elaborate architecture of many of the storefronts that make up Po-Pi-Liao. Much of this beauty, previously hidden by signs and the general disrepair of the buildings, has now re-emerged as the result of refurbishment efforts and the rejuvenation of Po-Pi-Liao's old town center. It has recently served as the setting of the new big-budget period drama Mengjia, starring the likes of Ethan Ruan and Mark Chao. This exciting development might account for the movie town feel of the old street, which in fact has been divided into a number of exhibition spaces the Taipei City Government hopes will attract artists of all sorts, thereby enriching local culture and enhancing the area's tourist appeal.

The spaces, characterized by a combination of heavy wooden beams, brick and stone, are enormously attractive, as is the secluded garden area. However, their current status as venues for the Fusion Folks Contemporary Art Exhibition, which is part of the festival, might be somewhat questionable. Featuring 24 young artists, seven invited from overseas, the exhibition seems to possess little connection to the space, and once again appears to expose the city government as a sucker for abstract and inaccessible art.

Fortunately, there is a great deal else going on beyond Fusion Folks, not least the opportunity for visitors to take in some of the old buildings, now stripped of tatty awnings and signs. The mixture of neo-baroque and Japanese colonial is a fascinating manifestation of the hurley burley of Taiwan's history.

Starting on Sept. 12, the new venue will serve as the center of the Bopi-Summer Feast, which will include music, theater performances and movies. Opening the festival will be Deserts Chang and her new band Algae.

Festival and exhibition curator Sean Hu emphasized that in addition to all these events, Po-Pi-Liao will become a center for tourist exploration of the historic Wanhua District. A "fun tour map" has been published and provides a friendly, if not particularly informative or innovative, introduction to local points of interest. For those so inclined, the Po-Pi-Liao event is also connected to the ubiquitous Cow Parade, and visitors can search for the Night Market Cow, the Devotional Cow and other cow sculptures that are spread throughout the district.

Not everyone, however, was fully appreciative of the way the city government restored the space or the manner in which it has chosen to use it. "Well, they might have just torn it down," said one arts manager present at the opening ceremony. The creation of the Po-Pi-Liao Old Street, has, if nothing else, preserved something of old Taipei, and it will hopefully evolve throughout the course of the current Bopiarts Festival to become a genuine part of the ongoing Wanhua community revival.

Detailed information about the festival can be found at www.bopiarts.tw. Po-Pi-Liao is located at the corner of Guangzhou Street and Kangding Road and is open 10am to 5pm Sundays to Thursdays and until 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed on Mondays. Admission is free.


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## hkskyline

*Taipei will be undersea in future: researcher *
2 September 2009
The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taipei will be entirely under the sea by the end of this century, an Academia Sinica research fellow warned yesterday.

Not just the Taipei basin will be engulfed by the rising seas triggered by climate warming, Wang Chung-ho told an Academia Sinica-sponsored seminar on climate change and the prospect of indigenous culture.

Most of the plains area on Taiwan, including every city and county along its west coast, will be submerged under the rising seawater, Wang said in a research paper theorizing the attack of the seas on the island.

Wang, research fellow at the AS institute of geoscientific research, theorizes the invasion of the seas on the basis of an estimate by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that the sea level will rise by at least one meter before this century is out.

"Not 40 centimeters or 50 centimeters," Wang said, "but one meter at the very least, that will gobble up most of the low-lying areas on Taiwan."

Taiwan's east coast will be a little better off, however.

As a result, Wang went on, the people in the heavily populated plains would have to go up to higher ground, the mountains which are the traditional habit of most of Taiwan's indigenous Austronesian peoples.

The mass migration which would result in overdevelopment of mountainous areas, causing landslides like the ones hitting the tribal villages in the wake of Typhoon Morakot whenever heavy rains fall, Wang said.

At least 500 residents of Siaolin, the tribal village in the county of Kaohsiung, still remain buried since August 9, presumed dead.

Morakot struck Taiwan August 8-9. The village, buried in mudslides, was abandoned.

"That may be an inevitable disaster we have to face in the next nine decades," Wang pointed out.

Climate warming is thawing the ice in the arctic ocean, Wang said. All the ice in the polar zone is expected to melt in three decades, compelling Taiwan to move its capital from Taipei to a much higher place.

"We have to be prepared for that worst scenario," Wang added.

Dr. Liu Shao-chen, CA director of the climate change research center, joined Wang in issuing the warning of the rapid rise in the sea level and a tripling of precipitation.

"It's not impossible," Liu said.

Moreover, Liu said, a rise by one degree Celcius in the temperature would increase Taiwan's precipitation by 1.4 times.

"In other words," Liu continued, "before the end of this century, the mean rainfall will rise 2.8 times. And if no greenhouse gas emission isn't controlled, the rise will shoot up by 5.6 times."

It means the record torrential rains that hit central and southern Taiwan in Morakot's wake will be repeated frequently, touching off devastating landslides.

But the mass exodus of people from the plains to the mountains would squeeze indigenous tribes out of their traditional habitat.

"They may have nowhere to go," Wang said.


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## hkskyline

*Deaflympics stage safe, organizers say
DPP city councilors said trusses had fallen during construction and that a lift had become stuck during a rehearsal last week, but organizers disagreed *
3 September 2009
Taipei Times

The Deaflympics' organizing committee yesterday dismissed accusations by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors who said trusses above the performing stage at Taipei Stadium had fallen during installation early last month, and assured the public of the safety of the facilities.

The opening ceremony will be held at 7:30pm at the Taipei Stadium on Saturday with about 5,000 performers, including pop star A-mei and a hearing-impaired Chinese dance troupe.

DPP Taipei City councilors Chuang Ruei-hsiung, Huang Hsiang-chun and Liu Yao-ren inspected the stadium and the performing stage yesterday, and said the 10-story-high trusses that would support some of the performers had fallen during the installation and testing period. They also said a lift that would be used to raise performers to an elevated stage during the opening had become stuck during a rehearsal last Friday.

"What would they do if the trusses fell to the stage and hurt the performers during the opening ceremony? That would be a huge embarrassment in front of the international community and the performers could be seriously hurt," Chuang said.

Huang said the city had budgeted NT$600 million (US$18 million) for the opening and closing ceremonies, which was much higher than the Kaohsiung City Government's budget of NT$108 million for the opening and closing of the World Games.

Although contract workers had repaired the trusses and the lift stage, the city government failed to ensure the quality of the stage and facilities, he said.

Deaflympics Organizing Committee president Emile Sheng denied the allegations and said no trusses had fallen. Sheng showed reporters a copy of a document he said proved the stage was safe, adding that the rehearsal had gone smoothly.

When asked about a possible storm on the weekend, Sheng said the opening ceremony would be postponed if there was a typhoon on Saturday. Competitions could also be postponed or moved to backup locations, he said.

In related news, the state-run Chunghwa Post Co will begin selling a set of two commemorative stamps on Saturday to mark the opening of the Deaflympics, the company said yesterday.

A commemorative cachet will be available at post offices throughout the country.

The Deaflympics logo is featured on the upper right corner of both stamps. The design of the logo integrates the three major elements of the Games: the Chinese character bei, or north, which represents Taipei; an ear, symbolizing the hearing impaired; and a person, symbolizing an athlete, a company spokesman said.

The NT$5 stamps show a badminton player and a track athlete set against a map of Taiwan and a pattern of dark and light rings symbolizing sonic wave vibrations, the spokesman said.

The NT$25 stamps show athletes engaged in taekwondo and tennis set against a background of a shape resembling an ear, which symbolizes the idea of "Taiwan reaching out, and the world coming in," the spokesman said.


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## hkskyline

*Gondola construction guide existed: Taipei *
The China Post Staff
15 September 2009










TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taipei City government said it did not forge any document to cover up alleged corruption in Maokong Gondola construction but did erroneously catalogue a portion of the construction manual so causing confusion to city councils, said an official from Taipei City Hall yesterday.

It was an administrative oversight, explained Tan Guo-guang, the Taipei City deputy secretary-general, concerning the false accreditation to the Executive Yuan for Maokong Gondola construction guideline No. 02476 rather than Chunyuan Construction Co., the lead contractor for the gondola project.

After the gondola suspended services, Taipei City Councilor Li Wen-ying had inquired on the circumstances surrounding the erosion of the gondola's pillar foundation.

The city's reply to the inquiry stated that the pillars were erected under the directions prescribed by an apparently non-existing Executive Yuan document, reported by a Liberty Times report on the city that alleged there was a coverup of wrongdoing in the building of the gondola.

In response to the report, Tan said that the guideline was published by the contractor not the Executive Yuan, but the city did not fabricate any documents.

The Maokong Gondola has been out of commission since last October after rains from Typhoon Jangmi eroded away the foundation of some of its pillars.


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## hkskyline

*Taiwan's HTC To Spend NT$3.38B On Building R&D Headquarters *
14 September 2009

TAIPEI (Dow Jones)--HTC Corp. (2498.TW) plans to spend NT$3.38 billion to build research and development headquarters in Taipei county, the company said Monday.

The total floor space of the building will be 92,247.93 square meters, including 17 aboveground floors and six underground floors, HTC said in a statement.

Construction is scheduled to start on Oct. 31 this year and is expected to be finished by Aug. 31, 2011.

HTC is the world's largest maker of phones using Microsoft's (MSFT) operating system by shipments. It also makes the Google (GOOG) phone, which uses the android operating system, an open-standard platform for mobile phones.


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## hkskyline

*Xinsheng Overpass set to reopen next month: Mayor Hau *
18 September 2009
Taipei Times









_China Post_

The Xinsheng Overpass is scheduled to reopen early next month, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said yesterday.

The overpass, which was built more than 25 years ago, has undergone reconstruction work since July last year, with a project budget of NT$1.6 billion (US$48 million).

Hau yesterday inspected the reconstruction and promised to open the overpass next month after a thorough safety inspection.

The quality of the construction work came into question recently after the city government acknowledged that substandard adhesive had been used in the reconstruction project.

Taipei City's Construction Department stopped using the problematic adhesive - Sikadure AnchorFix-4 - for the work and invited the Taipei Structural Engineers Association to assess the bridge last month.

"The safety report will come out next week, but initial reports have found no safety problems ... We expect to open the overpass on schedule," Hau said.

Wu Chun-hsien, director of the construction department, said the work would ease congestion in the Yuanshan area, where traffic heading to and from Shilin, Beitou, Dazhi and Neihu cross.

The congestion on Beian Road will improve once the overpass construction is completed, Wu said.

Wu said the work would be finished by the end of this month. The city's Transportation Department will conduct a safety inspection of the bridge before opening it to traffic, he said.


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## hkskyline

Xinyi District


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## [email protected]

Some updates I took recently.

*Xinyi:*




































Next to the President Enterprise Corporation Tower. Looks like it could be around 200m, however there is activity on the plot yet.










I recently discovered this one in the middle of * Ximen*. The name seems to be *Taipei Tower Square* and it looks like a smaller version of the Burj Dubai (~30F). Construction work is already underway.


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## hkskyline

*Airport firm budget gets green light
With the company expected to raise passenger numbers, the transportation ministry is planning a third terminal at the airport in Taoyuan*
6 November 2009
Taipei Times

The legislature's Transportation Committee yesterday approved the budget for the International Airport Co, which is scheduled to be established before November next year.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo said the ministry was entrusting a consulting firm with drafting the master plan for the company, which it aims to complete by May.

"We hope that the airport company will help increase the number of passengers using the nation's airports," Mao said. "Currently, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport has an average of 22 million passengers per year. We are laying out three potential levels for the airport in the future: 50 million, 40 million and 30 million passengers. We haven't determined which level we will adopt."

He said the ministry was also planning to construct a third terminal and runway at the airport.

Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) Director-General Lee Lung-wen said the three levels Mao spoke about *referred to the airport's maximum passenger capacity, not the goals the CAA had set for passenger volume each year.

Lee said the CAA and the consulting firm were still evaluating which level would be a more practical choice.

"When you have this kind of project, you also have to plan for the development for the next 15 to 20 years," Lee said.

Lawmakers on the committee, including Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Yang Li-huan and Tsai Chi-long as well as Democratic Progressive Party legislators Yeh Yi-jin and Kuo Wen-cheng, questioned Mao about the benefits the establishment of the International Airport Co was expected to bring.

Kuo also asked Mao about the competitiveness of the Taoyuan airport, since many manufacturers have moved to China, while a number of airlines prefer to transfer flights in either Hong Kong or Singapore.

In response, Mao said that raising passenger volumes at Taoyuan airport was indeed a "great challenge."

"In the past eight years, we have not invested many resources in the development of airports and seaports. Now we have to catch up," the minister said.

Mao said the ministry hoped to turn Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport into a hub for Northeast and Southeast Asia.


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## hkskyline

*Taipei to see 15pc increase in prices *
Bloomberg 
18 November 2009

Taipei's residential prices may rise 15 per cent next year, more than in Singapore, Hong Kong and on the mainland, because there is more competition among homebuyers in the city.

An increasing number of would-be buyers and smaller sites being auctioned had led to stiffer competition in Taipei, CLSA analyst Tayher Lim said. The difficulty of getting land might result in developers holding on to existing land without building new projects, causing a further supply squeeze, he said.

"Compared to Hong Kong, Singapore or China, Taiwan has more variable factors," Lim said. "Most buildings are freehold in Taiwan and the government doesn't own a significant amount of land, so there's less it can control."

Perng Fai-nan, Taiwan's central bank governor, last month tightened loan-risk management as property prices advanced, James Yue, director-general at the bank, said earlier.

Taiwan joined Singapore, Hong Kong, India and the mainland in moving to prevent excessive property market swings, after falling interest rates drove prices higher.

Hong Kong last month tightened down payment requirements for luxury homes. A month earlier, Singapore banned interest-only mortgages for uncompleted housing.

Taiwan's tightened lending, probably aimed at Taipei's luxury market, was unlikely to have much impact, Lim said. "The luxury market is less driven by debt financing and property is quite affordable outside Taipei, with less than 30 per cent of household disposable income used to pay mortgages."

Luxury flats near Taipei 101, the world's tallest completed building, are sold for the equivalent of US$1,149 per square foot, Lim said. A 1,500 square foot flat in these properties will cost US$1.7 million, compared with US$625,050 for a similar home in Beijing, US$2.6 million in Hong Kong and US$2 million in Singapore, based on calculations from CB Richard Ellis data.


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## hkskyline

*Gov't to find land for building cheap housing units: Wu *
1 December 2009
The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Premier Wu Den-yih said yesterday that the government is mulling requisitioning land lots along the mass rapid transit (MRT) systems and rezoning land plots for the construction of housing units that can be sold or rented to local people at reasonable prices.

Wu made the remarks when asked by reports to comment on the fact that exorbitant prices for housing units in urban areas ranks first on the list of top-10 public complaints that were singled out via online vote as of the deadline of Nov. 29.

The premier said the government will move to work out well-rounded measures to rein in the runaway housing prices in the Greater Taipei area, including using the rezoning rules of the urban renewal law to build new apartments in cooperation with construction and real estate development companies at government-owned land lots along the MRT routes or near airports.

Wu continued that the Ministry of Finance is also working on a plan to release 8,000 hectares of government land in urban areas to build low-cost apartments for young people in cooperation with construction firms in the private sector.

Meanwhile, Vice Premier Eric Chu will hear a briefing to be given this afternoon by the Cabinet-level Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (RDEC) and other ministries on how to improve people's life and economy.

The RDEC conducted an online vote of the top 10 public complaints on Nov. 26-29, and released the top-10 list yesterday, with exorbitant housing prices in urban areas topping the list.

Rampant money swindling via phone calls and networks came second, followed by great difficulty in seeking jobs and the growing unemployment; excessively high commodity prices; rampant supply of drugs, overly rigid regulations for towing illegally-parked vehicles, unsafe baby-sitting or child-nursing services, public toilets being too dirty, poor examination of food sanitation, and occupation of sidewalks by parked cars or motorscooters.

The RDEC was acting on an instruction issued by Premier Wu Den-yih, who has been actively settling complaints from local people and will take them as a reference when formulating administration policies.


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## [email protected]

*Taipei Tower Square, Ximen*

Hard to believe, but one year from now this tower will dominate the western part of Tapei together with the Shin Kong Life Tower.




























*NE edge of Daan Park (32F)*

New residential tower at the northeastern corner of Daan Park. I counted 32 floors.




























*SW edge of Daan Park*



















*Eastern Xinyi*

2 new residential towers rising in the eastern part of Xinyi.




























*ALL PHOTOS BY ME*


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## hkskyline

*3rd terminal at Taoyuan airport may be built on BOT model *
11 January 2010

Taipei, Jan. 11 (CNA) The third terminal at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport may be constructed under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model and the possibility of foreign investment in the project will not be excluded, an official said Monday.

The third terminal will be far larger than the two existing terminals at the airport, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) official.

In light of the involvement of foreign professional bidders in the planning, design and operation of other major airports in Asia, the official said, the MOTC does not rule out the possibility of allowing foreign investment in the construction and management of the new terminal, under the BOT formula.

The BOT formula allows private business groups to build and operate a public infrastructure construction project for a specified period of time and then transfer ownership to the government.

The official said that in November this year the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Administration is scheduled to be converted into a state-run corporate body that will be in charge of the development and management of the whole airport and its surroundings, which will be tentatively known as the Taoyuan Airport Park.

The park will form the backbone of an ambitious Taoyuan Aerotropolis development program -- one of the 12 iTaiwan Projects outlined in President Ma Ying-jeou's campaign platform.

According to the official, the park will be spread over a total area of 2,528 hectares, which will include the airport's original 1,200 hectares and another 1,328 hectares to be acquired from private owners and naval authorities and will incorporate adjacent free trade zone.

The MOTC has commissioned a professional consulting team to come up with a comprehensive aviation park development blueprint that is expected to be ready in May for presentation to the Cabinet for approval.

The ministry will brief officials from the government's economic and financial departments and other relevant public agencies on a mid-term report on the blueprint later Monday.


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## hkskyline

*Hau announces plan to beautify metro Taipei *
15 January 2010
Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin announced an urban renewal program in Taipei City that he said would create a 6.3 hectare public park and attract more than NT$12 billion (US$ 370 millon) in investment while beautifying the capital.

The "Taipei Beautiful" program, one of Hau's policies to beautify the city, will begin with 11 construction and urban development projects, including renovation of the Shilin Paper Factory.

The 11 projects will cover 16 hectares. Hau said six projects in Nangang and Neihu districts would promote the technology industry, while projects in Zhongshan, Xinyi, Da-an, Songshan and Shilin districts would reorganize old neighborhoods and promote urban redevelopment.

"Taipei is a city known for its friendliness and rapid development of technology. We want to turn it into a beautiful city that both local residents and foreign visitors will appreciate," Hau said yesterday.

The 11 urban development projects will begin no later than September, and construction could be completed as soon as 2013.

Hau said the projects would provide about 180,000 jobs.

The "Taipei Beautiful" program includes large-scale demolition of more than 600 old and abandoned buildings owned by the city government.

Owners of buildings that are located within 500m of major tourist attractions and transportation hubs can apply with the city's Buildings Administration Office to have their external walls cleaned, cables and wiring tidied and illegal advertisements removed, all for free.


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## hkskyline

*Data collection begins in Taipei for luxury home tax *
21 January 2010
The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taipei City Government has begun collecting data on the city's luxury residential buildings in preparation for imposing a tax on such buildings in the future, the United Evening News reported, yesterday.

By collecting data on high-end properties, the city hopes to create a uniform standard for determining what constitutes a luxury residential building, said Taipei Revenue Service.

The agency listed several characteristics that luxury mansions must have. These include a single-building structure, the use of high-end construction materials, being located at attractive sections of the city, having great landscaping work, privacy, and the use of high quality security officials.

There are at least 5,000 residential buildings in Taipei that meet those criteria, including Star of Xinyi located in the heart of the Xinyi District near Taipei 101, and Emperor's Treasure at the intersection of Renai Road and Jianguo South Road.

The city will complete its first round of investigation by the start of the Lunar New Year break. Data collected will be discussed at a tax reform meeting in March.

Taipei Revenue Service stressed that the data collected will only serve as a reference, adding any tax imposed on luxury buildings will be reviewed by a panel of experts in August this year before its implementation.

Separately, Taipei Revenue Service is also reviewing whether to tax residential and commercial properties at street corners, the United Evening News reported.

Properties at street corners have higher value and should not be subject to low tax rates, the agency said.

The city's efforts are meant to achieve a fairer tax regime and to curb house prices from surging out of control, it said.


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## hkskyline

*CEPD passes Shezidao development plan*
6 January 2010
Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin yesterday vowed to turn the Shezidao area into Taipei's Manhattan within 11 years after a long-stalled development project for the area passed the review of the Council for Economic Planning and Development yesterday.

The city government will budget NT$70 billion (US$2.1 billion) over 11 years to develop the 240-hectare area, including flood-prevention construction, new housing projects and recreational facilities.

"The development of Shezidao used to seem like an impossible dream, but now we can finally transform the area ... We will turn Shezidao into the Manhattan of Taipei," Hau told a press conference yesterday at the Taipei City Hall.

Ting Yu-chun, commissioner of Taipei City's Department of Urban Development, said the city government will start purchasing land from local residents and begin flood prevention construction as soon as July.

Hau said that the city government would make the interests of the district's more than 10,000 residents its priority, promising to help them by providing better housing.

The Shezidao area is a low-*lying area in Taipei City that suffers from flooding during typhoons, while many illegal houses occupy the area.

The city government proposed the project to redevelop the area and solve the flooding problem 10 years ago, but it has been stalled because of opposition from Taipei County, which feared that flooding construction work in Shezidao could force the water to flow to low-lying areas in Sanchong and Lujhou.

Hau said the Taipei County Government presented an urban development project for Sanchong and Lujhou cities to solve any possible flooding.

The city government will conduct an environmental impact assessment for the area while proceeding with the development project, he said.


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## hkskyline

*President meets with Control Yuan members over MRT Neihu Line *
3 February 2010
Central News Agency English News

Taipei, Feb. 3 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou defended his decision to make the Taipei MRT's Neihu Line a medium-capacity system when questioned Tuesday by Control Yuan members investigating alleged irregularities in the planning and construction of the line.

Four members of the Control Yuan, the nation's leading monitor of the government, visited the Presidential Office as part of its investigation to question Ma, who served as Taipei mayor when the Neihu Line was planned and when construction began.

Ger Yeong-kuang, the leader of Control Yuan's investigation, said the group's focus was "mainly on the decision-making process of the construction of the line."

On why he decided to make the Neihu Line a medium-capacity system, Ma said an assessment at the time suggested that a medium-capacity system was more workable.

Also, the then central government controlled by the Democratic Progressive Party government did not support a large-capacity system and would not have helped the Taipei city government finance a larger-scale project, Ma said.

Moreover, the city council and public opinion were both in favor of a medium-capacity system, Ger cited Ma as saying.

According to Ger, the president also defended his decision by saying that because there were so many pipelines under Neihu, the line might not have opened last year if a large-capacity underground system had been selected.

On why the project's electrical and mechanical work was tied to the civil engineering tender, Ma said it was based on concerns that German engineering giant Siemens would have monopolized the bidding and forced the city to pay more than its budget could afford.

A local construction company, Kung Sing Engineering Corp., won the civil engineering bid for the MRT's Neihu section and selected Canada-based Bombardier to be responsible for the electrical and mechanical part of the system.

The Neihu Line was designed to link up with the former Muzha Line, which was built by French contractor Matra Co. in the 1990s.

But because of compatibility problems between the Matra and Bombardier systems, the line suffered repeated glitches after opening last July, leading to questions over its design and quality.

Control Yuan member Hung Chao-nan asked Ma if he would be willing to share responsibility for the problems since the line was built in part during Ma's term before being inaugurated under his successor, Hau Lung-bin.

Ma answered that "if there is responsibility to take, I'm willing to shoulder it," according to Hung.

Ger said the meeting shed light on the controversy and that the investigation would conclude at the earliest before Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 14 this year.

Ger said investigation officers did not accompany the Control Yuan members to the Presidential Office to avoid giving the impression that the president was "under investigation."

But the DPP criticized the encounter, contending that the Control Yuan should have first determined if it has the right to investigate Ma for possible negligence occurring before he served as the president.

If such a right exists, they should have had investigators accompany them, DPP spokesman Tsai Chi-chang said. If they do not have such a right, they should not be allowed to investigate the case until after the president steps down"

"They should by no means close the case rashly," Tsai said.

The right to impeach a president belongs to the legislature, and whether the Control Yuan members have the right to investigate the president is a gray area.


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## hkskyline

Developments around Dajia Riverside Park by *Taipei Walker* first posted at : http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=907458&page=13


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## hkskyline

*TAIWAN GOVERNMENT TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEAR MRT STATION *
12 February 2010
Asia Pulse

TAIPEI, Feb. 12 Asia Pulse - The Taiwan government will offer 4,000 affordable housing units for sale near the projected Linkuo station of the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit system in 2013, with low income families who do not already own property given purchasing preference, a Ministry of the Interior official said Thursday.

Yeh Shih-wen, director of the ministry's Construction and Planning Agency, said the government will use approximately 226 hectares of reserved land and farmland around the projected MRT station to build the housing, with each unit price kept as low as NT$150,000 per ping (3.3 square meters).

While housing prices in Taipei City and some locations in Taipei County have been skyrocketing over the past few years, a survey report released by the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission under the Cabinet last December indicated that high housing prices in the city topped the list of public complaints.

To help the payroll class live in their own apartments, the government therefore decided to build affordable housing units with traffic convenience. The 4,000 units at Linkuo are expected to be completed in 2013, when an extension of the MRT system to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is completed.

According to Yeh, the travel time from Linkuo to the MRT's Taipei Main Station stop will be around 30 minutes.

He said more affordable housing units are planned along the line and added that the government is also planning to build public housing units on the outskirts of Tamsui township in Taipei County when a light rail system is built to serve the area.


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## Taipei Walker

I was wondering where "Linkuo" is until they mentioned airport MRT. It is Linkou, not Linkuo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoyuan_International_Airport_Access_MRT_System


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## hkskyline

*MRT Luzhou line to open Nov. 3*
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said the trial period for the new line would be longer than it had been for the MRT Wenhu line to avoid similar malfunctions 
28 October 2010
Taipei Times

The MRT Luzhou (Lujhou) Line connecting Taipei Countys Lujhou and Sanchong cities with Taipei City will begin operation on Wednesday and passengers on the line will be able to ride for free for 30 days during the one-month trial run, the Taipei City Government announced yesterday.

During the trial service that runs until Dec. 2, passengers who use EasyCards will only be charged if they transfer to other lines.

Compared with the trial services for other MRT lines, which either gave free rides to nearby residents or offered free services for only several hours a day, the new line offers a more generous service, setting off speculation that Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin might be using the free trial run to garner support in the upcoming Taipei mayoral election.

Announcing the operation date at Taipei City Hall yesterday, Hau dismissed the speculation and said the city government decided to extend the period of the trial run because the Control Yuan had blamed the malfunctions of the Wenshan-Neihu Line on its short trial run period, which was three days.

Hau said the city also decided to extend the period because the operation of the line should help ease traffic to the Taipei International Flora Expo.

Many of the lines stations are near the expo sites and we encourage all visitors to the expo to take advantage of the line ... The election was not behind our decision, he said.

Construction began on the line in 2002 and it includes 11 stations. According to the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC), more than 200,000 commuters are -expected to use the line each day. It will take about 19 minutes to get from Luzhou (Lujhou) Station to Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station and about 21 minutes from Luzhou Station to Taipei Main Station, transfer time not included.

The lines Xingtian Temple and Zhongshan Elementary School stations are within walking distance of the flora expo site in Xinsheng Park.

TRTC general manager Tsai Huei-sheng said annual MRT ridership is expected to reach 500 million next year.

Tsai, meanwhile, apologized for two malfunctions on the Neihu Line and Red Line that occurred yesterday and promised to step up efforts to prevent similar incidents.

Service on the Neihu Line was shut down from 7:44am to 8:41am because of a power transmission box malfunction at Dahu Park Station. The incident was followed by a one-hour shutdown on the Red Line from 8:34am because of a power shortage at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station.

Tsai described the two events as two individual and independent incidents that had not happened before.

The company is looking into the causes of the malfunctions and will examine all MRT lines to avoid similar problems.


----------



## Le Clerk

Source



> *Romanian to design 300m tower in Taiwan, second highest in the country*
> 
> 
> A Romanian will design a 300-meter tower in Taiwan. Architect Dorin Stefan won the contest to design this tower, which might become a new symbol of the city Taichung. The Romanian's design was selected from among 250 sketches filed by architects from 25 countries, according to Antena 3. On the occasion, Stefan also won the 125,000 dollar prize.
> 
> The construction will not be the taller on the island. In the Taiwan capital, a building stands at 508 meters, a building called Taipei 101.
> 
> The tower will have an observation area, from where tourists will be able to see Taichung, but also Taiwan Strait, which separates China from Taiwan, a restaurant and an office space. Its construction will begin in 2012 and take two years, according to the Taichung administration, which funds the project.


 Source

*Tender announcement*


----------



## hkskyline

*MRT Luzhou Line opens*
4 November 2010
Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/11/04/2003487683

The MRT Luzhou (Lujhou) Line connecting Taipei Countys Lujhou and Sanchong cities with Taipei City began service operations yesterday, attracting a large crowd to take advantage of the free trial service that lasts for one month.

Thousands of passengers rushed to experience the line on the first day of service when it opened at 2pm, crowding especially around Luzhou Station and the two transfer stations on that line Zhongxiao Xinsheng and Minquan W Road stations.

This is the moment weve been waiting for. Finally, residents in Lujhou and Sanchong can enjoy the convenience of the MRT. I am so excited about being able to take the MRT to work now, 30-year-old Sanchong resident Chang Li-fang said after taking a ride from Luzhou to Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station.

The one-month free trial run, however, sparked confusion as some passengers complained about having to pay for their rides.

Isnt the service free? My EasyCard was still charged NT$20, said 33-year-old Taipei resident Chiu Yun-hsin, who transferred at Minquan W Road and Zhongxiao Xinsheng stations to reach Zhongxiao Fuxing from Yuanshan Station.

Yang Tai-liang, director of Taipei Rapid Transit Corporations (TRTC) station affairs, said the free service would be limited to the Luzhou line. EasyCard holders who transfer to other lines will be charged for the rest of the ride.

Some passengers also complained about the cramped space at Minquan W Road Station and Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station.

With the special municipality elections drawing closer, the launch ceremony was packed with politicians, with President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Wu Den-yih, joined by Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin and Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei, using the occasion to endorse Haus municipal performance.

Former premier Yu Shyi-kun of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who once served as chairman of the TRTC, led a group of DPP Taipei City councilors to attend the ceremony.

Ma, a former Taipei mayor, lauded Hau for continuing the citys cooperation with Taipei County that began under his administration to extend the MRT lines and work on other municipal projects.

Yu, on the other hand, slammed the city government for taking nine years to finish construction of the line.

Brushing aside DPP criticism over Haus rushing the operation date and offering the free trial-run to garner support for his re-election, Ma urged all politicians to work together to improve the nation.

Connecting the opening of the line to the Taipei International Flora Expo, which officially opens on Saturday, Hau encouraged visitors to the expo to use the MRT and promised to raise the citys competitiveness.

Construction on the line began in 2002 and it includes 11 stations. It will take about 19 minutes to get from Luzhou to Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station and about 21 minutes from Luzhou to Taipei Main Station, transfer time not included.

TRTC general manager Tsai Huei-sheng said more than 200,000 commuters are expected to use the line each day and annual MRT ridership is expected to reach 500 million next year.

Service on the line will be free until Dec. 2, a move that has been criticized by some as a gambit to garner support for Hau in the Nov. 27 election.

Before the lines launch ceremony, about 20 activists from the Losheng Youth Alliance threw mud outside Daqiaotou Station as they protested against construction of the MRT Xinzhuang (Sinjhuang) Lines maintenance depot, which they said had caused cracks to develop at the Losheng Sanatoriums residential buildings.

The group urged the Taipei City Government not to forget about this issue as well as to suspend the construction of the depot until a geographic report is conducted.


----------



## hkskyline

*City projects must not be for political gain, Su says*
By Ko Shu-ling / Staff Reporter
Tue, Nov 09, 2010 - Page 3
Taipei Times

Democratic Progressive Party candidate for Taipei mayor Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday accused the city government of spending large sums of taxpayers’ money to develop projects that he claimed were for short-term political gain.

Inspecting a much-criticized bicycle lane and other urban development projects on Dunhua N Road and Dunhua S Road, Su said Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) showed good judgment four years ago when he proposed turning the road into Taipei’s version of Paris’ Avenue des Champs-Elysees.

However, what he saw at Victoria Park was litter, dry fountains and broken pavement tiles, Su said. The roots of large trees were sealed with concrete, lighting fixtures for advertisement never worked and the contractor was entangled in a lawsuit with the city government, he said.

The city also spent more than NT$70 million (US$2.32 million) building the bicycle lane, a project that has come under heavy criticism for mixing cyclists with motorized vehicles.

“City projects cannot be used to serve a particular person’s political interests,” he said. “It is a pity that the city spends so much money, but in the end, the safety of residents is undermined [with the result that] the bicycle lane is rarely used.”

Su said the projects were great ideas and, if handled properly, could have created a win-win scenario. In the end, however, the city government and its contractors suffered, and the ultimate victims were residents.

“To do something and do it right, you must have a well-thought-out plan and the ability to deliver. Otherwise, it’s just empty talk,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hau unveiled his green city declaration, urging world leaders to make their best efforts to increase green spaces and build sustainable cities.

Attending the closing ceremony of the Green City International Conference, Hau said in English he hoped the two-day conference and the declaration would motivate governments and municipalities around the world to build green cities.

Hau and participants at the conference called on national and international leaders to ensure that city governments provide healthy and inspiring environments for their residents.

“Investment in green cities is an investment in a healthy population and a healthy economy, with very high financial and social returns,” he said. “To find eco-friendly green solutions for social, economic, climate, financial and technical problems, we are convinced that more cities and municipal governments will benefit from green urban power by exchange of knowledge and best practices, like we did in this green city conference in Taipei.”

At a different setting in the afternoon, Hau said the city would open a Hakka theme park in Gongguan (公館).

Hau made the remarks when attending the launch of a Hakka support group at his campaign headquarters yesterday afternoon.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/11/09/2003488090


----------



## hkskyline

*Taipei plans bid to host Asian Games in 2019, Hau says*
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
Wed, Nov 10, 2010 
Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/11/10/2003488178

The Taipei City Government yesterday said it would apply to host the 18th Asian Games in 2019. The city estimates hosting the event will cost NT$50 billion (US$1.6 billion).

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said the city’s successful experience in hosting the 21st Summer Deaflympics last year and improved cross-strait relations should increase Taipei’s chances of hosting the regional sports event.

Deaflympics

“We’ve successfully held the Deaflympics and the changes in cross-strait relations should make it easier for us to win hosting rights for international games,” he told a press conference at the Taipei City Hall.

The 16th Asian Games will open on Friday in Guangzhou, China. A delegation led by Taipei Sports Office Director Sun Ching-chuan (孫清泉) left for the Games yesterday to seek the support of the Asian Games’ committee, who will determine the hosting nation for 2019.

With an estimated budget of NT$50 billion for hosting the Games, Hau said 43 percent of the funds would come from the Sports Affairs Council, another 43 percent from the city’s coffers and the remaining 14 percent from private sponsors.

Infrastructure

Hau said Taipei would work with Taipei County, which will be upgraded and renamed Sinbei City on Dec. 25, to establish sports facilities and infrastructure that would span the two cities.

If Taipei wins the hosting rights, Su said the city government would turn Guandu Sports Park into the main stadium for the Games and set up five more, including Neihu (內湖) in Taipei City and Linkou (林口) in Taipei County.


----------



## hkskyline

*Taiwan to attract NT$200 bil. for land development*
13 November 2010
The China Post

The China Post news staff -- Taiwan is expected to solicit NT$200 billion worth of capital from local and foreign investors to develop public land parcels, said officials attending a business solicitation conference held yesterday.

Among the land blocks that the central and local governments intend to ask private companies to develop are the A15, A18 and A20 blocks in Taipei's premier Xinyi District, as well as several blocks in the central city of Taichung.

According to Fan Liang-hsiu, chairman of the Public Construction Commission (PCC), Taiwan has already secured NT$216.5 billion for public land development by private firms, and an additional NT$200 billion is expected to add on top of that after the government's business solicitation efforts.

One of the VIPs at the conference was Vice President Vincent Siew, who noted that public infrastructure needs to be upgraded and overhauled continually, as a country's economy booms.

He cited consumption, investment and exports are three major gauges measuring a country's gross domestic product. Citing data PCC commissioned outside firms to compile, Siew said every NT$10 billion invested in public construction will push up economic growth by 0.08 percent.

The most watched cases in this round of business solicitation are the A15, A18 and A20 developmental cases. These three blocks are near Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC) Exhibition Hall Two.

According to Chiu Ta-chan, finance director of Taipei City Government, the blocks total 5,357 pings and are in the center of Xinyi District, in close proximity to MRT Taipei City Hall Station as well as the future TWTC Station of the red Xinyi Line. The bidding process will begin in March 2011, he said. Each ping is 3.3 square meters.

He also cited another parcel in Xinyi District, the A25 measuring 6,000 pings. Bidding for it will begin on June next year, and a pre-bidding briefing will be held in May 2011.

Taichung City Government also took part in the conference yesterday and spoke on the land block near Station Eight of the future Taichung MRT. The block is expected to attract investment exceeding NT$10 billion, the city said.

Among interested investors attending yesterday's event were Farglory, Ruentex, the American Chamber of Commerce and the European Chamber of Commerce.


----------



## hkskyline

*Construction begins on Songshan cultural park*
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/print/2010/11/13/2003488417
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
Sat, Nov 13, 2010 
Taipei Times

Despite ongoing opposition from environmentalists, construction began yesterday on a cultural park project, which aims to turn the abandoned Songshan Tobacco Factory area into a 14-story building that includes a hotel, theater and offices for the cultural industry.

The cultural park, located on the intersection of Guangfu S Road and Civil Boulevard, is part of the Taipei City Government’s plan to revitalize and reuse the abandoned factory. The contract for the park, which occupies 7.2 hectares, was awarded to Fubon Land -Development and the Eslite Group for NT$1.3 billion (US$42 million), and the park is scheduled to begin operations in 2013.

Taipei City’s Department of Cultural Affairs budgeted more than NT$480 million to preserve some of the historical buildings at the old factory and the preserved buildings will be used as exhibition rooms, according to department commissioner Hsieh Hsiao-yun (謝小韞).

At the ground-breaking ceremony for the project, Fubon Financial chairman Daniel Tsai (蔡明忠) dismissed concern about the long-stalled Taipei Dome Complex project — which occupies a large portion of the factory area and is located at the intersection of Guangfu S Road and Zhongxiao E Road — and said the company will work with Eslite Group to turn the area into a new cultural and recreational landmark for the city.

Former Taipei City Cultural Department commissioner Lee Yong-ping (李永萍), who played a major role in pushing for the construction project, defended the city government’s efforts to preserve the old factory.

“Three years from now, the park will showcase the strength of Taiwan’s cultural industry, while becoming a great place for Taipei residents to relax,” she said.

Local residents and environmentalists have been -protesting against the establishment of the park and the Taipei Dome, which was contracted to Farglory Group, and said the complex would damage the environment, while making a profit for the conglomerates.

The entire complex will occupy about 18 hectares in the bustling Xinyi District (信義) and includes an indoor stadium, hotels, department stores, a shopping center and office buildings.

Taipei City’s environmental assessment committee revoked Farglory Group’s proposal in June, making it difficult for the construction of the proposed dome to begin.

The Songshan Tobacco Factory was built in 1937 under Japanese colonial rule. It was designated an historical monument by the Taipei City Government in 2001.


----------



## hkskyline

*Fubon Life signs hotel deal for new Xinyi project *
18 November 2010
Taipei Times

Fubon Life Insurance Co, a subsidiary of Fubon Financial Holding Co, yesterday signed a lease agreement with My Humble House Group to turn part of a land development project into hotel floors.

The project is a shopping and hotel complex sitting on a 1,928 ping (6,373m2) plot of land in Xinyi District, for which the insurer won a 50-year surface rights lease from the government in October 2008 for a NT$3.68 billion (US$119.41 million) premium.

HOTEL PLANS

The hotel lease is expected to generate a 4 percent return on the insurers real estate investment, Fubon Financial president Victor Kung said by telephone.

The complex will feature 22 floors above ground and five stories underground, with 14,000 ping in total floor space, the financial service provider said.

The hotel will occupy the fourth floor of the building and above, with Momo Department Store (Momo), an affiliate of the Fubon group, occupying the rest of the space, the company said.

My Humble House Group, which runs the Sheraton Taipei Hotel and Le Meridian Taipei, plans to create a hotel under its own brand after the construction is completed in 2013, Fubon Financial said.

INCREASED PRESENCE

The new hotel will include 250 rooms, conference space, restaurants and fitness facilities, in line with My Humble House Groups intention to strengthen its presence in the hospitality industry, Fubon Financial said.

However, it refused to comment on earlier reports of a partnership with Formosa International Hotels Corp, the nations biggest listed hotel operator.

Richard Tsai, chairman of Fubon Life Insurance, expressed confidence the deal with My Humble House would create a win-win situation for both parties all members of the Tsai clan, one of Taiwans richest families.

REAL ESTATE GOALS

Richard Tsai said the land development project was in line with the insurers plan to increase real estate investment and Fubon Life will keep hunting for real estate investment projects to better utilize idle funds.

The insurer reportedly lost the bid in August for a 10-story building housing Chinfon Commercial Banks former Taipei headquarters to Taiwan Insurance Co.

Fubon Financial shares fell 1.2 percent to NT$37.05 at the close of trade yesterday, underperforming the TAIEXs 0.68 percent drop, Taiwan Stock Exchange figures showed.


----------



## hkskyline

*TIA toilet costs questioned*
18 November 2010
Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/11/18/2003488820

The legislatiures Transportation Committee yesterday criticized Taoyuan International Airport (TIA) Corp, as the lawmakers accused the company of inflating the budget for the airports restroom renovation project.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Yeh Yi-jin questioned the companys plan to spend NT$300 million (NT$10 million) to remodel the restrooms at the airport. She said TIA claimed that the construction cost for 1 ping (3.30m2) would be NT$72,000.

Yeh said Zihnan Temple in Nantou County spent NT$33 million to build its restrooms.

The restrooms are equipped with deodorizing equipment, nurseries and facilities for disabled passengers. Some called it a seven-star bathroom, Yeh said. Each ping only cost NT$20,000.

Following Yehs criticism, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Tsai Chin-lung questioned TIAs ability to execute projects as the company said they would spend three years completing the renovation project. He asked TIA to consider shortening the time to one-and-a-half years.

In response, TIA president Samuel Lin said the government had amended regulations governing the ratio of mens to womens facilities. The airport, which has been in operation for more than 20 years, needs to follow the new regulations.

To renovate the restrooms, Lin said workers need to change the pipelines, relocate some of the stores and redo the interior design. When deducting the costs for relocation, the actual construction cost for 1 ping was NT$31,600, he said.

Aside from the questions on the renovation, KMT Legislator Chen Ken-de said the airport company will submit a comprehensive financial report detailing how it planned to raise the capital.


----------



## hkskyline

*Doubts raised over use of limited public housing*
16 November 2010
Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2010/11/16/2003488606

The plan to build more public housing will not help rein in soaring residential real estate prices or cool the property market due to its small supply and rent restrictions, real estate analysts said yesterday.

The Ministry of the Interior yesterday announced five sites in the Greater Taipei area where it will construct 1,661 units of public housing that will be leased to economically disadvantaged people when completed.

Stanley Su, senior researcher at Sinyi Realty, said the public housing will not have an impact on the housing market given its limited supply.

The 1,661 public housing units account for only 4 percent of overall new apartments in the Great Taipei Area that has seen an average of 42,000 new units a year over the last three years, Su said. The supply is too small to affect the market.

The fact that only qualified people can apply to rent the public housing makes it more unlikely that it will replace permanent home ownership, Su said.

Chinese-language Housing Monthly spokesman Ni Tzu-jen said the construction of public housing, due to start at the end of next year, will take an extra one to two years to complete and may not make a splash in the rental market.

Rental rates in Taipei City and Taipei County have been steady in recent years and landlords may seek to attract tenants through management enhancements or offer of more competitive terms, Ni said.

If the government is serious about allaying fears over increasingly unaffordable housing costs, it needs to build much more public housing, Ni said.

There is still a plenty of government-owned land for public housing in Chungho, Lujhou, Linkou and Sinjhuang in Taipei County, Ni said. It is true that owning a house has become untenable in Taipei City for most salaried people.

Chang Chin-oh, a land economics professor at Chengchih University, said public housing will prove little more than a political gesture during election season to win votes, judging from the tiny supply.

The small number of units [of public housing] is out of proportion with the number of people who cant afford to buy their own house, Chang said. Their completion two years from now will be too late to reverse the price hikes.

Chang said a property transaction tax and other measures would be more effective in stemming real estate speculation and averting housing bubbles.


----------



## hkskyline

*Taipei-Yilan line still being assessed: minister*
By Shelley Shan 
16 November 2010
Taipei Times

Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo yesterday denied reports that the ministry was building a direct railway connecting Taipei and Yilan, saying it was far too early to talk about.

[The Railway Reconstruction Bureau] is evaluating the feasibility of the project and must submit the results of its evaluations to the ministry for approval, he said. We have yet to see those results.

Although the project was rejected by the Environmental Protection Administrations (EPA) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Committee four years ago, Mao said the committee ruled that the ministry could propose an alternative route.

The ministry was evaluating all the options and any speculation beyond this point was unnecessary, he said.

Mao was scheduled to brief the legislatures Transportation Committee about the ministrys budget plan for the next fiscal year, but the railway project became the focus at the question-and-answer session, which was sparked by a story in the Chinese-language China Times yesterday that said the ministry had resurrected the project.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yeh Yi-jin asked Mao if the ministry was using the same tactics for this project it used to secure the EIA committees approval for the Suhua Highway improvement project, which obtained conditional approval earlier this month.

You leak it [the news] to the media and then seek support from local residents, Yeh said. Then you pressure the environmental protection groups to accept your proposal, making it easier to have the plan passed at the EIA committee.

Mao said the Suhua project was finalized after the ministry spent a year communicating with the residents of Hualien and secured consensus among all the parties involved.

The bureau first proposed the direct-line project in 2006. The rail link was designed to reduce travel time from 90 minutes to 36 minutes.

The committee, however, turned down the project on the grounds that the proposed route would pass through a water source quality protection area on Beishih River. The committee also turned down the bureaus plan to construct a long tunnel on the route, which would pass through the same geological fracture zone as the Hsuehshan Tunnel.

Bureau director-general Jack Hsu said it was reviewing a series of possibilities, including making improvements to the North-Link railway line and that a final decision had yet to be made.

However, Hsu said that improving the North-Link Line would only decrease the travel time by seven minutes, with construction costs reaching NT$28 billion (US$921 million). The time needed to complete the construction would be seven years, he said.

The bureau was also considering a new route that bypasses the water source quality protection zone, Hsu said, adding that rather than building one long tunnel, the bureau was considering building several shorter tunnels.

The latter plan, which would shorten travel time by 30 minutes, would take about 10 years to complete and cost about NT$50 billion, he said.


----------



## hkskyline

*2010 ELECTIONS: Hau reiterates his support of disputed public housing plan*
Taipei Times
Tue, Nov 23, 2010
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/11/23/2003489226

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) on Sunday once again brought up the issue of building a “Little Treasure Palace” public housing complex in the heart of Taipei, a proposal that has not received the approval of Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺).

“Little Treasure Palace” is the nickname people have given to a plan proposed by Hau last month to build social housing for disadvantaged families and individuals using a plot of land currently housing the Air Force Headquarters on Renai Road.

The nickname stems from the fact that the plot of land is located in an area where real estate prices are very high and is very close to the Treasure Palace luxury hotel complex.

Immediately after Hau announced the plan last month, central government officials voiced opposition, whereupon the Ministry of the Interior selected five other plots of land in Taipei city and county for construction of public housing.

However, Hau reaffirmed his support for the “Little Treasure Palace” plan during a televised campaign agenda announcement on Sunday night.

Asked to comment on Hau’s announcement after a legislative meeting yesterday morning, -Jiang did not directly turn it down, but his lack of enthusiasm was obvious.

“We fully respect local governments’ plans for social housing, but I don’t think the Taipei City Government considers [the Little Treasure Palace plan] a short-term plan to be accomplished anytime soon,” Jiang said. “If it’s a long-term project, then I don’t think it conflicts with the central government’s plan to build five social housing projects at the locations previously announced.”

Jiang said the Air Force Headquarters occupies a large surface area and is not well suited to build public housing.

“The five locations we’ve chosen so far are smaller plots of land outside the city center, but with very convenient transportation,” he said. “I think it’s easier to build social housing projects at such locations.”


----------



## hkskyline

*2010 ELECTIONS: Cabinet approves urban revival plan*
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/11/26/2003489475
Taipei Times
By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff Reporter
Fri, Nov 26, 2010 

The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a proposal to invest NT$18.4 billion (US$605.6 million) over four years in an urban renewal program that officials claim will boost the nation’s economic growth rate by 0.12 percent a year and create 40,000 jobs.

The Ministry of the Interior presented the proposal at the weekly Cabinet meeting, denying that the timing of the plan had anything to do with tomorrow’s special municipality elections.

During the meeting, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) touted the program as a way to improve quality of life and to protect the environment.

The country has 3.02 million households living in buildings more than 30 years old and 700,000 families living in buildings built 20 to 29 years ago, officials said.

The policy will see the government provide incentives to residents of older buildings so they can rebuild or renovate their homes.

Rebuilding or renovating older buildings would spur private sector investment in the real-estate market, generating an output value of more than NT$7 trillion, the government estimates.

Construction and Planning Agency Director Yeh Shih-wen (葉世文) told a press conference after the Cabinet meeting that the program would create huge business opportunities not only for the construction industry, but also the furniture and interior design industries.

The ministry will also develop concrete measures to encourage eco-friendly and barrier-free buildings and enhance the anti-seismic capability of the buildings, Yeh said.

At a press conference later in the day, Deputy Minister of the Interior Chien Tai-lang (簡太郎) denied the announcement of the plan was aimed at improving the chances of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidates tomorrow.

“The government’s policymaking process is a continuous one that does not take elections into consideration,” Chien said.

“We didn’t begin to research this policy over the past few days, we’ve worked on it for a long time,” Chien said. “It’s just coincidental that we’ve completed it in these past few days.”


----------



## hkskyline

*Hau forges ahead with housing plan*
Fri, Dec 03, 2010 
Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday promised to carry out his campaign promises in his second term by building public housing units and urban renewal projects that will make Taipei a more affordable and beautiful city.

Hau won re-election in last Saturday’s special municipality elections and will be sworn in on Dec. 25.

Discussing his plans for the second term with the press, Hau promised to make good on all his campaign promises, prioritizing the efforts in building affordable public housing units downtown for young people and disadvantaged families.

“We are trying to change the perception of public housing that it is always of poor quality ... The public housing units in Taipei will offer a high-quality living environment for residents,” he said.

The Hau administration’s plan to build rental apartments in one of the city’s most expensive areas, on the intersection of Renai Road and Jianguo S Road, sparked disputes and the Cabinet has shown little support for the project, saying that the plan had not been agreed upon and that the location in Da-an (大安) District was inappropriate.

Hau said he would boost efforts to publicize municipal policies so that Taipei residents would have a better understanding of his administration’s dedication.

“We didn’t do a good job promoting our municipal projects before and the public’s lack of understanding made it difficult for us to push the projects. We will enhance our communication efforts the future,” he said.

When asked about a possible reshuffle of his team, Hau said he would make an announcement before Dec. 25, declining to say if former deputy mayor Lee Yong-ping (李永萍) would be reappointed.

Lee resigned on Sept. 13 amid the controversy over the Xinsheng Overpass reconstruction project, in which the city was overcharged for construction materials.

Hau will also have to find a replacement for Taipei Deputy Mayor Lin Chien-yuan (林建元), who is returning to academia.

Department of Transportation Commissioner Luo Shiaw-shyan (羅孝賢) and the head of the Department of Urban Development, Ding Yuh-chyurn (丁育群), are also rumored to be leaving their posts.


----------



## psicom

aaahh... to much stories and writings...


----------



## hkskyline

*Taipei officials resign en masse ahead of handover *
15 December 2010
Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin yesterday accepted the group resignation of top-level officials as is the convention prior to an official handover ceremony and promised to make urban renewal, transportation development and river dredging work top priorities during his second term.

The city governments 25 department heads, led by Taipei Deputy Mayor Lin Chien-yuan, tendered their resignations in accordance with the Local Governance Act, which requires appointed local government officials to resign by Dec. 24. The new municipal team will assume office the following day.

Lin and several other officials, including Department of Transportation Commissioner Luo Shiaw-shyan, Department of Environmental Protection Director Ni Shih-piao and Department of Social Welfare Affairs Commissioner Shih Yu-ling, are not expected to keep their positions.

The election of Mayor Hau is a public endorsement of this dedicated team. We are the most capable municipal team in the country and I encourage those who are staying on to share their experiences with other cities and make Taipei a better place to live, Lin said.

Accepting the resignations, the mayor defended the teams crisis management abilities on major municipal projects, including the Maokong Gondola, the MRTs Wenshan-Neihu Line and the Taipei International Flora Expo.

Weve faced crises in the past, but thanks to your dedication and hard work, we solved the problems and won the recognition of the public. Municipal development is continuous work and we will make even greater achievements in the next four years, Hau said.

He declined to discuss the upcoming reshuffle of his team, but promised to reveal the list of new officials when it has been finalized.

Hau said urban renewal projects would be a top priority of his new team during the next four years. Besides improving the citys landscape, the mayor also promised to work with Sinbei City mayor-elect Eric Chu on the dredging of the Tamsui River and on MRT construction.

Therell be a lot of cooperation between Taipei City and Sinbei City. Mayor Chu and I will carry out our campaign promises and join forces to turn the two cities into one great living metropolis, he said.

The mayor shrugged off concerns about the impact of the creation of four new special municipalities on Taipeis finances, saying the central government has promised to increase the citys annual budget.


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## hkskyline

*Ma praises Chou Hsi-wei for work in Taipei County*
Taipei Times
Sun, Dec 19, 2010 

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday gave a ringing endorsement of outgoing Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋), applauding Chou for launching river dredging projects, among other achievements, marking the end of the commissioner’s four-year term in office.

Chou will step down as on Dec. 25 with the upgrade and renaming of Taipei County Sinbei City. Mayor-elect Eric Chu (朱立倫) will take over Chou’s position on the same day.

Ma yesterday accompanied Chou on an inspection tour of major municipal projects, including improvement work to the Jhonggang drainage system in Sinjhuang City (新莊) and artificial wetlands in Banciao (板橋). He also attended a Christmas party hosted by the county government in the evening.

“When Commissioner Chou promised to dredge the rivers and create a recreational area along the riverside five years ago, I thought it was nothing but election sloganeering. I am impressed that he carried out his campaign promises,” Ma said in Sinjhuang.

The dredging of the Tamsui River (淡水河) and upgrading of sewage systems in the county was one of Chou’s major campaign promises. His successor Chu has also vowed to continue this works and improve the county’s competitiveness after it is upgraded as Sinbei City.

Chou thanked the president for his public endorsement, and Ma gave him a big hug as a gesture of support.

Chou, 52, gave up his re--election bid in February as his low approval ratings forced Ma and the party to endorse Chu as the party candidate.

Chou won the Taipei County Commissioner election over Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) candidate Lo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) by a large margin in 2005. However, he has consistently suffered from a low approval rating for what has been perceived as a lackluster performance during his time in office.

There has been speculation that Chou only agreed to withdraw from the Sinbei race in exchange for a position in the Cabinet or Presidential Office.

The commissioner denied speculation that Ma, who also doubles as the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, may arrange a cushy party position for Chou after he steps down.

“Frankly, I have no plans for the future yet, and there’s no special arrangements waiting for me,” he said.


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## hkskyline

*Property market still lucrative, experts say*
By Crystal Hsu / STAFF REPORTER
Mon, Dec 20, 2010 

Recent hikes in assessed land values in the Greater Taipei area may not discourage real-estate speculation because the significant gap between government-assessed values and market prices still makes the property market a lucrative investment, experts said.

Earlier this month, Taipei City and Taipei County, which account for half of the nation’s housing transactions, raised their assessed land value by 15.33 percent and 12.08 percent, respectively, marking the biggest increases in almost two decades.

The revisions, effective next year, will subject real-estate properties to higher land value -increment levies on ownership transfers, but may not impose unbearable costs on real-estate investments, said Chang Chin-oh (張金鶚), land economics professor at National Cheng-chih University.

The current assessed land value still lags behind the market price by between 30 percent and 50 percent, depending on the location, which makes the actual tax increase tolerable, said Chang, a vocal advocate of implementing drastic tightening measures to cool the property sector.

“The government can fix the issue by requiring real-estate agencies to declare the real prices on all transactions, thus making property transfers more transparent and accountable,” Chang said by telephone.

The academic said housing prices nationwide have jumped in recent years, but some record deals reported in the press have been exaggerated.

A recent survey by the Chinese-language Housing Monthly (住展雜誌) shows home prices gained 30 percent and 17.6 percent in Taipei County and Taipei City respectively over the last three years.

Housing values in Sinjhuang (新莊) top other areas at 78 percent, thanks to re-zoning ordinances and the extension of the mass rapid transit system, said Ni Tzu-jen (倪子仁), spokesman for the magazine.

Chang said construction firms and real-estate agencies tend to boast to promote sales, and the lack of transparency leaves homebuyers vulnerable to the hype.

The Ministry of Interior, which has control over land use, could help level the field by requiring details for each property deal, Chang said.

Chuang Meng-han (莊孟翰), a professor of industrial economics at Tamkang University, said the central bank could also help by tightening land and construction loans.

The bank should take further steps to check housing prices at its policy meeting later this month now that the selective credit control in June has proved futile, Chuang said by telephone.

Sharp competition last week for a 50-year lease to develop a -government plot of land near Pacific Sogo Department Store (太平洋崇光百貨) showed the housing fever spreading to surface rights contests, Chuang said.

Chuang linked central bank inaction in September to political concerns ahead of the special municipality elections.

“The concern is no longer warranted after the elections left the landscape unchanged in November,” he said.

The Ministry of Finance can also lend a helping hand by imposing heavy taxes on short-term home transfers in both pre-sale and second-hand markets, Chuang said, adding that most ordinary people could not afford short-term transfers.

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2010/12/20/2003491381


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## hkskyline

*New Cities, New Paths: Hau Lung-bin pledges to rejuvenate capital city*
Taipei Times
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
Sun, Dec 26, 2010 

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday vowed to rejuvenate the city with urban renewal projects, municipal developments and better public service in the next four years as he was sworn in in a ceremony that marked the beginning of his second term.

Taking the official seal from Vice Premier Sean Chen at Taipei City Hall, the mayor pledged to focus his second term on policies that will turn Taipei into a younger and more energetic city, including offering childbirth subsidies, zero-interest loans for startup businesses and overseas studies and affordable rental housing units.

“Taipei is a great city, but not young enough ... The policies are aimed at attracting younger people to work and live in Taipei ... I will be the mayor of all citizens and increase the city’s international competitiveness,” Hau of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said.

In his inauguration speech, Hau promised to enhance communication with the public and make more efforts to explain municipal policies to the people.

“Communication is the most important thing I’ve learned in the past months during the election campaign. I will communicate with the public more and carry out my campaign promises,” he said.

The city government will also include issues raised by the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who lost to Hau in the Nov. 27 mayoral election, such as planting more trees and building green boulevards in the city, in discussions for municipal developments, Hau said.

For his second term, Hau promised to complete the road surface improvement project that will make 675 major roads in the city more even and push further for the 1999 Taipei Citizen Hotline to offer 24-hour service to residents.

He said he would also work closely with New Taipei City (新北市, the proposed English name of the upgraded Taipei County) Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) over the next four years to turn the banks along the Tamsui River (淡水河) into recreational areas and build more MRT lines connecting the two municipalities.

The 37 members of new administrative team in Taipei City were also sworn in. Representing outgoing officials in a farewell speech, former Taipei deputy mayor Lin Chien-yuan (林建元) urged all administrative officials to be able to handle criticisms while focusing the efforts on municipal developments.

“The architect who designed the pavilions at the Taipei International Flora Expo won top awards after being criticized by the press. All officials should be able to take criticisms,” he said.

About 200 guests attended the ceremony yesterday, including former KMT chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄), New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明) as well as foreign dignitaries.


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## hkskyline

*Legislators pan proposed judicial park*
30 December 2010
Taipei Times

A plan to turn an enormous area occupied by the air force in central Taipei into a lavish judicial park, including up to six courthouses, has drawn questions from lawmakers concerned about the scope and cost of the project.

Judicial Yuan President Rai Hau-min said on Tuesday he hoped to see the consolidation of several courts and office buildings onto the 7 hectare site, across the road from The Palace, one of Taipeis most expensive residential developments.

In the legislature yesterday, lawmakers across party lines said the move would cost billions of NT dollars and called it a distraction from the more pressing issue of judicial reform, one of Rais key promises after being nominated by President Ma Ying-jeou to head the nations judiciary in August.

President Ma is probably thinking at this point that he found the wrong person, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi said. Judicial reform starts with changing people ... not by building a grand house.

The Judicial Yuan, which has since released detailed plans of its proposal, did not say how much it expected the building to cost or how it would be funded. It plans for 261,000m2 of floor space and to move at least six different courts into the area alongside the Judicial Yuan headquarters.

The proposal includes the establishment of an international conference hall, restaurants, parking lots and a library. The Supreme Court and the Taiwan High Court, as well as local district courts in Taipei, would be part of the complex.

President Rai hopes we can trade all the land used by judicial agencies in Taipei City for land underneath air force command headquarters to create a Judicial Park, the Judicial Yuan said in a statement.

Rai told the Chinese-language China Times he expected to personally hand the request to Ma, although he did not give a specific deadline. Reports quoted Rai as saying that a decision would be a test for Ma on his level of commitment to judicial reform.

Those remarks attracted strong words from KMT Legislator Alex Fai, who said Rai owed the public an apology for tying the two issues and threatening the president with it. Although Rais nomination was approved by a majority of KMT lawmakers in October, Fai said he was starting to regret casting his support.

The DPP caucus also expressed strong opposition, with lawmaker Lee Chun-yee calling Rai an ancient fossil for releasing the proposal in defiance of widespread disapproval. He said it was dangerous for the head of the judiciary to be so out of touch with public opinion.

The land, one of the last large plots set for redevelopment in the heart of Taipei, could cost tens of billions of NT dollars if sold on the private market. It is set to be vacated next year after the air force command headquarters moves to a new building in the citys Neihu District.

Although zoned for military use, potential developers have eyed the plot for years, aiming to turn it into a residential, commercial or government development.

During his election campaign, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said he hoped the grounds would be turned into subsidized housing, nicknamed the Little Palace, for disadvantaged groups and young people, citing its convenient location.

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng has also said part of the land could be used as a new location for the legislature, which is currently located in a building built by the Japanese prior to World War II.

Officials from the Ministry of Finance, which currently holds rights to the land through the National Property Administration, have yet to say which proposal they favored.


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## hkskyline

*Hostel’s proposed location meets opposition*
Taipei Times
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
12 March 2011
http://taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/03/12/2003498002

A plan by the Taipei City Government to build an international youth hostel above a traditional market met opposition yesterday, with critics saying the market’s poor construction and sanitary conditions could hurt the city’s image abroad.

The proposed location for the youth hostel, the first city-operated youth hostel in Taipei, would be on the second floor of Shuanglian Market near the Shuanglian MRT Station. The 33-year-old market is a four-story building, with the first floor and underground floor housing food stalls and a wet market.

New Party Taipei City Councilor Wang Hong-wei (王鴻薇) said she had concerns over the quality of the environment at the proposed site and called on the city government to find a better -location for the hostel.

“The first international youth hostel in Taipei City should be a model with the highest quality. What would become of Taipei’s international image if the city offered foreign tourists a youth hostel that is above an old market that sells raw meat?” she said after inspecting the market.

Jessica Huang (黃雅智), chief executive of the Taiwan Youth Hostel Association, joined Wang in challenging the city government’s choice of location.

The poor appearance of the building and the stalls at the market, she said, would not be the best living environment for tourists.

Ding Juo-ting (丁若亭), director of Taipei City’s Market Management Office, said the second floor of the building had been vacant since 1996 and the office planned to turn the abandoned area into a youth hostel that is equipped with 70 to 80 rooms, or 160 beds.

The price of a room would be less than NT$1,400 per night, and the office would set aside a budget of about NT$5 million (US$169,000) next year to start renovations, he said.

He added that the location was chosen because it would given foreign tourists a chance to experience local culture.

Ding said the hostel would be conveniently located near an MRT station and Ningxia Night Market, and the office would work on improving the overall environment and sanitary conditions to build a quality hostel.


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## hkskyline

*Nangang high-speed station to open by 2015, bureau says*
11 March 2011
Taipei Times










The high-speed rail system will be extended to Taipei City's Nangang District by 2015 amid efforts to ease congestion at Taipei Railway Station, the Bureau of High Speed Rail announced yesterday.

The bureau said the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) had appropriated land needed to build an underground tunnel connecting downtown Taipei and Nangang to the high-speed rail line in October, adding that the tunnel was scheduled to become operational by January 2015.

Like Taipei Railway Station, three main railway systems TRA, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) and the Taipei MRT will also converge at Nangang Station, the bureau said.

The bureau said passengers from Keelung, Sijhih in New Taipei City, Nangang and Neihu District will be able to board the high-speed rail at Nangang Station, adding that this would greatly ease congestion at Taipei Railway Station.

Statistics from THSRC showed that an average of 60,000 high-speed rail passengers accessed the service through Taipei Railway Station daily last year.

That number rose to 62,000 in January.

Meanwhile, THSRC chairman Ou Chin-der said -passengers on the high-speed rail could soon make reservations through their smartphones.

Under the system, passengers would receive a QR Code on their mobile phone after they -complete the transaction, Ou said. People will be able to enter the platforms by placing their phone close to the sensors at ticketing gates.

The company said the service would target passengers making seat reservations, adding that the number of reserved seats would be sent to the passengers phones.

The company also said that it was in talks with EasyCard Corp about the possibility of allowing people to access the high-speed rail using their EasyCard.

We will make an official announcement when all the details are finalized, Ou said.


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## hkskyline

*ANALYSIS: Effects of planned luxury tax already being seen *
12 March 2011
Taipei Times

The governments planned tax on speculative property transactions has dampened market sentiment and is expected to trigger a price correction in New Taipei City, where home costs have surged to levels near those in the capital, analysts said yesterday.

Prospective home buyers are now taking a wait-and-see attitude in anticipation of price drops after the Cabinet on Thursday approved a bill to introduce a 10 percent tax on real estate resold within two years of purchase for investment purposes. The rate would climb to 15 percent of trading values if the property is sold within one year of purchase.

The levy, intended to stem property speculation, would spare properties intended for self-occupancy, inheritance or non-investment purposes, according to the draft act on tax levied on specific goods and services.

Buyers for pre-sale and newly completed housing units have plunged 40 percent, with transactions shrinking by 50 percent in Sinjhuang, Tamsui Sansia and Linkou districts.

Housing prices in those areas are approaching those in suburban Taipei City on strengthening public transport facilities and speculation that have sent costs in the capital skyrocketing and made them unaffordable for most people.

Investors are fleeing the market, which is positive for the property markets long-term health, said Ni Tzu-jen, spokesman for the Chinese-language Housing Monthly. False demand cannot support the sector for long.

The decade-high volume for pre-sale projects to be rolled out later this month a traditional high season reflected the developers wish to shun the tax rather than them having a bullish outlook, Ni said.

The government aims to implement the luxury tax on July 1, provided that the bill clears the legislature this session.

The cautious sentiment also weighed on commercial properties, whose prices repeatedly hit records in auctions for office buildings last year, thanks to excessive liquidity and low interest rates.

Domestic financial firms all aim to increase real-estate investment in the greater Taipei area, but to no avail because of scarce supply.

On Thursday, however, the auction for the fifth floor of a Taipei City office building at a prime location on Zhongxiao E Road Sec 4 failed to attract a single bidder despite a low floor price of NT$108 million (US$3.65 million).

Auction organizer Savills Taiwan Ltd said it was better to put the product back on the market after the tax plan settled. Other auctions met the same fate or were canceled at the last minute.

Stanley Su, head researcher at Sinyi Realty Co, said while it was premature to gauge the impact of the luxury tax, it was likely to sink property prices by between 10 and 15 percent, on par with the tax rates.

Sinyi Realty saw its home-buyer numbers falling 20 percent, while sellers picked up by an equal amount for the past two weeks, Su said.

Sellers in need of funding will soften prices to accelerate transactions as the planned tax will erode profitability, Su said by telephone. Home buyers, however, would prefer to wait.

The tug of war will shrink -transactions with prices in New Taipei City and Taipei City suburbs seeing larger corrections because earlier price hikes were largely linked to speculation, he added.

Jeffrey Huang, an assistant manager at Yungching Rehouse Group, expressed a similar view.

Housing transfers have dipped 6 percent so far this month at the brokerage, while home supply has increased 20 percent, Huang said.

Paradoxically, home buyers stayed flat as the tax plan drove up bargain hunters, Huang said by telephone. Surely, they will not rush to close deals.

However, the property may not remain depressed in the long run, given the nations sound economic fundamentals and easy monetary policy.

Chuang Meng-han, an industrial economics professor at Tamkang University, said the government must come up with supporting measures to show it is serious about reining in property prices.

Chuang linked property price hikes in recent years to a series of government measures to lure foreign funds and encourage capital return from overseas.

Sizable funds have flowed to local properties owing to long-term asset allocation plans, Chuang said. The need will sustain property prices in prime locations where demand far outweighs supply.

Ample funds, coupled with global hot money, have rendered tightening measures to curb real-estate prices in Hong Kong, Singapore and China futile, even though they have helped to cool transactions, Chuang said.

The phenomenon is good food for thought, although we dont know whether it will repeat here, he said.


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## williamchung7

廣慈博愛院 33F 133m 24F 99.6m


























China Trust Bank Headquarters


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## williamchung7

Yihwa International Hotel 160.2m 42fl 



















































士林紙廠BOT開發案


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## williamchung7

Sindian Yulon City is one of major development people should pay attension. So far they build a park for public use and sell some of land to HTC. General manager of Yulon Motor talked with media about this development. Whole development will have 300,000 square meters floor area in the remain site of Sindian Yulon City, which is about 30,000 square meters. With this capacity, I doubt that they are planning at least a couple of skyscrapers in their development plan. 

http://www.ke.com.tw/new_page_259.htm

Site









HTC Taipei Headquarters









Site Location










Real Picture









A supertall with 88 fl was shown in the news in 2007.


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## williamchung7

by Luis


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## hkskyline

*Land sales to show luxury tax's impact*
The auctions are for two plots in Sinjhuang, and while analysts do not expect to see record prices, one foresees the bids still reaching about NT$2m per ping
21 March 2011
Taipei Times

The upcoming auction this week for two large plots of land in Sinjhuang, New Taipei City is being closely watched after several auctions in Taipei City were canceled last week, leaving the property market in the dark about the impact of the governments luxury tax plan on property values.

The New Taipei City Government is slated to sell two plots of land on Friday in a booming area where the increases in home prices have exceed other parts of the nation during the past two years, as a result of rezoning programs and a strengthened infrastructure.

The auction is widely deemed as a resiliency test for property prices after the government unveiled plans early this month to introduce a luxury tax that would also target short-term real estate transfers.

The two plots, measuring 3,369 ping (11,137m2) and 3,533 ping, are adjacent to the mass rapid transit line under construction that will link Sinjhuang and Taoyuan International Airport and have a floor price of NT$3.03 billion (NT$102.71 million) and NT$3.18 billion respectively.

The auction definitely offers a confidence guide on the influence of the luxury tax, said Stanley Su, head researcher at Sinyi Realty Co, the nations only listed brokerage. No one can foretell the outcome until it is settled.

Last year, the bids for land plots nearby repeatedly hit new highs of more than NT$2 million per ping, pushing up home prices in the area more than 50 percent over the past two years and prompting authorities to tighten regulations on land financing.

Su expects the auction to attract major domestic life insurance firms and land developers, which remain hungry for investment tools to digest excessive liquidity. However, the luxury tax and other credit -controls might warrant a conservative approach, Su said.

Despite their development potential, the two plots are unlikely to break records this time as the market is enveloped in a cautious sentiment, he said by telephone.

The weak sentiment led property owners to call off an auction for a shopping complex in Neihu District on Thursday and the bidding for an undeveloped plot of land in the prime Xinyi District on Friday.

The auction on Tuesday for a land lot in Taichung failed to draw a single bidder with organizer DTZ saying uncertainty sidelined potential buyers.

Taiwan Realty Co spokesman Chiu Tai-shuan said the market is closely watching the Sinjhuang auction.

The outcome may boost or bust investor confidence as the market remains at a loss about the potency of the luxury tax, Chiu said by telephone.

Chiu expects the bidding to be confined to buyers with deep pockets after the central bank in December last year capped land financing to 65 percent of -acquisition costs or price evaluation, depending on which is lower. In addition, lenders must hold 10 percent of the loan until after construction begins.

Only investors awash with cash can afford to buy massive land plots as in the Sinjhuang area, he said, expecting the auction to end at about NT$2 million per ping.


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## hkskyline

*Cranes busy again as Taiwan expands ports *
19 March 2011
South China Morning Post

Just two years ago, the Port of Keelung, Taiwan's No 2 port, had a near-death experience.

As harbour cranes lay idle and empty ship containers piled up onshore in the depths of the latest world economic downturn, port workers in the northern coast city wondered if it was time to pack up.

Roll forward to the same time this year and the cranes are once again busy at Keelung, and a little further along the northern coast a new channel is being dredged at the Keelung-managed Port of Taipei, along with a warehouse and three new berths.

The Port of Taipei developments are part of a US$558 million harbour expansion that will run for eight years as officials expect global marine shipping to pick up sharply this year.

Taiwan's export-reliant economy is expected to grow 5 per cent in 2011, with exports at a record US$305.1 billion, after a 2010 rebound from the downturn. Boom times in Taiwan mean that its major markets - China, Europe and the United States - are ordering more goods, translating to direct gains for marine shippers.

The International Monetary Fund has increased its growth estimate for the US economy to 3 per cent, easing some of the concerns of shippers.

Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine, the world's No4 marine shipper, has welcomed the port expansion and says it will gradually add ships to its fleet, including 20 vessels for Asian, European and North American routes. "If we looked purely at the growth scope of 2011, it still will be quite good," it said.

Taiwan's bigger marine shippers expect a turnaround, based on normal economic cycles, following a troubled period of losses in 2009. Evergreen's losses came to NT$4 billion (HK$1.06 billion) over the second and third quarters of that year.

In March of the same year, a 1.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (teu) capacity deep-water container port was opened in Taipei for companies based in northern Taiwan. The Port of Keelung's expansion also features a 48-hectare container terminal, a 123-hectare offshore storage zone and a container terminal covering another 123 hectares.

The southern city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan's biggest port and the world's 12th-most active, is pumping money this year into a 2.4-kilometre access road and a 2.3-kilometre jetty. Kaohsiung harbour officials, who expect sustained world economic growth, are seeking to raise competitiveness of the port that handles about 10 million teu per year by preparing it better for ships big enough for 10,000 teu.

The Kaohsiung port often feels the impact of external economic trends before they are obvious elsewhere in Asia, as it is so integrated into the global supply chain. Local officials see the harbour as part of a broader southern Taiwan logistics centre, adding to plans that could boost overall capacity by 6.3 million teu.

By March next year, the port will finish a 2.6-kilometre pier with 97 pontoon spaces, costing NT$2.42 billion, to give cargo and chemical shippers more space.

Port officials seek to expand partly because they assume that new direct shipping links between Taiwan and the mainland, the island's top export market, would stimulate traffic.

Since 2008, as part of landmark negotiations, the two erstwhile political rivals have opened more than 80 seaports to direct marine cargo shipments. Last year, they signed a deal to cut import tariffs on about 800 items, 15 per cent of all trade.

Some are critical of the expansion under way in port capacity and Stone Lin, shipping analyst with Yuanta Investment Consulting in Taipei, warned of competition from mainland ports. The rise of nearby ports such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Xiamen along with the mainland's economic growth in the past 20 years has hurt Taiwan's marine shipping traffic. Mainland-bound transit shipments on which Taiwan once depended have fizzled out as foreign shippers head straight to the mainland, Lin said.

Kaohsiung's port ranked world No3 by volume in the 1980s and slipped quickly after 2000 as Taiwan manufacturing moved to the mainland, contributing to the growth in ports there.

"Demand is OK this year because if the economy is improving, demand for shipping goes up," Lin said. "But Taiwan's position is still headed downward. The ports are now in China and a ship from Europe can go straight through to Shanghai."


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## hkskyline

*Hau considers Dongmen MRT link *
Taipei Times
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
Sat, Mar 26, 2011 - Page 2

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday promised to consider connecting the MRT’s Luzhou Line and Zhonghe Line via the Dongmen Station, while construction on two other MRT lines continues.

Dongmen Station, between Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Daan Park, will serve as transfer station for the Xinzhuang and Xinyi lines once construction of those two lines is completed in 2013.

However, the station could be used sooner to link the Luzhou and Zhonghe lines if the city government allows it.

Doing so would mean passengers would be able to travel directly on the Luzhou Line to Nanshijiao without making any transfers.

In a transportation meeting at the Taipei City Hall yesterday, Lawrence Lan (藍武王), an adviser to the city government who was a member of the MRT line inspection committee, suggested that the city first open Dongmen Station to link the Luzhou and Zhonghe lines, rather than waiting for the completion of the Xinyi and Xinzhuang lines.

With the railway construction under the Xinzhuang and Xinyi lines, as well as the building and platform of Dongmen Station already completed, Lan said that Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station on the Luzhou Line and Guting Station on the Zhonghe Line could be connected if the Dongmen Station served solely as a passageway to integrate the two lines.

Under the propossal, passengers would not be allowed to board or disembark at Dongmen Station. The city government could skip the Ministry of Transportation and Communications inspection process and get approval from the ministry for the station’s safety mechanism alone, which could be done some time this year.

The lines would not be integrated until 2013 if the city decided to wait for the completion of the Xinyi and Xinzhuang lines.

Taipei Rapid Transit Corp general manager Tan Gwa-guang (譚國光) said that the company and Taipei City’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems are still studying the possibility, but failed to confirm they would accept the proposal.

Hau said the proposal would offer more convenience for passengers sooner, and said the city government would consider the proposal while ensuring construction safety.

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/03/26/2003499163


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## williamchung7

Taipei City looks to expand its road resurfacing program
ROAD TO NOWHERE:The mayor blamed the poor quality of work on some roads on Taipower and Chunghwa Telecom, who dig without permission
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter

Taipei will expand its “smooth road program” and begin road resurfacing work on roads and lanes less than 8m in width this year to ensure road construction quality, the Taipei City Government said yesterday.

The project is one of Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin’s (郝龍斌) policies and seeks to improve the poor condition of roads in Taipei.

The city government began work on 36 major roads in 2009 and will this year prioritize work on smaller roads, city officials said.

Taipei City’s New Construction Office director Huang Yi-ping (黃一平) said the city would allocate NT$229 million (US$7 million) for the program.

With work set to begin in many alleys, Hau apologized to local residents for the inconvenience and called on the public to help monitor the program by reporting any poor quality work or unauthorized road digging via the Taipei Citizen Hotline at 1999.

Contractors are supposed to scrape away the old road surface and replace it with at least 5cm of tar, and any road digging must be first approved by the city government.

Responding to complaints about the poor quality of work on some major roads, Hau blamed Taipower Co and Chunghwa Telecom for digging up roads without authorization from the city government and vowed to put a stop to such practices.

“We will keep an eye on the situation and consider barring companies [that conduct shoddy work] from digging up roads for a period of three months,” he said.

In a bi-weekly transportation meeting at Taipei City Hall on Friday, Hau instructed officials to establish a mechanism to review the quality of program work.

Information provided by the office showed that the city government approved 1,410 road-digging applications last month, with Taipower and Chunghwa Telecom responsible for 38 percent of the 32 unauthorized worksites discovered.

The inspection mechanism is also to serve as a major reference point in the selection of contractors, Huang said, adding that any contractor found to have done poor work or to be involved in graft would be blacklisted.

I want to say it does not work base on what I've heard from people live in Taipei.


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## williamchung7

33F Tower


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## williamchung7

宏盛南京東路捷運聯合開發商業辦公室大樓22F 89.24m.


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## hkskyline

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/04/01/2003499646

*Taipei to keep expo pavilions as cultural venues*
Fri, Apr 01, 2011 - Page 2

The Taipei City Government will keep all of the Taipei International Flora Expo’s 14 pavilions as venues for art and cultural performances and agricultural exhibitions after the six-month event ends this month.

The expo, which opened on Nov. 6 and runs through April 26, is comprised of 14 pavilions in three areas of Datong District (大同). It is the second major international event hosted by Hau’s municipal administration, following the Deaflympics in 2009.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday promised not to let the 14 pavilions go to waste after the event. The 14 pavilions, including the popular Pavilion of Dreams, Pavilion of Future and Expo Dome, will remain as venues for performances and flora displays for at least six months after the event.

The two popular pavilions in the expo’s Xinsheng Park area — Pavilion of Dreams and Pavilion of Future — will remain open to the public after the expo, and visitors will be able to purchase tickets to watch exhibitions, Hau said.

The Expo Theater and Expo Dome will continue to serve as venues for performances and exhibitions. The mayor said various performance groups have already scheduled shows and exhibitions at the venues.

With the expo expected to welcome its 7 millionth visitor this weekend, Hau thanked the public for their support and called on those who haven’t used their tickets to visit the expo as soon as possible because the city government would not extend its duration.

According to the expo’s Operational Headquarters, about 2.1 million tickets have not been used.

Hau also said he was proud that 10 Asian media outlets had awarded the expo a prize for being one of the most influential international events last year.

Both the expo and the Shanghai World Expo won recognition from the 10 media outlets led by Phoenix TV Station. The “You Bring Charm to the World” awards ceremony will be held in Beijing on Saturday.

Hau described the award as global recognition, adding that the successful experience would help the city government host more international events.


----------



## hkskyline

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/04/03/2003499805

*Wu seeks to calm Fourth Nuclear Power Plant fears*
By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff Reporter
Sun, Apr 03, 2011 - Page 3

Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday reiterated that the government will not halt construction on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant despite protests by anti-nuclear activists and residents from New Taipei City’s (新北市) Gongliao District (貢寮) outside the facility.

“I can assure you that we will not allow the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant to start operation unless it is safe. As for halting construction, I am afraid that is not easy,” Wu told the protesters during his inspection trip to the power plant.

At the request of the protesters, three people were allowed to attend the briefing given by -state-owned Taiwan Power Co (Tai-power), the plant’s operator, on the progress of construction work and precautionary measures put in place to deal with an earthquake or tsunami.

In light of the nuclear crisis at Japan’s tsunami-damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, the government, in an effort to alleviate safety concerns, has pushed back the operational date for the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant to 2013, one year later than originally planned.

A resident described the fourth Nuclear Power Plant as a “cannibalized vehicle” as Taipower did not follow the original design of the facilities at the plant laid out by General Electric, but instead arbitrarily introduced 700 design alterations, prompting compatibility concerns.

“The residents here and I have strong doubts about the quality of construction work as there have been a number of incidents, including floods and power outages at the plant over the past 10 years,” another resident said.

Wu instructed Taipower and the Atomic Energy Council, the national nuclear regulator, to take the misgivings people have expressed about the plant seriously and communicate with them in a open and candid way.

The government will invite international experts to inspect the safety of the plant during the pre-operation testing period to make sure that no errors occur during commercial operation, Wu added.


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## hkskyline

*New AIT Neihu office construction behind schedule *
6 April 2011
Taipei Times

Diplomatic sources on Monday said the new American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) office compound in Taipeis Neihu District is almost certain to remain unfinished by next years targeted completion date, as obstacles to construction were only resolved under Premier Wu Den-yih.

The AIT has signed a contract with the Taiwanese government to lease more than 65,000m2 of -government-owned land in Neihu for a period of 99 years. The total lease amounts to NT$339 million dollars (US$11.6 million), a sum paid in full by the AIT.

A source said that although then-AIT director Stephen Young held the announcement ceremony in June 2009, it did not mean all the obstacles for construction had yet been resolved.

Obstacles delaying construction were not limited to the preservation of natural scenery, but also stem from a request by President Ma Ying-jeous -administration to the US government for information on the offices structure and location, including plans for US Marine security guard quarters.

The US Department of State placed an advertisement in the classifieds section of a local newspaper in 2008, requesting solicitations for building Marine security guard quarters at the Neihu office, sparking a highly political question on whether the US would send Marines to guard the compound.

The US declined requests from the Ma administration to provide the construction plans for security reasons, but later resolved the issue through diplomatic means, one source said.

The source said the US government had shown patience with the Ma administration over the delays, as this was the first time a foreign governmental organization based in Taiwan had leased land for construction.

However, how the US perceives and evaluates the Ma administration is another matter, the source said.


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## hkskyline

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/04/09/2003500307

*Keelung-Cidu rail section to be shut next weekend*
Sat, Apr 09, 2011 

People considering outings next weekend may want to plan ahead because the railway section between Keelung and Cidu (七堵) will be closed for track-switching, the Railway Reconstruction Bureau said yesterday.

The tracks will be switched to a new route in accordance with a new urban planning project of the Keelung City Government that will move the Keelung Railway Station 200m south of its current location.

Because of the project, the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) will suspend the railway service in this section as well. Both northbound and southbound passengers in the vicinity will have to use the Badu (八堵) train station, which will be the point of departure and the terminal station for both northbound and southbound train services next weekend.

As part of complementary measures, passengers who normally board trains in Keelung can take free shuttle buses to Badu, which will be available every six minutes between 11am and 9pm.

Buses during other hours will arrive every 10 to 15 minutes. TRA employees will be on the shuttle buses to help train passengers access the service.

To minimize the project’s impact on commuters, the track-switching project is scheduled to begin at 1am on Saturday next week and end at 4:30am on April 18.

The shuttle bus service at the Keelung station is scheduled to begin at 5am, with the last bus departing at 11:30pm. The shuttle bus service at the Badu station will begin at 5:30am, with the last leaving at 12:30am.

The bureau said that relocating the Keelung train station will cost NT$2.627 billion (US$90.6 million). Construction is scheduled to be completed by 2013.


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## hkskyline

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/04/13/2003500632

*Protests block mayor’s entrance to Taipei City Council*
Wed, Apr 13, 2011

Clashes over public housing projects and a Taipei Dome project marred Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin’s (郝龍斌) report to the Taipei City Council yesterday, with dozens of protesters blocking the entrance to the city council building to urge the mayor to improve communication with residents before drafting policies.

Shouting “Give the supermarket back to us, we don’t want public housing units,” a group of residents of Wenshan District (文山) criticized the city government over its plan to build 174 public housing units in their community despite opposition to what residents perceive as a rushed municipal project.

“The neighborhood is too small to accommodate so many housing units. Poor management of public housing units is also a major concern,” resident Wang Wei-lin (王微琳) said.

Taipei City councilors across party lines, including Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Councilor Lin Yi-hua (林奕華), KMT Councilor Lee Ching-yuan (李慶元) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Councilor Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青), supported the protesters, calling on the city to distribute public housing units throughout the city’s 12 districts proportionally.

Of all 1,500 public housing units in Taipei, Lee said, 1,020 are located in Wenshan District.

“We do not oppose public -housing, but it’s unfair to build all the units in one district. The city government needs a comprehensive plan and must communicate better with local residents,” he said.

At the heart of the controversy is a plan by the city to convert an abandoned supermarket on Wanli Street into a public rental apartment as the first phase of a project to increase the number of affordable housing units throughout the city to 50,000 in the next four years.

Each of the planned public housing units would be about 21 ping (69.4m2) and rent would be about NT$11,000 per month, or about 80 percent of average rent in the area.

Meanwhile, a small group of -environmental activists protested in another corner outside the Taipei City Council against the planned construction project of the Taipei Dome, a 40,000-seat complex that is to be built on the site of the Songshan Tobacco Factory in Taipei.

Leading the protest, Green Party Taiwan spokesman Pan Han-shen (潘翰聲) said the city should revoke the contract with Farglory Group and stop the project immediately.

Swamped by protesters and reporters, Hau slowly made his way into the city council building escorted by security guards without offering comments.

“I heard the protesters’ voices and we will examine the projects and see what we can do,” he said.


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## hkskyline

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2011/04/16/2003500843

*Housing correction expected with tax*
Taipei Times
Sat, Apr 16, 2011 - Page 12

The housing market, which has seen transactions plunging for nearly two months, is poised for a price correction now that a bill to tax short-term property transfers has cleared the legislature, analysts said yesterday.

The depth of correction is expected to match or exceed the tax rates — from 10 percent to 15 percent of trading prices, if properties are resold within one to two years of their purchase — they said.

“The enactment of the luxury tax bill removes a lingering uncertainty from the market,” Lee Jain-ming (李健銘), a researcher at Sinyi Realty Co (信義房屋), said by telephone.

“The selling side will be more willing to soften prices now that the levy will be implemented,” Lee said.

Housing prices remain virtually unchanged after the government unveiled the luxury tax plan in late February, although transactions have nearly halved in parts of the nation while the number of houses for sale have increased sharply.

The number of homes for sale in the prime Xinyi District tops other areas in Taipei, picking up 40 percent last month and this month, compared with January and February, Lee said.

Songshan (松山) and Shihlin (士林) districts rank second and third, as the number of homes for sale jumped 37 percent and 32 percent respectively during the same period, he said.

Meanwhile, available homes surged 40 percent in Linkou (林口), New Taipei City (新北市), followed by Banciao (板橋) at 35 percent and Sinjuang (新莊) at 30 percent, where speculation accounts for 50 percent of transactions in recent two years, Lee said.

Sinyi Realty, the nation’s only listed housing brokerage, expects home prices to shed 5 percent to 10 percent in Taipei and drop up to 20 percent in New Taipei City until the end of the lunar Ghost Month in late August.

Evertrust Rehouse Co (永慶房屋), another major broker, said the luxury tax legislation showed the government was serious about cooling the property market after previously limiting its efforts to moral persuasion.

“The legislation will help put an end to this tug of war over pricing and boost transactions ahead of the tax’s implementation,” Evertrust Rehouse head researcher Jeffry Huang (黃增福) said by telephone.

The selling pressure is more evident for presale housing projects, whose transactions entail less capital and are consequently rife with speculators, Huang said.

While pre-sale housing projects won’t be liable for the luxury tax before the construction is finished, buyers have faced potentially higher interest rates after the central bank started to tighten monetary policy in June last year, the researcher said.

The National Tax Administration has also stepped up a crackdown on tax evasion by presale housing traders to close a legal loophole.

Hua Ching-chun (花敬群), a banking and finance professor at Hsuan Chuang University, who closely tracks the property market, said buyers would remain cautious until after next year’s presidential election.

“The tax legislation marks the beginning of a correction that may last longer than a year,” Hua said. “Home prices should drop by half in New Taipei City in the absence of speculation.”


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## hkskyline

*Government plans airport expansion*
Taipei Times
Wed, Apr 20, 2011 

The government is planning to invest approximately NT$300 billion (US$10.3 billion) for the construction of a third terminal and other infrastructure at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said yesterday.

The plan marks the nation’s largest investment in air transportation service in the past decade.

The CAA-drafted Guidelines Governing the Development at the Airport Park (機場園區發展綱要計畫) was approved by the Executive Yuan last week. CAA Deputy -Director-General Chen Tien-tsyh (陳天賜) said the government aims to turn the nation’s largest international airport into one of the most important hubs in northeast Asia.

According to Chen, both the CAA and the Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIA) will jointly execute the guidelines. The CAA will be responsible for acquiring land needed for the Airport Park, while the TIA will be in charge of designing and constructing Terminal 3 and the airport’s third runway, he said.

Aside from building a new terminal and runway, Chen said the NT$300 billion budget would also pay for the costs of expropriating private properties in the area and building other transportation infrastructure.

Based on the guidelines, annual passenger traffic at the Taoyuan airport is expected to reach 58.9 million per year by 2030 and cargo handling is expected to top 4.48 million tonnes.

The number of aircraft arriving at and departing from the airport is also expected to reach 467,000 per year within 20 years.

Chen said the entire Airport Park area is 1,249 hectares. He said the airport would need an additional 745 hectares to accommodate all the facilities specified in the guidelines, adding that the estimated costs of acquiring the lands could potentially top NT$59.5 billion.

The newly acquired land would be used to build the third runway, depots and tarmacs for both passenger and cargo jets, aircraft maintenance zones and the airport free-trade zone, he said.

According to the CAA’s preliminary design, the third runway will be located at the northern part of Airport Park, which will be 1,200m in distance and accommodate large aircraft, such as the Airbus 380.

Terminal 3, along with the satellite boarding areas, will be able to accommodate 43 million passengers per year. Fan Hsiao-lun (范孝倫), director of CAA’s aerodrome engineering division, said Terminal 1 can accommodate 15 million passengers per year after renovations are completed this year.

Terminal 2, meanwhile, has a capacity to handle 17 million passengers per year, Fan said.

Fan added it would take the CAA at least one or two years before it can actually start expropriating the land, adding the government’s development project would all have to be reviewed by the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee.


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## hkskyline

*Report shows which cities to be most hit by luxury tax*
Taipei times Staff Writer, with CNA
Sun, Apr 24, 2011 

Home prices in Taipei City, New Taipei City (新北市) and Greater Taichung are expected to be more affected than other areas in the country before a new luxury tax takes effect in June, according to a report released by a real-estate agency yesterday.

The three cities have been preferred by investors when buying residential real estate and they are now scrambling to sell properties in those areas to avoid paying the tax, the report by Pacific Rehouse Co said.

The sudden increase in supply is expected to drag down home prices in the cities before June 1, when the market generally expects the luxury tax to be implemented.

The 10 to 15 percent tax, passed by the Legislative Yuan on April 15, would be imposed on sales of homes not lived in by their owners within one to two years of their purchase.

Since the bill passed, the -housing market has favored buyers, leaving a small window in which those looking for their own home could get a favorable deal, the real estate agency said.

New home construction figures from the Ministry of the Interior indicate why the imminent implementation of the luxury tax could be most felt in New Taipei City, Taipei City and Greater Taichung, Pacific Rehouse said.

New Taipei City had the most applicants for new home -construction with 33,187 units from July 2009 to February this year.

During the same period, Greater Taichung came in second with 18,136 units, followed by Taipei City with 14,181 units, Greater Kaohsiung with 11,716 units and Taoyuan County with 10,827 units.

Government officials have argued that the tax will rein in speculative home buying by investors hoping to cash in on steady rises in housing prices by quickly turning over properties.


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## hkskyline

*Construction halts at historic sugar factory for repairs*
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
Wed, Apr 27, 2011
Taipei Times

Taipei’s Department of Cultural Affairs promised to halt a construction project and restore a broken platform at the Sugar Refinery Cultural Park in Wanhua District (萬華) after confirming that the platform, which dates back to the Japanese colonial period, was damaged.

The sugar mill began operation in 1911 as the only sugar factory north of Taoyuan. However, the once-busy factory ended operations after World War II, with its empty buildings and the run-down warehouses mirroring the decline of Taiwan’s sugar industry.

The department designated the three remaining warehouses a city monument in 2003 and turned the site into a cultural park.

The department invited Ming Hwa Yuan Arts & Cultural Group to promote traditional Taiwanese opera and allowed it to tear down a railroad platform last week for reconstruction.

The move sparked protests from residents who accused the group and the department of not protecting the historic site, and urged the Taipei City Government to stop any construction project.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Chou Wei-you (周威佑) joined residents in lashing out at the city government for the damage to the monument after an inspection on Saturday.

“The city government and Ming Hwa Yuan are culture rogues. The platform is part of the historical factory and it is ridiculous that renovation projects that damage the structure can be allowed in there,” he said.

Wang Yi-chun (王逸群), chief secretary of the culture department, said it had invited cultural heritage committee members to conduct an onsite inspection on Monday, and reached an agreement that the department should restore the original structure of the platform as soon as possible.

The department has already asked the Ming Hwa Yuan troupe to halt the construction, Wang said.


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## hkskyline

Sun, May 08, 2011
Taipei Times
*Housing policy is misguided*

Just weeks before Taiwan is scheduled to implement a luxury tax on June 1 to help suppress real-estate speculation, the government last week said it was considering new plans to help those with low incomes deal with the housing availability problem.

On Wednesday, the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) said it was planning a low-cost “modern housing” program to assist low-income families in buying their own homes so they won’t have to be lifelong renters.

Then, on Thursday, the Cabinet said it was considering expanding a preferential home mortgage program for first-time homebuyers between the ages of 20 and 45. It also said each eligible homebuyer would be able to apply for up to NT$7.2 million (US$251,748) in loans, up from the previous NT$5 million, with the repayment period likely extending to 30 years from the original 20 years.

Some people called the new plans good complementary measures to the luxury tax, saying that the introduction of the luxury tax has stifled the housing market even before its implementation. It is hard to predict the effectiveness of the new plans at this point in time, but it looks suspiciously like the government made the move out of political considerations ahead of the presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 14.

The CEPD claimed its “modern housing” program was different from other government-sponsored programs such as the Ministry of the Interior’s “social housing,” saying its program could allow homebuyers to own the property for a period of up to 70 years. In contrast, “social housing” consists of apartments rented out to the poor, the elderly and minority groups.

No matter what these government-initiated housing programs are called and how they are built and sold, they are all forms of public housing, aiming to introduce a limited supply of low-cost housing to meet the needs of certain homebuyers, especially those with a low income or those who have never owned a house.

Because they remain public housing projects, they still face the same problem of a long-term negative perception about public housing complexes, which tend to be associated with problems such as inferior construction quality and poor public safety. Since the number of these low-cost housing units is limited, they are not likely to make any meaningful impact on the housing market, which means these programs will not help bring down excessive home prices in urban areas, nor make purchasing a house any easier.

Worse, because housing prices remain high, the government’s revised preferential home mortgage program for young people will just encourage more first-time homebuyers to buy houses and burden themselves with a life-long mortgage. Under either the 20-year home loan program or the 30-year one, would-be homebuyers may end up sacrificing their own quality of life, as they will have to make mortgage payments the most important priority in their life.

The government’s efforts to deal with the housing problem are welcome, but it is immoral and most undesirable to let first-time homebuyers, especially young people, play a major role in supporting the housing market. Instead of coming up with rash policies, the government needs to change its mindset about housing and educate the public to redefine their priorities in life, because like it or not, high housing prices are not likely to fall substantially any time soon unless the market were to crash.


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## hkskyline

Sat, May 21, 2011 
*Biotech park closer to approval*
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA

The government yesterday “conditionally approved” an initial environmental assessment for a proposed national biotechnology research park near a Taipei wetland, despite criticism from environmentalists.

The project will be re--evaluated for final approval at another environmental assessment meeting, possibly next month at the earliest.

Yesterday was the third -meeting held by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to review the project and environmental experts gave the project’s developer, Academia Sinica, 10 conditions to meet before they could fully approve the park.

The conditions included maintaining the ecosystem in the wetlands area, forming a committee to supervise the protection of the wetland, as well as obtaining green building credentials.

The proposed park would be located at the 202 Arsenal, an abandoned military facility in Taipei’s Nangang District (南港).

Academia Sinica president Wong Chi-huey (翁啟惠) said the nation’s top academic research body would factor in these conditions and produce a more detailed report on how to meet them.

Wong acknowledged that his organization has learned a lot from activists who were advocating for the preservation of the wetlands.

Wong expressed optimism that the project could receive final approval by June 10 and that it would be built by 2017.

Despite Academia Sinica’s assurances that it would protect the wetlands, environmental groups are doubtful, saying that once the ecosystem is damaged, projects to save it would be of no use.

“Let’s give these wetlands a break,” Chang Hsiao-feng (張曉風), a local writer who strongly opposes the project, said at the meeting yestersday. “It would be very easy to find another -location for the biotech park. Let this -ecosystem stay intact.”

The area has been previously described by Chang as “Taipei’s last plot of green land,” for which she has knelt in front of television cameras and begged for the preservation of the wetlands.

Liao Pen-chuan (廖本全), a professor in National Taipei University’s Department of Real Estate and Built Environment, said the park should not be built in Taipei because the capital is overcrowded.

He said Academia Sinica should set a good example and move the project to another area.


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## hkskyline

Fri, May 20, 2011
Taipei Times
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
*Relocation plan upsets food vendors in Shilin*

The Taipei City Government is moving ahead with plans to relocate more than 500 food stalls in the Shilin Night Market to a renovated building in November despite protests from some vendors and residents.

Market Administration Office director Ding Juo-ting (丁若庭) said yesterday that the building was the original home of the 538 food stalls before they were moved to their present location to allow for the building’s renovation, and the city would stick to its schedule of a November relocation.

An extensive renovation plan for the night market, a popular destination for both local and foreign visitors, began in 2002 and the food stalls were moved to a site across the street from the MRT’s Jiantan Station.

The renovated building has three underground floors and a ground floor. According to the office’s plan, about 100 of the 538 food stalls will be moved to the basement — and that has upset some vendors.

“I don’t think people want to go to a night market that is indoors and underground,” an oyster omelet vendor surnamed Chen said.

Many Internet users also voiced their opposition to the plan on Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin’s (郝龍斌) Facebook page, calling on Hau to halt the plan so the Shihlin Night Market doesn’t go the way of the Jiancheng Circle (建成圓環).

The Jiancheng Circle, Taipei’s oldest food market, was located at the intersection of Chongqing N Road and Nanjing W Road. It finally closed its doors in 2006 after a massive renovation project by the city government failed to revive its fortunes.

“Night markets have a unique ambience. It’s different from air-conditioned food courts in the malls and that’s what attracts us to the night markets. We should preserve such unique culture,” a netizen named Miso Chang wrote on Hau’s Facebook wall.

Another netizen, surnamed Ho (何), urged Hau to listen to the voice of the people and save the Shihlin night market from becoming “another Jiancheng Circle.”

Hau has instructed city officials to continue communicating with the food vendors, but to complete the relocation according to the original schedule.


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## hkskyline

*Taipei targets 10 major roads for new plantings*
Wed, May 25, 2011 
Taipei Times

A total of 35 major roads will be turned into “green boulevards” in the next four years, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday, describing plans to turn Taipei into a “garden city” with more than 4,500 trees along its roads.

The Taipei City Government will prioritize planting 1,256 trees along 10 roads that are currently without trees, including Tiding Boulevard, part of Xinglong Road, Zhongshe Road and Beian Road, by the end of this year, according to the Parks and Street Lights Office.

For the 25 roads and boulevards that already have trees, such as Renai, Xinyi and Dunhua, the city will either replace old trees with new ones or keep the trees well maintained.

“Following the Taipei International Flora Expo, a growing number of Taipei residents expect Taipei to be more beautiful and so we will make Taipei a garden city through our green boulevard project,” Hau told a press conference at Taipei City Hall.

Parks and Street Lights Office director Chen Jia-chin (陳嘉欽) said the city will budget NT$70 million (US$2.4 million) and plant 4,641 trees along the 35 roads by 2014, increasing the total number of roadside trees to 92,912.

On Xinyi Road, for example, 1,988 trees will be planted after construction of the MRT Xinyi Line is completed next year. Chen said the city has also decided not to remove 286 banyan and autumn maple trees that were to be uprooted to make way for the construction.

Chen said the city would select trees that are grown in Taiwan and have strong roots, or non-deciduous trees, so that they would suffer less damage during typhoon season.

The city will also plant Taiwan cherry blossom trees and Crape myrtle trees as part of its efforts to add colors to the city’s scenery.

Increasing the number of trees in the city was one of Hau’s campaign promises when he ran for re-election last year.

The city government has formed a task force to implement the project. Horticultural and botany experts would be asked to help select the appropriate trees, Hau said.

In need of green

Ten major roads:

Tiding Boulevard (堤頂大道)

Xinglong Road, Sections 1 and 2 (興隆路一、二段)

Zhongshe Road (中社路)

Roosevelt Road, Sections 5 and 6 (羅斯福路五、六段)

Xinhai Road (辛亥路)

Xinyi Road (信義路)

Nanjing E and W Roads (南京東西路)

Jianguo N and S Roads (建國南北路)

Xinsheng N and S Roads (新生南北路)

Beian Road, Alley No. 501 (北安路501巷)

Twenty-five other roads or public areas:

Bei-an Road (北安路)

Academia Road, Sections 1 and 2 (考試院路一、二段)

Area surrounding Nangang Exhibition Center

Zhi Shan Road, Section 3 (至善路三段)

Renai Road (仁愛路)

Zhongshan S Road (中山南路)

Civic Boulevard, Section 5 (市民大道五段)

Zhonghua Road (中華路)

Aiguo W Road (愛國西路)

Area surrounding Taipei Railway Station

Area surrounding Taipei International Airport

Area surrounding Taipei City Hall Plaza

Area surrounding Dunhua Park

Minquan E Road (民權東路)

Xinzhong Road (行中路)

Minquan W Road (民權西路)

Chengde Road (承德路)

Chongching N Road (重慶北路)

Gugong Road (故宮路)

Dunhua N and S Roads (敦化南北路)

Minsheng E and W Roads (民生東西路)

Zhongxiao E Road (忠孝東路)

Hoping E and W Roads (和平東西路)

Keelung Road (基隆路)

Huanghe N and S Roads (環河南北路)


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## hkskyline

*Parks may disappear with Taipei Beautiful program *
Now that the Flora Expo is over, areas turned into green spaces for 18 months look set to be used for development, with extra land thrown in to boot 
28 April 2011
Taipei Times

The former office building of the Chinese-language United Daily News Group on Zhongxiao E Road was turned into a park last year, becoming a recreational spot for many of the areas residents. However, the park will be replaced by a high-rise building in 2014.

An additional 72 parks around Taipei City could also be replaced by buildings under the Taipei Beautiful program, the Taipei City Governments urban renewal project to beautify the city for the Taipei International Flora Expo, which concluded on Monday.

Under the program, owners of old buildings located within 500m of major tourist attractions and transportation hubs who agreed to turn the buildings into green spaces for 18 months are now eligible for a bulk reward of an extra 3 percent to 10 percent of their initial land size when they develop the site in the wake of the expo.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Kao Chia-yu yesterday accused the city government of profiting conglomerates and contributing to skyrocketing housing prices.

Kao said the city would create more than 20,000 ping (66,000m2) of land for the 73 urban renewal applicants, with potential profits totaling more than NT$12 billion (US$390 million) when the bulk reward of up to 10 percent is included.

Huang Jui-mao, board chairman of OURs, a non-profit organization that combats speculation and urban renewal projects that benefit private investors, described the program as a fraud that profited private investors and urged the city government not to sacrifice green space for the sake of gains for a few investors.

The extra land covered by the bulk reward is a public resource, not private property, and the city government should not use it as a gift to conglomerates, he said.

However, Chang Wen-te, chief engineer at the Taipei City Urban Redevelopment Office, said the program aimed to improve the citys appearance by encouraging private landowners to demolish old buildings, adding that it would be difficult to achieve this goal if the city government did not offer incentives.

The urban renewal committee would carefully review each of the 73 renewal cases before determining the percentage of extra land applicants would be granted, he said.


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## hkskyline

*Taipei Dome gets a green light* 
Fri, May 27, 2011
Taipei Times









_Protesters demonstrate outside Taipei City Hall yesterday as an environmental impact assessment review committee discussed the proposed construction of the Taipei Dome on the site of the abandoned Songshan Tobacco Factory in Xinyi District. The protesters oppose what they see as the highly commercial nature of the project.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times_

A review committee yesterday gave conditional approval to the Taipei Dome construction project, paving the way for the construction of the long-stalled building amid ongoing protests by environmental activists who oppose the 500,000m2 commercial complex in downtown Xinyi District (信義).

Taipei City’s Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee, by a vote of eight to five, approved the project on the condition that the developer reduce the size of the commercial facilities at the complex and increase the number of parking spaces.

The size of the commercial facilities, including a shopping mall, movie theater, hotel and office space, should be cut by 17.4 percent to 202,610m2, while parking space should be increased to 187,965m2, the committee said.

The conditions also included adding another lane to Zhongxiao E Road, presenting a traffic plan that avoids traffic congestion in residential areas along the road and acquiring environmentally friendly building certification.

Committee chair Wu Sheng-chong (吳聖忠), commissioner of the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, said after the three-hour meeting that the developer should meet all the requirements before construction can begin.

The decision put an end to the long-delayed environmental impact assessment for the project.

Committee members expressed concern about the profit-driven design of the complex and said the developer should devote more space to sports, while presenting comprehensive solutions to traffic congestion, among other environmental impacts.

Farglory Group, the developer, signed a contract with the city government in 2005 and planned to invest more than NT$23 billion (US$700 million) in the complex at the abandoned Songshan Tobacco Factory on Zhongxiao E Road, which would include a 40,000-seat indoor stadium.

Tsai Chung-i (蔡宗易), vice president of the group’s public relations department, said the company would estimate the impact of reducing the size of the commercial facilities on future profits, declining to confirm whether the company would continue with the project.

“[The conditional approval] of the Taipei Dome project is good news for the public because Taiwan needs a professional sports venue to host international events,” Tsai said after the meeting at Taipei City Hall. “However, as the contractor, we need to make sure for our shareholders that the operation of the complex is profitable.”

Environmental groups were not satisfied with the outcome.

Taiwan Green Party spokesman Pan Han-shen (潘翰聲) said city officials accounted for seven of the 13 committee members and Pan accused the city government of hijacking the review process.

“The review process and the voting were against procedural justice,” he said.

Farglory should send a revised project plan to the city’s urban development committee for approval, before applying for a construction license if it decides to cooperate with the requirements, the committee said.


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## hkskyline

*Approval finally given for Taipei Dome construction*
17 June 2011
Taipei Times

The long-stalled Taipei Dome project passed the final review process yesterday, obtaining approval from Taipei Citys Urban Design Review Committee, with construction scheduled to start in October.

The approval was the final step for the project after the citys Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee granted conditional approval on May 26. The urban design committee said the contractor should make adjustments to the plans in accordance with the requirements of the environmental impact committee before beginning construction.

The environmental impact committee required the developer of the project Farglory Group to reduce the size of the complexs commercial facilities, including a shopping mall, movie theater, hotel and office space by 17 percent to 202,610m2, and increase parking space to 187,965m2.

The conditions also included adding another lane to Zhong-xiao E Road, presenting a traffic plan that avoids congestion in nearby residential areas and acquiring environmentally friendly building certification.

Ting Yu-chun, urban design committee chair and commissioner of Taipei Citys Urban Development Department, said the developer must revise its plans to meet the conditions before applying for a construction license.

Janus Lee, manager of Farglorys operation administration department, said the company would make the adjustments immediately and apply for a construction license by July 2, with preliminary plans for construction to begin in October.

The urban design committees decision was met with protests from environmentalists and local residents, who said the project would have a negative impact on traffic flow and the environment.

Taiwan Green Party spokesman Pan Han-shen said various committee members had expressed concerns about the project in previous review meetings, but the city government insisted on approving the project. Pan urged Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin to hold a public debate with environmentalists on whether the city needs another commercial complex in downtown Xinyi District.


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## williamchung7

hkskyline said:


> *Approval finally given for Taipei Dome construction*
> 17 June 2011
> Taipei Times
> 
> The long-stalled Taipei Dome project passed the final review process yesterday, obtaining approval from Taipei Citys Urban Design Review Committee, with construction scheduled to start in October.
> 
> The approval was the final step for the project after the citys Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee granted conditional approval on May 26. The urban design committee said the contractor should make adjustments to the plans in accordance with the requirements of the environmental impact committee before beginning construction.
> 
> The environmental impact committee required the developer of the project Farglory Group to reduce the size of the complexs commercial facilities, including a shopping mall, movie theater, hotel and office space by 17 percent to 202,610m2, and increase parking space to 187,965m2.
> 
> The conditions also included adding another lane to Zhong-xiao E Road, presenting a traffic plan that avoids congestion in nearby residential areas and acquiring environmentally friendly building certification.
> 
> Ting Yu-chun, urban design committee chair and commissioner of Taipei Citys Urban Development Department, said the developer must revise its plans to meet the conditions before applying for a construction license.
> 
> Janus Lee, manager of Farglorys operation administration department, said the company would make the adjustments immediately and apply for a construction license by July 2, with preliminary plans for construction to begin in October.
> 
> The urban design committees decision was met with protests from environmentalists and local residents, who said the project would have a negative impact on traffic flow and the environment.
> 
> Taiwan Green Party spokesman Pan Han-shen said various committee members had expressed concerns about the project in previous review meetings, but the city government insisted on approving the project. Pan urged Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin to hold a public debate with environmentalists on whether the city needs another commercial complex in downtown Xinyi District.


Finally!


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## hkskyline

*Residents still unhappy at Taipei Dome project*
Taipei Times
By Lee I-Chia / Staff Reporter
Sun, Jul 03, 2011 

Many local residents and environmental activists remain unhappy with the Taipei Dome project, despite Farglory Group having earlier this year secured conditional approval from the Taipei City Government’s Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee after it revised its plan for the project.

The long-stalled Taipei Dome build-operate-transfer (BOT) project began in 2006 when the city government signed a contract with Farglory to construct a 40,000-seat indoor stadium complex with -commercial facilities at the abandoned Songshan Tobacco Factory (松山菸廠) site.

After the project conditionally passed the city’s environmental impact assessment in late May, the contractor was asked to revise its plans and apply for a construction license with the city government by yesterday, which was the second extended deadline for the contract.

Environmental protection activists and local residents have continued to protest against the dome, calling for more recreational land, such as a large municipal park in place of the project.

Early last month, several city councilors expressed their support for a park.

They passed a decision demanding that if Farglory cannot gain a construction license and a financing contract with a bank, then the contract deadline should not be further extended.

While supporting the proposal for a municipal park, the councilors also urged the city’s environmental protection agency to thoroughly examine possible environmental impact and to look for other suitable sites for the dome.

All 41 Xinyi District (信義) borough chiefs expressed their support for a park by making a signed petition public on Wednesday.

The Songshan Tobacco Factory Park Union, a civic group which is against the project, said that there have been too many procedural injustices during the process, including the environmental impact assessment neglecting to take into account opposing opinions.

The union has urged the Control Yuan to investigate the administrative processes and said it would file lawsuits against the city government if sufficient information is found.

Taipei City spokesman Chang Chi-chiang (張其強) said that Farglory submitted a financial document on Friday and a mediation committee was held yesterday to discuss the case. Results of the meeting was unavailable at press time.


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## japanese001

williamchung7 said:


>


Unique building.


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## hkskyline

Sun, Jul 10, 2011 
Taipei Times
*CyberMart to begin building Akihabara-like center in Taipei*
Staff Writer, with CNA

The Taipei IT Park, envisaged as a local version of Japan’s Akihabara electronics shopping area, is scheduled to break ground tomorrow, the developer of the project said yesterday.

CyberMart, which won the bid to develop the IT center in April, said that Hon Hai Precision Industry Co chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) would address the ground--breaking ceremony, while Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) would also be present at the event.

CyberMart is the consumer electronics product retail arm of Hon Hai, the world’s largest contract electronics maker. Hon Hai founded CyberMart in an effort to diversify its business into the retail sector.

The developer said construction of the IT zone was scheduled to be completed in 2013 and is expected to begin operations in the same year.

It will be located next to the Guanghua Computer Market in Taipei, a location proposed by the Taipei City Government. Taipei plans to turn the area into a local version of Japan’s bustling Akihabara district.

CyberMart is expected to invest about NT$3.8 billion (US$132 million) in the project, which will include a 12-story building with a floor area of 7,893 ping (26,126m2). CyberMart will operate the building for 50 years on a build--operate-transfer (BOT) basis.

The area is expected to accommodate between 70 and 80 high-tech firms, it said.


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## hkskyline

*Residents protest demolitions*
Taipei Times
By Lee I-chia / Staff Reporter
Sun, Jul 10, 2011 

Residents from Erchong Borough (二重) in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Sanchong District (三重) gathered on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday morning to protest against the special municipality’s compulsory acquisition of their homes.

During the protest, residents placed fruit on tables as an offering to the gods and burned incense sticks.

“God, please find out for us who will profit from tearing our homes down,” the protesters said.

The forced demolition is scheduled to take place at the end of the year as part of the city’s Tamsui River “Manhattan Riverside” project, which will expand the width of a road that goes through the neighborhood in Erchong Borough by demolishing 69 buildings.

The residents filed a petition with the Presidential Office after the protest in the morning.

Earlier this week, a separate petition was filed with the Control Yuan, requesting that it look into the case to determine if the special municipal government had violated administrative procedures or had broken the law.

An elderly resident surnamed Wu (吳) wept as she said she had washed clothes for more than 40 years to buy a home in the area, but now the government was taking it away from her.

“Please don’t tear it down, or at least give us a new home to live in,” she said. “We don’t know what to do ... how can we live?”

Another resident, surnamed Chuang (莊), said 20 percent of his home had already been torn down for a road expansion 30 years ago, adding that if the government were to go through with its plan to -demolish more of his home, he will be left with only 1m2 of land to live on.

“That’s about the size of a man standing,” he said.

The residents said they only accidentally learned about this plan in April when a resident was surfing the Internet and came across a city government briefing.

The buildings were built on a flood plain that has been designated a “no construction district” for 40 years, but when residents learned that the prohibition had finally been lifted this year, they also learned that they face eviction from their homes.

According to the Urban Planning Act (都市計畫法), residents of affected areas in urban planning projects must be notified about hearings through reports published in newspapers before the plans can be sent to government review commissions for approval.

Resident Chen Wei (陳瑋) said the head of the borough and residents were not properly informed of the project through public bulletin boards or by mail, adding that the government had only published the information on the China Daily News, a local newspaper published mainly in Greater Tainan.

Chen said the Urban and Rural Development Department could not answer their questions about traffic volume and floor area ratio in the nearby boroughs, nor could he say why the road expansion is needed.

The government seems to be concealing information and violating legal procedures, lawyer Chan Wen-kai (詹文凱) said, adding that the procedures should be done again to take the residents’ opinions into account.

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/07/10/2003507874


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## hkskyline

Mon, Jul 18, 2011
Taipei Times
*Land developers focus on new projects*

Land developers are expected to launch more than NT$100 billion (US$3.46 billion) in new construction projects this month, indicating that the lunar “Ghost Month,” when people are traditionally more reticent about conducting business, did not impair the nation’s property market, property analysts said yesterday.

Major land developers, -including Farglory Land Development Co (遠雄建設) and Kindom Construction Corp (冠德建設), are rolling out NT$106.1 billion worth of new home projects in New Taipei City (新北市) -and Taoyuan County despite Ghost Month, which falls between July 31 and Aug. 28 this year.

“The impact of Ghost Month, during which people are advised against getting married, traveling and moving into new homes, is diminishing,” Chinese-language Housing Monthly (住展雜誌) spokesman Ni Tzu-jen (倪子仁) said by telephone.

Ni said the trend is more evident in the pre-sale housing segment of the market, as it takes two years to complete construction.

Farglory Development is set to launch a NT$50 billion pre-sale home project in Zhonghe District (中和), New Taipei City this weekend and unveil a NT$4 billion undertaking in Taoyuan County next month.

Kindom Construction Corp (冠德建設) plans to market NT$4.5 billion in pre-sale homes in Sanchong District (三重), New Taipei City, while Sanyuan Group (三圓建設) is to roll out a new construction project valued at NT$3.4 billion in Xindian District (新店).

“The pricing strategy for those new projects will attract much scrutiny as the market is still trying to digest the impact of the luxury tax,” Ni said.

The levy, intended to curb soaring housing prices, subjects houses resold within two years of purchase to a tax of up to 15 percent of its transaction value.

The measure has cooled down the housing market, but so far failed to trigger a price correction, Ni said.

Shining Building Business Co (鄉林建設) recently launched an aggressive advertisement campaign to promote its newly completed luxury homes in Taichung. Shining chairman Lai Cheng-yi (賴正鎰) said Ghost Month did not impact the company’s marketing strategy.

“Rather, we are upbeat about the housing market after Taiwan’s opening to independent Chinese tourists [on June 28],” Lai said.

The influence of Ghost Month on second-hand home transactions is also fading.

Jessica Hsu (徐佳馨), head researcher at H&B Realty (住商不動產), the nation’s largest real-estate broker by number of franchises, said that housing deals in the “inauspicious” Ghost Month dipped a modest 5 percent in recent years compared with other months of the year.

“As the nation becomes more urbanized, Ghost Month has become less relevant in home purchase decisions,” Hsu said by telephone.


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## hkskyline

*INTERVIEW: Real-estate mogul discusses market prospects *
Taipei Times
Mon, Jul 18, 2011

Shining Group, owner of Shining Building Business Co and operator of the upscale Lalu Hotel, is set to make a return to the nation’s booming real estate market by launching new housing projects. Lai Cheng-i, chairman of the Taichung-based property developer, talked about the firm’s prospects, the housing market and the company’s development plans in an interview last week with ‘Taipei Times’ staff reporter Crystal Hsu 

Taipei Times: How do you think Taiwan’s real estate market will fare in the second half of the year, given the impact of the luxury tax, the nation’s opening to independent Chinese tourists and various economic fundamentals?

Lai Cheng-i (賴正鎰): I believe the sector will see stable growth in the next three to five years. Interest rates remain the No. 1 influence on the sector. Today, the interest rate on housing mortgage loans remains low at about 2.5 percent a year and such low rates make home purchases practical and desirable.

China, which accounts for 40 percent of Taiwan’s exports, is expected to continue to post strong economic growth, even though Europe is plagued by a debt crisis and the US recovery is staggering.

More hot money may flow to Asia to take advantage of the region’s fast-growing economy.

Foreign investors are seeking opportunities to cooperate with Taiwanese firms in jointly tapping China’s [property] market.

All these are positive signs for the property market.

The only downside risk could come from the government as reflected in the introduction of the luxury tax last month to curb housing prices.

It was the new levy that made land developers more cautious about launching new construction projects last quarter.

Revenues from new construction projects totaled about NT$800 billion (US$27.72 billion) last year. Transactions are likely to stay flat this year because of the three-month lull. Without the tax, they would have hit NT$1 trillion.

TT: Are housing prices in Taiwan unreasonably high — many people are complaining that they cannot afford to buy a home?

Lai: That is not true. Only housing prices in Taipei and parts of New Taipei City (新北市) have picked up significantly. I don’t understand why people have to own houses in Taipei City, especially in prime locations such as Da-an (大安) and Xinyi (信義) districts.

The housing units we have built in Taichung average between NT$130,000 and NT$140,000 per ping. Second-hand homes can even cost between NT$90,000 and NT$100,000 per ping. Housing prices in Yunlin, Chiayi and Tainan counties are even lower.

The government’s unbalanced development plan is responsible for this price differential as it has utilized most government resources in the capital, financially and politically.

It could address this issue by strengthening infrastructure or building mass rapid transit systems in different parts of the nation, to encourage people to move.

That is why some people have said the government should move the capital to central Taiwan and relocate technological and industrial firms to southern Taiwan.

TT: That means we may see housing prices in Greater Taipei climb higher despite the introduction of the luxury tax?

Lai: Prices are determined by supply and demand. We have 50 people hunting for vacant plots in the Greater Taipei area, but we can only find two plots a year for development.

Scarce supply fuels the need for urban regeneration, but it usually takes five years or longer to finish a project. This limited supply makes a price correction unlikely in Taipei or New Taipei City.

In my view, it is healthy for housing prices to increase 5 percent annually.

The government’s attempt to curb price increase will only delay price hikes as shown in recently released housing price data and it is unlikely to have a more long-term impact.

TT: What plans does the Shining Group’s (鄉林集團) Shining Building Business Co (鄉林建設) have for this year and next year?

Lai: We have operations in Taiwan and China. Domestically, the company is looking to roll out new construction projects worth between NT$30 billion and NT$50 billion a year. This year’s target is set at NT$30 billion and it will be the same next year. About 80 percent of the construction projects this year will be in Taipei. All the projects are upscale housing units, targeting wealthy people at home and from Greater China.

In China, we aim to launch NT$100 billion in land development projects every year and to build branches of our six-star hotel The Lalu (涵碧樓) in 23 Chinese cities. The hotel construction project in Qingdao will be completed next year and new construction plans in Nanjing and Guilin will begin later this year.

TT: How much are Chinese homebuyers contributing to Shining’s revenue?

Lai: Since the ban [on Chinese buying houses in Taiwan] was lifted in 2002, Taiwanese firms have sold only 45 housing units to Chinese and none of those was built by Shining. I expect the number to increase to 200 by the end of this year because of the opening to independent Chinese tourists.

I do not think that the fact Chinese are only allowed to live in Taiwan four months a year will reduce the appetite of Chinese investors for local real estate. Many of them are rich, need to diversify their asset portfolio and they are bullish about Taiwan’s property market.

TT: Will more Taiwanese capital flow into China after the government removes the US$50 million cap on single project land development investments?

Lai: There is no reason for this to cause worry in Taiwan. For most Chinese investments, we have only 30 percent of funding on hand and borrow the rest from Chinese lenders. I urged the government to relax the investment rule because development projects in China usually involve amounts larger than US$50 million. The deregulation will give domestic land developers a freer hand in competing there. Companies will wire their earnings back to Taiwan at a later date.

TT: What do you think the government can do to achieve a fairer housing market?

Lai: The government could learn from Singapore by turning public land into affordable housing units for low income households. It could also lease housing units to those who can’t afford mortgage payments.

The so-called fair housing project in Linkou is quite expensive, priced at NT$150,000 per ping. In my view, NT$80,000 to NT$100,000 per ping makes more sense.

However, the extension of the mass rapid transit system to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport makes it more practical for people to own a house there without having to give up their jobs in Taipei. I believe such programs could be applied in other parts of the nation at some future date, to great effect.

Published on Taipei Times :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2011/07/18/2003508478


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## hkskyline

Fri, Jul 22, 2011 
*Farglory chairman criticizes tax hikes on luxury houses*
Taipei Times

Farglory Group (遠雄集團) chairman Chao Teng-hsiung (趙藤雄) yesterday voiced his reservations about a new set of planned tax hikes on luxury homes, saying that the move might hurt the housing sector and would also fail to improve the national treasury.

Chao made the remarks after the Taipei City Government said on Wednesday that it planned to raise taxes on the city’s luxury homes for the second time this year because it said the current levy is too low.

“Policymakers should think twice about tax reforms that may have a negative impact on business activity,” Chao said on the sidelines of a public function.

RECKLESS

Reckless tax increases might scare away investors, which is in opposition to the government’s efforts to boost private investment and create job opportunities, he said.

Chao, whose Farglory Land Development Co (遠雄建設) aims to launch NT$63 billion (US$2.2 billion) in new housing projects this year, questioned the wisdom of the proposed tax hikes, particularly after the city government has already increased the tax burden on about 10,000 luxury homes this month.

Upscale housing is also an indicator of a country’s internationalization and policies to discourage its presence serve only to impair that process, the land developer said.

UNREASONABLE

The Taipei City Government said that the present housing tax failed to reflect the true market value of luxury properties, rendering the levy unfair and unreasonable.

Fuel taxes on durable goods such as cars stand at about 2 percent of their value, whereas taxes on luxury homes is 0.1 percent, the city government said.

The housing tax on a 130-ping apartment unit in The Palace (帝寶), the nation’s most expensive housing complex, should rise to NT$2 million from the current NT$350,000, the city government said.

Chao said that he would respect whatever decisions the city reached on the issue, but he warned that it would take a great amount of effort to remedy an incorrect policy.


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## hkskyline

Wednesday, July 27, 2011 11:44 am 
The China Post news staff
*Taipei to turn Shuanglian Market into 70-bed youth hostel: PCC*

Taipei is seeking to turn the Shuanglian Market into a youth hostel, with the city slated to announce the open bidding process in one or two months, said the Public Constructions Commission (PCC) yesterday.

The hostel, to be located near the intersection of Minsheng West Road and Zhongshan North Road, will have 70 beds.

The project is part of the city's urban revitalization program, said PCC, which has also received similar applications from other cities and counties.

New Taipei City, Taoyuan County, Taitung County and Tainan have all applied to have old public buildings turned into either youth hostels or youth apartments, PCC said.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Jul 29, 2011
*Prices increase as Greater Taipei housing deals drop*
Taipei Times

Presale and new home transactions declined sharply in Greater Taipei last quarter, but prices climbed to new heights on the back of demand for an inflation hedge after speculators fled the market, a report released yesterday showed.

Land development and construction companies launched 11,586 units of presale and new homes worth about NT$199.6 billion (US$6.92 billion) during the second quarter in Greater Taipei, the quarterly survey by Cathay Real Estate Development Co (國泰建設) and National Chengchi University’s Taiwan Real Estate Research Center (台灣房地產中心) found.

The value shrank 36.3 percent from the preceding quarter and 22.9 percent from the year-earlier level as companies turned conservative ahead of the implementation of the new luxury tax last month.

In Taipei City, presale and new housing totaled 520 units, priced at NT$24.4 billion last quarter, a plunge of 69.7 percent from three months earlier and 74.9 percent from a year earlier, the report said.

The first-hand housing market reached 3,005 units valued at NT$75.4 billion, falling 32.6 percent from the first quarter and 67.8 percent from the previous year, the report indicated.

“The figures show Taipei City bearing the brunt of the luxury tax as transactions contracted more than 80 percent last quarter,” said Chang Chin-oh (張金鶚), a land economics professor at National Chengchi University and head of the research panel.

The housing market is more sensitive to unfavorable policies because speculation accounts for a sizable amount of trading, thanks to the low entry threshold.

However, the shrinking volume failed to exact price concessions from land developers or construction firms, as new housing costs gained 4.2 percent to NT$671,700 per ping (3.3m2) in the capital and 6.67 percent to NT$330,600 per ping in New Taipei City (新北市), the report said.

“The increasing number of luxury homes pushed up average prices,” Chang said.

“Expectations that Chinese capital will flow to local properties following the arrival of free independent Chinese travelers also lent support,” he said.

New housing priced at NT$1 million per ping or more took up 48 percent of presale units in Taipei City, the report said, as developers placed more emphasis on the segment.

Across the country, new housing averaged NT$239,500 per ping last quarter, an increase of 6.43 percent from the previous quarter, while transactions dropped 63.9 percent and price concession room widened to 15.62 percent, the report said.

The falling number of transactions and rising prices suggest the market has yet to find its equilibrium and requires a longer correction period, said Hua Ching-chun (花敬群), a finance and banking professor at Hsuan Chuang University and a member of the research panel.

“It is premature to pronounce the luxury tax a failure against such a backdrop,” Hua said. “The hype about Chinese capital will see its impact diminishing as in the past decade.”

A total of 45 housing units nationwide have been bought by Chinese capital so far.


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## hkskyline

Wed, Jul 27, 2011
Taipei Times
*Leshan Village residents protest forced evictions*

Residents of Leshan Village (樂善) in Taoyuan County’s Gueishan Township (龜山) yesterday staged a protest at the legislature in Taipei over a land expropriation deal after they said the government had failed to seek their consensus before auctioning off the site for a construction project.

The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) plans to use the location of the expropriation plan, named “A7 station of the Taoyuan International Airport MRT development project,” to build affordable housing and an industrial zone.

The site is located near the planned Taoyuan International Airport MRT, which will connect Taipei and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport by passing through Linkou District (林口), New Taipei City (新北市), and the borders of Taoyuan County and New Taipei City.

The group yesterday called for the government to conduct negotiations with residents before proceeding with the expropriation process.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Pan Men-an (潘孟安), who accompanied the protesters yesterday, said Leshan Village had about 500 households, with the majority living in the community for decades. However, they are now facing sudden eviction, he said.

Pan said the government held an auction-in-advance for construction companies to bid for the land, before properly communicating with residents.

Hsu Shih-jung (徐世榮), a professor at the National Chengchi University’s Department of Land Economics, said the government was playing a two-sided act by saying it planned to build affordable housing on 236.63 hectares of land, while it actually only reserved 10.1 hectares (4.27 percent) of the land for housing, with 56.78 hectares (24 percent) slated for industrial use.

The expropriation deal was also a case of procedural injustice because the government did not communicate with residents to work out a suitable relocation plan before making the decision to expropriate their land, Hsu said.

The residents said they only found out last year that their land was slated to be expropriated.

“Officials always reply to us with the response that they are just doing their job in accordance with the law ... We have nowhere to go. We don’t know where to go,” said Hsu Yu-hung (徐玉紅), the chairperson of a self-help group.

The MOI has scheduled a meeting to discuss the case today.

Hsu Yu-hung said she would gather other self-help groups of residents facing land expropriation to resist the government if it continues to neglect their demands.


----------



## hkskyline

*Time to stop robbing the poor to feed the wealthy*
By Hsu Shih-jung
Sat, Jul 30, 2011
Taipei Times

When farmers took to the streets of Taipei to protest earlier this month, the response from the public was tremendous. However, it was only one year ago that those same farmers staged an overnight protest on Ketagalan Boulevard that seems to have been largely forgotten. A year has passed, but the government continues to act as though nothing is wrong even though land expropriation cases have been just as appalling this year as they were last year.

Why is this happening?

One reason is that the government mistakenly believes land expropriation to be an important way to develop land and improve its fiscal position.

Government finances are in serious jeopardy, but instead of imposing higher taxes on the wealthy to boost revenue, the rich are given tax breaks, tax exemptions and other economic privileges. So where else is the funding for much needed infrastructure projects to be found? The answer is to use land expropriation to prop up land development.

Land-related taxes such as the land value tax and land value increment tax are the main sources of tax income for local governments. In this context, it is hardly surprising that how to collect more tax revenue becomes the focus of much policy debate.

In addition, those in power can utilize land development projects to co-opt local politicians, thereby killing two birds with one stone.

The reason local governments are using every means possible to turn farmland into urban land is that farmland is not taxable and as such brings in no revenue. Article 53 of the Executive Yuan’s Equalization of Land Rights Act (平均地權條例) states that all expansion or renewal of urban planning, or reassignment of farmland or protected zones as land for construction, must be achieved through zone expropriation. This has caused the expropriation of farmland to double.

Zone expropriation allows the government to expropriate large areas of land and subsequently make huge profits by auctioning it off or selling it by tender.

Because government has the final say when it comes to urban planning, many urban planning districts have been continually expanded and more designated areas are being established near industrial and science parks. As a result, urban planning has gotten out of hand as local governments exaggerate population numbers and use falsified data as a pretext to turn farmland into urban land.

At present there is a difference of more than 7 million between fabricated population numbers and the actual population. Although there is still much unused land in industrial and science parks, meeting the needs of these exaggerated figures creates the false impression that construction on this land is necessary.

The government has deliberately established such a distorted mechanism to expropriate land because it can then carry out its own land development agenda and significantly increase revenue intake.

It is most regrettable that the strict regulations and guidelines that should govern land expropriation have been willfully pushed aside, and that the basic property rights and human rights guaranteed by the Constitution have been neglected. As a result, the members of one of society’s most disadvantaged groups — farmers — are being forced to bear the burden of funding government infrastructure construction.

Social justice is turned on its head in a world where the poor are robbed to feed the rich.

Hsu Shih-jung is chairman of National Chengchi University’s Department of Land Economics.


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## hkskyline

*MRT Airport Line flies high in Hsinchu County*
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA
Sat, Aug 06, 2011

Amid high winds and occasional rain caused by Typhoon Muifa passing to the east of Taiwan, the Bureau of High Speed Rail (BHSR) held a ceremony yesterday to celebrate the completion of the elevated section of a new metro line that will connect Taipei with Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

Construction of the 51km-long MRT Airport Line’s main structure has been finished, BHSR officials announced. Now the project enters a new stage in which the installation of electronic systems will take place.

Barring any glitches, the long-anticipated metro system will be able to start commercial services by June 2013.

The MRT Airport Line, one of the government’s 10 Major National Construction Projects, starts from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 2, extends eastward to Terminal 1, and passes through townships in Taoyuan County and districts of New Taipei City (新北市), including Linkou (林口), Gueishan (龜山), Sinjhuang (新莊), Taishan (泰山) and Sanchong (三重), before entering Taipei City.

The line also reaches southward through Taoyuan’s high-speed rail station to Jhongli City (中壢).

It consists of 22 stations, of which 15 are elevated and seven are underground, with two maintenance depots. The elevated section stretches for 40km.

The Airport Line connects key transport hubs in northern Taiwan, including the Taipei Main Station, Taoyuan High-Speed Railway Station and the airport, as well as Taipei City’s metro network.

The NT$113.85 billion (US$3.9 billion) project brings together international air and domestic traffic services, BHSR said.

BHSR officials added that one of the project’s unique features is the elevated section crossing National Highway No. 1, which sports v-shaped bridge piers. The bridge, spanning 279m, enables a broad visual field for drivers on the highway, officials said, calling the flyover a landmark structure.


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## hkskyline

Wed, Aug 10, 2011 
*Railway bureau submits plan to build direct route between Taipei and Yilan*
Taipei Times
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

The Railway Reconstruction Bureau yesterday said it had submitted two proposed routes for a direct railway between Taipei and Yilan for final approval by the Executive Yuan.

Currently, the railway route between Taipei and Yilan runs along the northeastern coast, which passes through stations in New Taipei City (新北市), Rueifang (瑞芳) and Toucheng Township (頭城), Yilan County, among others.

The direct railway project would shorten the journey by establishing an express service between Nangang District (南港) in Taipei and Toucheng. It was proposed to ease traffic on Freeway No. 5 and designed to meet high demand for railway tickets to the east coast during holidays.

Railway Reconstruction Bureau Deputy Director-General Chou Yung-huei (周永暉) said in a presentation that the first proposal links Nangang directly to Toucheng, shortening the route from 72km to 39km.

Chou said the estimated travel time would be reduced from 59 minutes to 33 minutes on the Taroko Express and from 68 minutes to 34 minutes on the Tzu-chiang Express.

The total cost would exceed NT$50.6 billion (US$1.74 billion), he said.

The second proposal would reduce travel distance from 72km to 49km by going on a detour through Dasi (大溪), Yilan County.

The estimated travel time would be cut to 39 minutes on the Taroko Express and to 42 minutes on the Tzu-chiang Express.

The total cost for this option would be NT$39.6 billion.

While the first proposal appeared to be a more effective option for reducing travel time and diverting traffic from Freeway No. 5, Chou said the route would pass through several water veins and geologically fractured zones, adding that the plan could be a tough sell to the Environmental Impact Assessment committee.

“The second proposal bypasses the Sindian River (新店溪) basin and would have a relatively smaller impact on the environment,” Chou said. “The project also costs NT$10 billion less than the first proposal, but the route in the second proposal is not as good as the first one.”

Chou was reluctant to say which option the Executive Yuan would choose.

Meanwhile, the bureau has prepared a plan to improve the existing railway line along the northeast coast as an alternative in case the two proposals do not work out. While construction costs would drop to NT$34 billion, the improvement would only reduce the distance of the existing railway route by 12km and travel time by 12 to 16 minutes.

Chou said it could take at least 15 months before the finalized construction plan can be submitted for an environmental impact assessment.

When considering the time that will be spent on the assessment, route design, land expropriation and the actual construction of the railway route, either project could take 11 years to complete, Chou said.

Chou said the direct railway project would divert up to 21 percent of traffic from Freeway No. 5, adding that this could rise to 42 percent if the Ministry of Transportation and Communications lowered railway ticket prices or provided other incentives.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Aug 12, 2011 
*Ancestors asked to protect land*
Taipei Times

Bringing ancestral tablets with them, dozens of people who face the forced expropriation of their land to make way for a planned airport express rail route in Taoyuan County rallied in Taipei yesterday morning to protest the planned auction of their land.

“Grandpa, grandma, great grandpa, great grandma and all our ancestors, please come to help us in this time of need,” members of the MRT A7 Station Development Project Self-Help Group chanted as they burned incense sticks in front of ancestral tablets belonging to the Chen (陳), Teng (鄧), Chu (褚) and Huang (黃) families.

“Please see how they are trying to take away the land that you passed on to us. Seek out those officials responsible and make them pay for what they are doing,” they said.

Dozens of villagers from Leshan Village (樂善) in Gueishan Township (龜山) staged the protest outside the Ministry of the Interior.

The plan, named the “A7 station of the Taoyuan International Airport MRT development project,” is to build affordable housing units and an industrial zone on the land.

The site is located near the planned Taoyuan International Airport MRT line, which will connect Taipei and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport by passing through Linkou District (林口), New Taipei City (新北市) and the borders of Taoyuan County and New Taipei City, including Gueishan.

Although the expropriation -process has been stalled by the opposition of local residents, the ministry has already put the land up for auction.

“We have brought our ancestral tablets here because we have already protested a number of times, but both central and local governments are ignoring us, so we are asking our ancestors for help,” the group’s chairwoman, Hsu Yu-hung (徐玉紅), told reporters. “How can the government auction our land before we landowners agree to it? This is a violation of our human rights.”

The landowners had not been invited or informed about a -meeting on Wednesday between local politicians and Construction and Planning Agency (CPA) officials, Hsu said.

After Department of Land Administration Deputy Director Wang Ching-hsiu (王靚琇) and Rural Development Department Director Hung Chia-hung (洪嘉宏) received their petition, the demonstrators marched to the Control Yuan and then to the Executive Yuan to voice their opposition to the plan.

“We will defend our homes with our blood and our lives,” Hsu said before leaving the ministry. “If anything bad happens, the government should be held responsible.”


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## hkskyline

*Shilin Night Market not being given proper care*
Taipei Times
Fri, Aug 12, 2011 










The relocation of Shilin Night Market, which has been postponed for years will finally commence at the end of this year. Most of the food stalls will be moved to an underground section at a new location. Many people are worried that the new Shilin Night Market will end up just like the Jiancheng Circle and the underground mall at Longshan Temple MRT Station, becoming the latest guinea pig of the two “night market killers,” Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and his predecessor, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

Moving the food stalls to an underground location is just part of the issue. The real pity is that the delays in reconstruction and the lack of well-thought-through development plans for the market and surrounding areas show that the Ma and Hau city governments have never understood the market’s key role, or had any long-term development plans to start with.

According to a survey by the Tourism Bureau, 5.6 million people visited Taiwan last year and 77 percent of these people listed “night markets” as places of major interest, while Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum and Sun Moon Lake came in at second, third and fourth places respectively. This shows how important night markets are to Taiwan’s tourism industry.

Of all the tourists who visited night markets, 49 percent listed Shilin Night Market as their first choice. This means that last year, the market had more than 2.1 million tourists visit.

Viewed in this light, the market is not only the cradle of Taiwanese food and traditional snacks, it could also be called one of Taiwan’s national gateways.

It could be even more important than places like Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum or Sun Moon Lake.

Shilin Night Market forms part of Taiwan’s international image and is crucial to both the promotion of Taiwanese culture and food, and the development of the tourism sector.

It is difficult not to feel anger over how the city government has failed to care for this gem when one sees the disorganized and ineffective way that it has dealt with Shilin Night Market.

This has included taking a decade to complete the reconstruction and changing construction companies three times, with work stopping and restarting four times.

Then there is the lack of parking spaces for tour buses around the market — people and cars have to fight for space outside the MRT station, the street layout of the market is chaotic and illogical, and the underground area at the new site has ventilation and drainage problems, while stall spaces are not large enough.

What is even more important is that those in power do not care about our national treasures.

All they do is engage in empty talk about how Taipei is the capital of gourmet food. They are slow to plan developments and take action, and unable to base their plans and actions on the business opportunities and amount of tourism that Shilin Night Market attracts from both local and foreign visitors.

The city government’s overall plan for the streets of Shilin, former president Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) official residence in Shilin, the National Palace Museum and the soon-to-be-constructed Taipei Performing Arts Center, and even the way it fails to effectively use the spaces of Taipei and its cultural resources, are all things that should receive serious consideration.

Pasuya Yao is a Democratic Progressive Party candidate in the January legislative elections for the No. 2 district of Taipei City.


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## hkskyline

Sat, Aug 13, 2011 
*New life given to old buildings as project unveiled*
Taipei Times

The Taipei City Government yesterday unveiled a large-scale urban renewal project at Grand Green, a long-abandoned area north of Beiping E Road, turning the old building and train station into an open exhibition as part of its plan to improve the city’s landscape.

The “Taipei Extra-Ordinary” exhibition, which will open to the public on Sept. 3, was a collaboration between the city’s Urban Redevelopment Office and the Urban Regeneration Station (URS), a civic group dedicated to urban renewal and art.

A total of 14 artist and cultural groups decorated the abandoned train station and building with -elements commonly seen in Taipei to portray daily life in the city, turning different sections in the grounds into a kitchen, coffee shop, bike shop and grocery store.

Addressing the exhibition launch ceremony yesterday, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said it showcased the city government’s efforts to beautify the city’s landscape and how new life had been breathed into old and abandoned areas.

“Urban renewal is not only about tearing down buildings. Revitalizing old areas and giving new life to abandoned buildings are also crucial as we try to make the city better,” he said.

Exhibition curator Chiu Wen-chieh (邱文傑) said the spirit of the project was to promote the chaotic yet charming culture aesthetic of Taipei that is often hidden in the city’s alleys.

“Taipei is a city full of energy and we are hoping to show local residents and foreign visitors what living in Taipei feels like and the charm of its grassroots culture through the exhibition,” he said.

The exhibition will run from Sept. 3 to Nov. 23. Prior to the exhibition, the organizers will show two Taiwanese films —Au Revoir Taipei (一頁台北) and Taipei Exchanges (第36個故事) — at 7pm at Grand Green today and tomorrow respectively.

For more information on the exhibition and related activities, visit the Web site at www.urstaipei.net.


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## hkskyline

Sun, Aug 21, 2011
Taipei Times
*Pollution of the Sifen River must be stopped*

For the most part, Taipei City Government policies emphasize development while neglecting the environment. This can be seen in the Taipei Dome development project, the development project for the Kuang Tzu Senior Citizens’ Home (廣慈博愛院) and the development project for the 144 hectares of land designated for commercial use at the former No. 202 Artillery and Ammunition Plant.

The only exception appears to be the government’s plan to seal off the Sifen River (四分溪) in Nangang District (南港) to protect fish, which seems to emphasize ecological conservation. However, considering the city’s drive to push development projects, it is not certain that the Sifen River plan will go ahead.

Several of Taipei’s build-operate--transfer (BOT) development projects involve handing large tracts of land over to developers so they can carry out high-intensity construction projects such as the Taipei Dome, large shopping malls and luxury housing estates. Such developments maximize profits for the developer while providing as little environmental protection as possible.

During the decisionmaking process, reviews on urban planning and environmental impact assessments, the city government sides with developers and pays little attention to the welfare of the environment and ecology.

The Sifen River project is the first time the city government has approved a plan to close off of a river to protect fish. The government should also encourage the relocation of factories and facilities in the entire river basin to stop them from polluting and harming the area’s environment and ecology, especially in the upper reaches of the stream, where factories should be banned altogether.

However, the city government does not seem to have a clear plan to do this.

For a long time, officials have allowed a soil dump to dump polluted water into the Sifen River. Just recently, this soil dump once again pumped large volumes of polluted water into the river from a discharge point it had installed.

Members of the public involved in the plan to block off the river to protect its fish notified the city government via a citizens’ hotline and then followed inspectors from the Department of Environmental Protection when they inspected the area.

However, the inspectors only issued an oral warning. Only after local residents and a local community development association filed several complaints did the government reluctantly issue the legally required fines.

This soil dump, located near the source of the Sifen River, has been dumping polluted water and other unidentified materials into the river for a long time. The soil dump has breached the Soil and Water Conservation Act (水土保持法) and the Water Pollution Control Act (水汙染防治法) many times and it has been fined by the city’s Building Administration Office and Department of Environmental Protection.

In February, the soil dump’s operational period expired: The city government should not have allowed it to continue operations.

If the Taipei City Government is really serious about promoting its policy to block off the Sifen River to protect fish, then officials really must stop companies from dumping polluted water into it. It would be best if officials revoked the operational licenses of all the companies along the river that break regulations.

This is the only way the 7km of the Sifen River will ever be cleaned up.


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## hkskyline

Thu, Aug 25, 2011 
Taipei Times
*Ma vows to push for revisions to land legislation* 

President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday announced that his administration would push for legislation and revision of laws on land expropriation, real-estate transaction prices and social housing projects to provide more protection for landowners and a more equitable use of land and housing to curb property hoarding.

Ma told a press conference at the Presidential Office that the Executive Yuan would pass a revision to the Land Expropriation Act proposed by the Ministry of the Interior and send it to the legislature for approval.

Under the proposals, local governments will evaluate land transaction prices of expropriated lands every six months, and compensation for landowners will be calculated according to market value rather than the published value of the land, which is often much lower than the market value.

Major solutions to curb unjust land seizures and housing prices include the establishment of a database of real-estate transaction prices to make the information transparent, taxation of unused land to prevent land speculation and housing legislation, he said.

“Our goal is to demonstrate the government’s determination to defend justice in land use and housing, as well as close the poverty gap. Any reforms will affect the rights of some groups, but in the long run, establishing a fair real-estate transaction system will benefit consumers, land developers and real-estate firms,” he said.

Ma’s comments came in the wake of a series of large-scale protests against government takeovers of land for use as industrial parks and other manufacturing facilities.

The legislation and amendment of legislation, as well as administrative measures were the first step in his administration’s efforts to pursue justice in land use, housing and taxation, he said.

The measures, including the taxation of vacant land and inspection of luxury apartment transactions, were aimed at eliminating speculation by land developers and real-estate companies, he said, promising that the government would not increase tax on self-owned residences.

Ma said the legal revisions would include a ban on expropriating any farmland unless it was for a social welfare project or major national development.

At a separate setting later in the day, Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah said the proposed amendment aimed to provide better protection to landowners and to make it more difficult for government institutions to take over private land.

The purpose of adding more steps and requiring more cash compensation was to make local governments think twice before expropriating land, Jiang said.

“Many critics have said the land expropriation measure has been abused. Therefore, we are trying to make local governments spend more money on such transactions so they will think twice before making a decision to expropriate land,” he said. “Other measures, such as public hearings, will also make it more difficult to take over private land, so that forced expropriation would be the last option when trying to acquire land.”

Jiang said a real-estate market price database would be established once the legal revisions are finalized, and local governments will help collect information on real-estate prices.

Additional reporting by Loa Iok-sin


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## hkskyline

Sat, Aug 27, 2011 
*Taipei’s deserted ‘beach’ should go, councilor says*
Taipei Times 
*NO FACILITIES:A city resident said she would bring her daughter to play near City Hall more often if it had better attractions, such as swings and slides, like Da-an Park does
*
An “artificial beach” that was created in the southeast plaza of Taipei City Hall in 2008 has become a deserted area, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilor said yesterday, urging the city government to abolish the facility if its popularity could not be revived.

The 400m2 beach, created by the city with a budget of NT$1.07 million (US$35,000), aimed to provide a recreational escape from the urban grind right in the heart of the city with white sand and beach chairs.

The spot attracted more than 12,000 people in 2008, but the number of visitors to the artificial beach dropped to about 3,200 in 2009 and last year. Only 756 visitors have visited the area so far this year, information from the city’s Research, Development and Evaluation Commission showed.

“The artificial beach lacks recreational facilities, which makes the spot less appealing to the public. The facility will become another deserted city project if the city government continues to ignore it,” DPP Taipei City Councilor Wu Su-yao (吳思瑤) said at the artificial beach.

The beach was proposed by former commissioner Emile Sheng (盛治仁), borrowing from examples in Germany and France where beaches were created in various locations throughout cities to provide getaways.

However, unlike the artificial beaches in those countries, Taipei’s beach lacks other facilities, such as beach volleyball courts and drink stands, which might have attracted more visitors, Wu said.

A Taipei resident surnamed Hung, who brought her seven-year-old daughter to play in the sand yesterday morning, agreed that the city government should set up more facilities to increase interest in the beach.

“The playground in Da-an Park, for example, has more facilities like swings and slides. The artificial beach here has nothing but white sand. We would come more often if the city government added more facilities,” she said.

Lin Fang-yi (林芳儀), a division chief at the city’s Management Office, acknowledged that the beach was not attracting many visitors this year, and said the office would seek to install more facilities and improve maintenance projects to revive the beach’s popularity.

Wu said the city government should consider abolishing the beach and using its maintenance budget, about NT$200,000 a year, for other more important city projects.


----------



## DesignBuild Source

*Spiral Garden Museum in Taiwan by French Architecture Firm Influx_Studio*












































































































































































International architecture projects have a modern history of being incredibly competitive. Although the industry in entirety has a competitive edge, architecture is the stand out sector in terms of intensive contest. Not only does it offer a wide range of different initiatives being developed, but pushes the boundaries of traditional architecture...

Read the full article at http://designbuildsource.com.au/french-architecture-spirals-win


----------



## hkskyline

*WIKILEAKS: Hau promised to facilitate AIT’s expansion*
Thu, Sep 08, 2011
Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) promised to facilitate the construction of the American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) new office compound in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖) despite protests from local residents and councilors, a US diplomatic cable released online by WikiLeaks showed.

In a meeting with AIT Director William Stanton on Sept. 14, 2009, Hau said the city government had already blocked a local school project at the site to “keep the door open” for AIT’s expansion plans, according to the cable.

In response to Stanton’s call for cooperation from the city with the AIT’s attempt to acquire land adjacent to the new office compound for future use — including housing for AIT personnel or a language school — Hau said that while the city could not sell the land to AIT, a property exchange with the government was possible, the cable said.

Taipei City Government spokesperson Chang Chi-chiang (張其強) yesterday said the city did not halt a school project to facilitate the office compound’s construction, adding that many school construction projects in the city had at the time already been cancelled because of a declining number of students, the result of a dwindling birth rate.

“The land housing the AIT’s new office building was legally acquired and the construction project proceeded in accordance with regulations,” he said, dismissing concerns about any measures taken by the city government to facilitate the project.

Construction of the new AIT building, which is set to occupy more than 65,000m2 of government-owned land on Jinhu Road in Neihu, is scheduled to be completed next year.

AIT has signed a contract with the Taiwanese government to lease the land for 99 years for NT$339 million (US$11.6 million). The complex will replace the AIT compound in downtown Taipei that accommodates about 200 US and locally engaged staff, and is protected by Taiwanese police.

However, construction of the AIT office will likely fail to meet the target completion date as obstacles delaying construction were believed to stem from a request by President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration for information on the office’s structure and location, including plans about quarters housing US Marines.

The cable revealed that Hau urged Stanton to be aggressive in arranging such a swap with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he said was hesitant to take any responsibility.

Stanton is then reported to have expressed his gratitude for Hau’s foresight, saying that the new compound as a significant symbol of friendship and cooperation between the peoples of the US and Taiwan.


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## Jim856796

The Zhongshan Soccer Stadium was closed in 2008 and it is falling into disrepair probably, and it should be demolished for redevelopment soon.


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## hkskyline

Sat, Oct 08, 2011 
*Taipei Pavilion set to open for public viewing*
Taipei Time

The Taipei Pavilion, one of the 55 exhibitions at the Shanghai World Expo’s Urban Best Practices Area last year, is scheduled to reopen to the public today at a former Taipei International Flora Expo site as part of the Taipei City Government’s efforts to reuse the flora expo sites after it ended in April.

The pavilion, which displays details of Taipei’s wireless Internet access and garbage recycling policies, will be open to the public at the flora expo’s former Pavilion of the Future in the Xinsheng Park area from Tuesday to Sunday at a price of NT$50.

At the launch ceremony yesterday, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) and filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), who respectively sponsored the pavilion and helped produce a six-minute short film for the World Expo, joined Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) in celebrating the relocation of the pavilion to Taipei.

While lauding the pavilion, Hou challenged the city government to make better use of the flora expo sites, saying the sites, which occupy an area of 91.8 hectares in Taipei’s Datong District (大同), should include more “citizen space,” such as outdoor theaters and movie theaters.

Hou cited the city’s success in promoting local films following the creation of the Taipei Film Festival and said the city government should build movie theaters on the expo sites to further push the development of the local film industry.

“I would like the expo sites to become a place for our citizens and such an ideal can be best achieved if we can build an outdoor theater where people can enjoy a great night out at the movies or other performances,” he said.

Hau thanked both Hou and Gou for their help in making the pavilion available to the public, but he did not to address the issues brought up by Hou.

Taipei City Government’s Department of Economic Development said popular pavilions at the flora expo, including the Pavilion of Dreams and the Pavilion of the Future, have remained open to the public even after the end of the expo.

Other expo sites and pavilions, such as the Expo Dome, would be used as venues for cultural exhibitions or artistic performances, the department said.


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## hkskyline

Sat, Oct 15, 2011 
*Officials evaluate Taipei’s Universiade bid*
TOUGH COMPETITION : Delegates will inspect facilities in Greater Taipei to see if they are suitable to host the world’s premier student-athlete sports meet in 2017
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA

Three International University Sports Federation (FISU) officials are scheduled to arrive in Taiwan today on a four-day visit to evaluate Taipei’s potential to host the World University Games in 2017.

The FISU officials will be briefed by the Taipei City Government on its bid for the 2017 games and inspect the city’s sports infrastructure before filing an official report with FISU authorities on their findings, according to Chou Rey (周瑞), director of the Sports Affairs Council’s Department of International Sports.

Greater Taipei — comprised of Taipei, New Taipei City (新北市) and Taoyuan County — is vying to host the world’s premier student-athlete sports meet, also known as the Universiade, six years from now, but faces stiff competition from the Brazilian capital, Brasilia.

Chou said both Greater Taipei and Brasilia recently submitted applications to the FISU to compete for the right to host the event, and he was confident the bid committee would do its utmost to be awarded hosting rights.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) expressed confidence that Taipei would emerge victorious, given the city’s experience in organizing international events, including the Deaflympics and the Taipei International Flora Exposition.

The Brussels-based FISU will decide on Nov. 29 which city will host the 2017 Summer Universiade. The winning city will need the support of more than half of the 23 members of the FISU Executive Committee (not including the five continental representatives).

If neither Taiwan nor Brazil receives the necessary 12 votes in the first round, a second round of voting will be held to reach a final decision, Chou said.

This year’s event took place in Shenzhen, China, while Kazan in Russia was selected to host the 2013 games and Gwangju, South Korea, will be the 2015 host.

“This is the closest Taipei has ever been to hosting the Universiade,” Hau said.

Taiwan has never hosted a -Universiade and has not fared well in other recent bids. Kaohsiung lost out to Shenzhen for the right to host this year’s games and Taipei lost to Gwangju and Edmonton, Canada, in a battle to hold the 2015 games.

Hau said that if Taipei won the bid, it would push for a budget of NT$35 billion (US$1.15 billion) to host the games, with half of the funds coming from the central government.

He said the opening and closing ceremony of the 2017 Universiade would be held at the multifunctional Taipei Dome, which has yet to be constructed.

The 40,000-seat stadium is scheduled to be completed by 2016, regardless of whether Taipei wins the Universiade bid, Hau said.

The head of the Brazilian University Sport Confederation and an FISU vice president, Luciano Cabral, recently said one of Brasilia’s strengths was that 64 percent of the sports infrastructure needed for the Universiade was already in place.

The FISU team that arrives today will be looking to see how the three municipalities’ facilities stack up against Brasilia’s.


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## hkskyline

Sun, Oct 16, 2011 
Taipei Times
*Hakka Culture Park officially opens in Taipei City*

Members of the Hakka community prepare to participate in a parade to celebrate the opening of the Taipei Hakka Culture Park in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Lin Hsiang-mei, Taipei Times

The Taipei Hakka Culture Park yesterday opened to the public following months of construction delays. It will be the permanent home for the annual Taipei Hakka Yimin Festival and other Hakka-related activities.

The 4 hectare Hakka Culture Park, built on the former site of Taipei Children’s Museum of Transportation in the Gongguan area of Taipei City, features a central plaza, delonix plaza, tung flower trail, bike station, farming experience area and eco-pond.

The 24th Taipei Yimin Festival was held in conjunction with the opening ceremony, in which over 3,000 members of the Hakka community from 25 Yimin temples around the nation gathered at the park to celebrate the traditional Hakka ritual that runs until tomorrow.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin headed a delegation of top city officials and councilors that attended the Yimin gods-seating ceremony that officially started the festival.

The festival also featured a “shoulder pole meal-giving” parade that showcased the Hakka spirit of sharing, interactive multimedia exhibits and 12 Hakka Festival shows, demonstrating the vitality of Hakka culture.

The title Yimin (righteous people) is an honorific title bestowed on the Hakka by the Qing dynasty court for helping government forces to put down an uprising in central Taiwan in the late 1780s.

The uprising resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people in Hsinchu whose bodies were buried at the Sinpu-Fangliao Yimin Temple.

Taipei City Hakka Affairs Commission Chief Secretary Lin Wei-chong said the park would serve as the main venue for Hakka activities and work to promote Hakka culture.

“Hakka people in Taipei City finally have a home and we will take advantage of the Hakka Culture Park to introduce our culture to more people,” he said.

President Ma Ying-jeou was scheduled to preside over a Yimin god worship ceremony this morning at the park, followed by more parades and traditional Hakka performances.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Oct 21, 2011 
*EasyCard helps the Universiade bid, official says*
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA

Members of an evaluation committee in Taipei to inspect proposed competition venues for the 2017 Summer Universiade said this week that the multifunctional EasyCard was a big plus for the city’s bid to host the competition.

Hisato Igarashi, one of the officials from the International University Sports Federation (FISU), made the comment in a meeting with city officials after a tour of Taipei and neighboring cities.

The city promised to give each athlete and team staffer an EasyCard with a stored value of 70 euros (US$96, or NT$2,900) for transportation and shopping in places where the card is accepted.

The electronic card will be provided in addition to free access to transportation for all people with Universiade ID cards, the city government said in a presentation to the committee members on the first day of their visit.

Two “strong points” of Taipei’s bid were the EasyCard and the low daily cost, estimated at 10 euros per person, the committee chairman added.

Igarashi also said the city’s proposed budget plan was “healthy” and the general impression of the venues was “acceptable.”

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), who is leading the city in a second attempt to win an Universiade host bid, reiterated the city’s determination and strengths to host a successful Universiade, a biennial event for university athletes from more than 130 countries.

After examining venues in Taoyuan and New Taipei City (新北市), which are within an hour’s drive from the city, Summer Universiade director Marc Vandenplas said Taipei definitely had the infrastructure and space needed for the games, despite the need for further renovation and construction work.

The Belgian official offered several suggestions on how to improve the existing venues and planned projects, but raised some concerns over warm-up facilities, the design of the planned athletes’ village and traffic control.

He said the city would still have time to complete the work if it won the bid over the Brazilian capital, Brasilia.

The evaluation group ended its four-day visit on Tuesday. They will fly to Brazil on a similar trip later this month.


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## hkskyline

Sat, Oct 22, 2011 
*Taoyuan homes in favor due to prices in Taipei*
*FLOCKING SOUTH:The extension of Taipei’s MRT system to the Taoyuan airport has made it easier for people to move to Taoyuan and even Hsinchu*
By Crystal Hsu / Taipei Times Staff Reporter

Soaring housing prices in the greater Taipei area are driving home buyers to take up residency in neighboring Taoyuan County, where people who relocated have accounted for nearly 40 percent of housing transactions in the past two years, a survey released yesterday showed.

A southward migration has become more evident over this period as owning a home in Taipei City and New Taipei City (新北市) has grown increasingly untenable, said Sinyi Realty Inc (信義房屋), the nation’s only listed company.

Those who relocated made up 39.5 percent of housing sales in Taoyuan County, which was followed by Greater Taichung at 37.8 percent and Hsinchu at 37.2 percent, the broker said.

UNAFFECTED

Taoyuan County, which takes about an additional 10 minutes to commute to Taipei City compared with parts of the greater Taipei area, remains unaffected by the recently implemented luxury tax, Stanley Su (蘇啟榮), head Sinyi researcher, said, adding that housing sales in the greater Taipei area dropped by 30 percent for two consecutive quarters.

According to Sinyi statistics, studio units in Taipei City sold for an average of NT$8.42 million (US$278,000). With the same money, a client could buy a three-bedroom apartment with a parking space in Taoyuan, Sinyi said.

This disparity in prices explains why many would move to Taoyuan, as three-bedroom apartments with parking spaces are the most sought-after properties among prospective buyers in Taipei City, Su said.

PRACTICAL MOVE

Public infrastructure projects, mainly the planned extension of Taipei’s mass rapid transit system to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, makes the move away from the capital both practical and desirable, Sinyi said.

Hsinchu, where major technology firms are headquartered, is also gaining popularity, Sinyi said, adding that job opportunities are playing a key role in facilitating migration to Hsinchu.

Jobs have also compelled people to move to Greater Taichung, the site of the Central Taiwan Science Park, Sinyi said.

An increasing number of people from Changhua and Nantou counties are relocating to Greater Taichung, pushing up housing prices there, the firm said.

By comparison, locals have underpinned housing transactions in Greater Tainan and Greater Kaohsiung, where out-of-town newcomers accounted for less than 30 percent of transactions, Sinyi said.


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## hkskyline

Sat, Oct 29, 2011 
*Activists call for preservation of historic complex*
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA

The Taipei City Government was urged yesterday to protect a former residential area in Yangmingshan that housed US army personnel between the 1950s and 1970s amid concerns that the land could be sold and commercially developed.

At a public hearing held by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ting Shou-chung (丁守中), lawmakers, an academic and cultural activists called for the preservation of a large housing complex built for US military advisers sent to Taiwan during the Cold War.

The base they lived on with their families was specially selected in 1952 in the Shanzihou (山仔后) area at the foot of Yangmingshan National Park.

The 13 hectare area is now owned by the Bank of Taiwan, Ting said, adding that the bank plans to transform it into a commercial zone for restaurants, guest houses or luxury housing.

The 118 houses still remaining from the period all have different interior designs and pillars made of hinoki wood, a highly prized building material, said Yang Tung-sheng (楊東盛), a representative of the neighborhood, adding that it would be sad if the houses were not preserved, 22 of which have been designated as historic buildings by the city.

O Han-ping (歐漢平), the director of a culture and history studio established to protect the area, said the city had tried to rezone the residential area into an area that combined commerce and housing.

However, Wang Yi-chun (王逸群), chief secretary of the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, said the city had not agreed to the bank’s proposal to manage the complex using a build--operate-transfer (BOT) system because it would not be able to supervise future operations.

Hsieh Teng-lung (謝騰隆), executive vice president of the Bank of Taiwan, denied that the bank was planning a large-scale development in the area, saying the initiative was simply designed to revive the land.


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## hkskyline

Sun, Oct 30, 2011 
*Airport surprised when construction firm stopped work*
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was caught by surprise last week when a construction company withdrew machines and workers from two aging runways it was hired to renovate.

On Friday, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIA) said it would seek damages from the contractor. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications said the incident would not affect the runway renovation project, scheduled to be completed by 2014.

TIA said in a statement that it had failed to make contact with the owner of the contractor — known as Chia Shan (佳山) in Chinese — since Oct. 21, when the company without warning withdrew all machines and workers it had dispatched to the construction site.

The contractor sent an e-mail to TIA on Oct. 24, saying it could not fulfill the contract because of financial problems.

TIA said it sent a return e-mail demanding that the contractor resume its operations or have its contract terminated and be sued for compensation based on the Government Procurement Act.

In the wake of the firm’s pullout, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) asked Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) to replace TIA chairman Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) immediately and launch an investigation to see whether corruption was involved.

Mao said the ministry would discuss the case and review TIA personnel before the end of the year. TIA is wholly owned by the government.

Mao said the runway renovation project would not be affected by the dispute because the contractor was only hired for one of the six preliminary phases of the construction project.


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## hkskyline

Wed, Nov 09, 2011 
Taipei Times
*Jiancheng Circle market to become farmers’ market*

*NEW INCARNATION:The site began as Taipei’s oldest food market under the Japanese, underwent renovations under Ma and finally a banquet venue
*
The Taipei City Government plans to turn the abandoned Jiancheng Circle market in Datung District (大同) into a farmers’ market by the end of this year in an effort to boost sales of Taiwanese agricultural products.

The Jiancheng Circle market, a historic market that dates back to the Japanese colonial era, had been turned into a banquet venue following a failed renovation project in 2006, but closed in April because of a lack of business.

In its latest attempt to revive the site at the intersection of Chongqing N Road and Nanjing W Road, the city organized a three-day farmers’ market on the site that began on Friday, selling fruit and produce from local farmers’ associations throughout the nation.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday said the farmers’ market had received positive reviews from the public and successfully promoted Taiwanese produce, such as apples from Dayuling (大禹嶺), persimmons from Nantou County and oolong tea from Yilan County.

Following the trial run last weekend, the city plans to turn the site into a permanent farmers’ market by the end of this year, Hau said.

“Taiwan is a kingdom of fruit and we are hoping to expand the scale of the farmers’ market and make it a venue for local fruits and agricultural products,” he added.

Taipei Deputy Mayor Chen Hsiung-wen (陳雄文) will lead a task force to build communication channels with agriculture associations nationwide that will allow farmers from throughout Taiwan to sell their products at the Jiancheng Circle market.

The Jiancheng Circle was Taipei’s oldest food market. It was turned into a three-story glass building in 2006 as part of a large-scale renovation launched by then-Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), but it was later forced to close later after the project failed to boost local businesses.

Hau’s team leased the building to a private company that turned the market into a banquet venue in 2009.

Chen said in addition to the farmers’ market, which will be located on the first floor of the three-story building, the city plans to place a food court on the second floor and set up a exhibition hall on the third floor to promote the history of the Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area.


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## hkskyline

Thu, Nov 10, 2011 
*Taipower accused of soil damage*
Taipei Times

Members of an anti-substation self-help group from New Taipei City’s (新北市) Taishan District (泰山) yesterday said that state-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) is illegally hiding the fact that it is constructing a substation on the Shanjiao Fault (山腳斷層) and causing soil liquefaction.

Holding photographs of tilted apartment buildings seemingly suffering from subsidence, as well as cracked and collapsed road surfaces, the members of the self-help group told a press conference at the legislature that Taipower’s construction of the Taishan Substation has caused damage to the nearby buildings.

Chang Yue-tao (張月桃), head of the self-help group, said her family is worried because their home has tilted about 3cm in only a few months and that Taipower did not do a proper evaluation of the site before it started construction in 2003. Chang called on the company to cease the construction and help repair the damage.

Chang said the geological structure of the land in the area is prone to soil liquefaction because of the high level of underground water and a sandy soil, but Taipower continues to pump water, causing nearby building to subside.

Taiwan Electromagnetic Radiation Hazard Protection and Control Association chairperson Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) said the company, in its geological report in 2003 deliberately neglected the fact that the substation is located near the Shanjiao Fault and that the geological conditions indicate possible soil liquefaction.

Liu Shih-ting (劉詩丁), a section chief at the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Central Geological Survey, said the ministry could only confirm that the fault was indeed near the substation, but it did not have data to prove that it was directly underneath it or that it had been affected by the construction.

The responsibility to affirm that fact and prove the structure was safe from earthquakes should be carried out by the developer, he added.

Kuo Chao-kun (郭晁坤), deputy director of Taipower’s Department of Transmission Line and Substation Projects Northern Region Construction Office, said that a substation has existed at the location for many years and the construction that began in 2003 is only a renewal project.

Tsay Ing-sheng (蔡英聖), the head of a construction section in the department, said the office has spent many years communicating with local residents and even assigned four professional civil engineers’ associations to do on-site investigations and evaluations.

The residents were not satisfied with any of the four evaluation reports, Tsay said, so they filed a lawsuit against Taipower and lost. Tsay added that the residents were still unhappy about the results of a fifth evaluation report done by a professional group that they chose last month.

Tsay’s remarks upset a couple of the residents at the press conference, who said they had not received any such notification.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) wrapped up the press conference by asking Taipower officials to prove they notified the residents and to further investigate whether the substation is built on top of the fault.


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## hkskyline

Updated Thursday, November 17, 2011
China Post
*Sustained demand to ensure Taipei home market stays bullish: CEPD*

Taipei's home market is expected to remain bullish, thanks to various positive incentives including the signing of the cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), said Huang Wan-hsiang, vice chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development.

Huang made the remarks during the MIPIM Asia 2011 conference currently being held in Hong Kong.

According to Huang, Taipei home prices have achieved a compound annual growth rate of 13.5 percent over the past 10 years, due to various government measures to stimulate the economy.

Among them were the opening of cross-strait direct flights, allowing Chinese tourists to visit the island, a reduction of gift, inheritance and business earnings taxes, opening the island to Chinese investors, and the signing of ECFA.

He said these factors have prompted the International Monetary Fund to predict the island's growth from 2011 to 2015 will be the highest among the Four Asian Tigers.

Aside from those incentives, the completion of major public infrastructure projects has also helped lift Taipei home prices, he said. For example, with the completion of the Taipei 101 building and the Taipei City Government bus station, home prices in the area surged by 20 percent.

He also mentioned the city's Nangang District, saying the area is full of growth potential.

“Nangang home prices have risen an average 15.8 percent over the past 10 years and 30 percent over the past two years,” he said.

Yen Ping-li, general manager with real estate advisor DTZ, echoed Huang's words, saying Taipei City home prices will continue to rise no matter who gets elected as president come Jan. 14 next year.

“The reason is simple,” he said. “The demand is there, and it will always be there.”

“At the same time, there is a housing shortage. Right now no one is willing to sell their properties, because once you sell them, you'll never be able to buy them back,” he added.

That Asian economies will remain bullish for years to come will also help sustain a growth in home prices, Yen said, adding commercial property rents in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou will grow 5 to 10 percent next year, despite of the global slowdown. Rents in Taipei are expected to grow 5 percent, he said.


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## hkskyline

*Sindian residents protest demolitions for MRT line*
*‘GIVE US A HOME’oor and elderly residents of one of Sindian’s oldest neighborhoods asked for, but did not receive, priority in choosing social housing units*
2011-11-29
Taipei Times

About 100 people, including residents of the Shisizhang community in New Taipei City’s Sindian District and their supporters, yesterday clashed with police several times outside New Taipei City Hall as they protested against a development project that would require flattening their community.

“Police are beating up the people,” “Don’t push me,” “Let us go in to see the mayor,” the crowd shouted as they clashed with police.

Emotions boiled over when officers grabbed Shisizhang Self-Help Organization chairman Hung Jen-chung and dragged him away from the crowd to a nearby police car.

Some of the protesters chased the officers, trying to pull Hung back, pushing and shoving officers.

Several protesters were injured in the clashes.

Shisizhang residents were protesting a plan by the New Taipei City Government to level the community to make way for a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station “joint development project,” meaning that an MRT station would be built attached to one or several residential or commercial buildings at the site.

The development model is called a “joint development project” because the government would work with private construction firms.

Shisizhang community is made up of about 40 households, with close to 60 people, most of whom are economically disadvantaged.

“We’re not trying to block the city’s development, we’re merely asking the government to help us settle elsewhere, because once our houses are torn down, we’ll have no place to go,” Hung told reporters at the beginning of the demonstration. “The city government should try to protect our right to shelter and give us priority in renting or buying units in social housing projects.”

Wang Chien Mu-tan, an 83-year-old Shisizhang resident, said she was unable to work because of her advanced age and lived with her 63-year-old mentally challenged son, who is also unemployed.

“I really don’t know where to go if I lose my house,” Wang Chien said. “The city government has promised to give us some compensation if we move out on our own, but that’s really not enough for us to get a new place. Our only incomes now are the NT$3,000 [US$98.50] monthly old-age pension and my son’s NT$3,000 monthly disability pension.”

The New Taipei City Government has promised compensation to Shisizhang residents if they voluntarily move out of their houses tomorrow.

Compensation includes a NT$900,000 disbursement for each house, a moving fee of between NT$80,000 and NT$170,000 per household, depending on the number of people, a house demolition relief pension estimated at about NT$3 million, depending on the size of the house, and compensation for voluntarily moving out, which is 50 percent of the demolition relief pension if the building was built legally and 30 percent of the demolition relief pension if the building was built illegally, New Taipei City Department of Transportation official Wu Kuo-chi told reporters.

Wu later came out to meet the protesters, reassuring them that they would be entitled to full compensation if they moved out by the deadline and saying the city government had included people whose houses are demolished for public construction in a draft bill on social housing already sent to the city council.

“The city government will do all we can to make sure that the bill gets passed in the city council,” Wu said.

However, the protesters were not satisfied because Wu could not give them 100 percent assurance that they would be given priority for social housing units, while the city government would not postpone the demolition deadline.


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## hkskyline

*New MRT line finished ahead of schedule*
*FAST SERVICE:The new MRT Xinzhuang Line in Taipei was scheduled to come into service in March, but is now finished and could start operating as early as January*
Taipei Times
Sun, Nov 27, 2011










The inspection committee looks at Xinzhuang Station on the Xinzhuang MRT line, which is expected to be opened in January, ahead of schedule.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times

Taipei’s MRT Xinzhuang Line, a high-capacity underground extension of the Zhonghe Line, is expected to launch service ahead of schedule in January as Taipei City’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS) began its preliminary inspection process yesterday.

Part of the line from Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station to Daqiaotou Station began operating in November last year along with the Luzhou Line. The section between Daqiaotou Station and Fu Jen Catholic University Station was previously scheduled to go into service in March next year.

The department yesterday invited an inspection committee of transportation and civil engineering experts to conduct a two-day inspection of the engineering, equipment installation and operation of the system.

The committee visited the line’s Fu Jen Catholic University Station and three other stations yesterday afternoon and was scheduled to continue its inspection today before announcing their findings.

Committee members were satisfied with the equipment installation inside the stations, but suggested that the department expand the pavement along the stations and improve the overall environment outside the stations.

Taipei City’s Department of Transportation Commissioner Jason Lin (林志盈) said construction of the line was completed in accordance with the construction schedule and the system reliability has reached 99 percent following a system test.

DORTS will conduct a final inspection next month before sending the results to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications for final approval.

According to DORTS, the launch of the line will help ease traffic in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Sanchong (三重) and Sinjhuang (新莊) districts, which have a combined population of about 800,000 people.

After the launch of the 8.2 km section, the commute between Fu Jen Catholic University Station and Minquan W Road Station will only be about 17 minutes, while it is estimated it will take about 24 minutes to travel from Fu Jen Catholic University Station to Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station.


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## hkskyline

*China aided Taipei’s Games bid, mayor says *
Taipei Times
Fri, Dec 02, 2011

Support from China was instrumental in Taipei’s success in winning the right to host the 2017 Summer Universiade, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said yesterday and added that the city would follow the “Olympic model” in handling issues such as the nation’s title and flag.

“The friendliness and support from the mainland’s committee members was a key factor in our success, and the achievement is the result of better cross-strait relations,” he told a press conference at Taipei City Hall.

Saying President Ma Ying-jeou’s cross-strait policies had helped expand the nation’s international footprint, Hau said the city would adopt the “Olympic model” at the University Games as it was the norm in previous games, including the World Games in Kaohsiung and the Deaflympics in 2009.

The “Olympic model” refers to the 1989 agreement signed in Hong Kong that Taiwan would use the title “Chinese Taipei (Zhonghua Taibei)” within the context of the Olympics when participating at the Games.

“We will follow the model as usual in handling the title, national flag and national anthem,” he said.

Hau and a 40-member delegation returned from Belgium yesterday after beating Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, to win the right to host the event at an International University Sports Federation (FISU) meeting on Wednesday.

The 12-day Games will be the largest international event Taipei has ever hosted, after the Summer Deaflympics and the Taipei International Flora Expo last year.

According to Taiwan’s executive committee member in the federation, Chen Tai-cheng, Taipei won the bid over Brasilia by 13 votes to nine.

Taipei’s solid financial plan, professional sports facilities and full political support from the government played major roles in winning the bid, he said.

The central government is set to share the total budget of almost NT$40 billion (US$1.3 billion) with Taipei in hosting the University Games. Hau said the priority during his three-year term would be the completion of six new facilities being built for the event.

The six facilities, including the Taipei Dome, are scheduled to be completed by 2016.

Hau dismissed concerns about preparation work once he completed his second term in 2014 and said with its experience in hosting the Deaflympics and the Taipei International Flora Expo, the city government would host a successful University Games in 2017 regardless of who is in his office.


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## japanese001

Is a very unique project.


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## hkskyline

Sat, Dec 03, 2011 
*DORTS admits Losheng worries*
DEAF AS A POST:Conservationists raised concerns about the geological composition of the Sinjhuang site and the chance of landslides as far back as 2006
Taipei Times

The Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS) yesterday admitted that the geological composition of the Losheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium site — currently being used for the construction of a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station and a maintenance depot — is complicated and “hard to predict”, which amounts to a U-turn from the department’s earlier remarks that the site is completely safe.

“In all construction projects, we make assumptions based on survey results before work begins and make adjustments accordingly once work is under way,” DORTS North District Project Office director Wu Pei-jeen said. “Unfortunately, the construction site for the MRT depot and station in the Sinjhuang District of New Taipei City is located on a geological fault, and so the composition is more complicated and more difficult to predict.”

Wu made the remarks amid a protest by about 100 demonstrators outside Taipei City Hall, calling on the city government to stop construction work immediately.

The sanatorium was built in the 1930s to house people with Hansen’s disease (also known as leprosy) and isolate them from the outside world, as the disease was once believed to be highly contagious and incurable.

In 2002, the government decided to tear down the sanatorium complex to make way for an MRT station and maintenance depot. However, it was met with strong opposition from conservationists.

A compromise was struck in 2007 to preserve a small part of the original complex of buildings.

However, controversy has continued to plague the project because construction of the MRT station has led to numerous small landslides, causing cracks to form in buildings. Cracks also appeared not only in the old sanatorium complex, but also in a new sanatorium tower built only a few years ago a few hundred meters south of the old complex, conservationists said.

Conservationists with backgrounds in engineering raised concerns about the complicated geological composition of the site, and warned that such a large construction project could be the cause of landslides as far back as 2006. DORTS promised that any such concerns would be resolved with dedicated engineering techniques.

When asked by reporters if DORTS is confident about finding a long-term solution for the problem, Wu said : “I cannot guarantee that such a solution can be found, but personally I believe it will be.”

Asked if the DORTS would abandon the project if it is impossible to find a long-term solution, Wu said he could not answer hypothetical questions, adding “we will have an evacuation plan for the worst case scenario.”

Civil engineer Wang Wei-min, who is a long-term supporter of the Losheng conservation movement, panned Wu’s remarks as “irresponsible.”

“Of course you [Wu] could not care less, because if the project fails and the site collapses, then you lose money or your position,” he said. “But for residents of Sinjhuang and Losheng Sanatorium, they could lose their lives as a result of your mistakes.”

Although the press and the demonstrators had more questions, Wu was escorted back into City Hall by the police.

Unsatisfied with Wu’s replies, demonstrators moved forward, trying to stick signs that read “Losheng SOS” on the entrance to City Hall, clashing with police officers who tried to stop them.

Protestors continued to push forward despite warnings from the police that they were in violation of the Assembly and Parade Act and could be prosecuted.

The to and fro continued for about 10 minutes during which several demonstrators and journalists were injured in the melee. It only stopped when one of the demonstrators collapsed.

“The end of today’s action is only the beginning of a longer campaign until the DORTS responds positively to our safety concern,” Ho Hsin-chieh, a member of the Youth Alliance for Losheng, told the crowd.


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## hkskyline

Updated Thursday, December 8, 2011 
CNA
*Shilin Night Market will reopen on Christmas Day*

TAIPEI--The Shilin Night Market, a major tourist attraction in Taipei, will get a new lease on life soon, as vendors are scheduled to move back to the renovated century-old original site next week and begin business Dec. 25.

The renovation of the original market site in front of Cicheng Temple in the Shilin district in western Taipei was completed in September and all the tests and interior decorations will be finished before Dec. 13, Taipei Deputy Mayor Chen Hsiung-wen said Wednesday.

After consulting with the Shilin market association, the city government has decided to open the renovated market on Dec. 25, a “lucky day” on the Chinese Lunar calendar, said Chen, who is in charge of industrial development in the city.

“It's a weekend and Christmas — perfect for a festive opening,” he said.

In preparation, the vendors who have been operating temporarily on Jihe Road will start moving back to the refurbished building Dec. 15 in batches and a test run will be carried out between Dec. 15 and 24, he said.

The temporary market site on Jihe Road will be converted into an arts center, the city government said.


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## hkskyline

Updated Monday, December 12, 2011 0:16 am TWN
The China Post news staff
*Taoyuan airport renovations cause fast food ceiling collapse*

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport suffered yet another accident when renovations for new flooring caused sections of the fast food restaurant ceiling on the level below to crumple and rain down.

No one was reportedly injured, although the Burger King in the basement below Terminal 1 was forced to shut down for the day.

As Terminal 1 is currently undergoing a facelift, construction company BES Engineering Corporation (中華工程) went to work in the early hours yesterday. The construction work involved removing the old flooring, which caused massive vibrations so strong that the Burger King ceiling in the basement below started to crumble and fall apart.

Other damages include a collapsed kitchen range vent hood, which was found lying on its side. No one was injured as a result, although the sight of the destroyed fast food restaurant did leave morning shift employees slack jawed.

BES Engineering Corporation was held responsible for compensating the Burger King damage, although they could not make up for the loss of one-day business profits after the food chain was forced to temporarily close. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport representatives urged the engineering corporation to be more careful, cautioning them that a similar incident should not happen again.


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## hkskyline

Tue, Dec 13, 2011
*Ground is broken on new affordable housing project*
Taipei Times with CNA









_New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu, second left, and Premier Wu Den-yih, center, yesterday attend the ground-breaking ceremony for a government housing project in Banciao District.
Photo: CNA_

The first stage of a government project to build affordable housing units in Taiwan got off the ground in New Taipei City yesterday.

The units will be constructed in Fujhou Borough (浮州) in Banciao District at a cost of NT$43 billion (US$1.42 billion) and are scheduled to be completed by April 2015. The project comprises 4,480 residential units, ranging in size from 15 ping (49.6m2) to 35 ping, and 138 storefront units.

The housing units will be sold at NT$195,000 per ping and 10 percent of the units will be made available for rent.

The project is part of a government policy to create more affordable housing, said Premier Wu Den-yih, who presided over the groundbreaking ceremony with New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu.

In the next stage of the plan, 3,000 residential units will be constructed in the area near the currently designated “A7” station of the MRT line that is being built to connect Taipei and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Wu said.

“They will provide great assistance to young people who need affordable housing,” he said.

To prevent speculation, buyers would not be permitted to resell the properties within 10 years of purchase, the premier said.

In addition to the construction project, the government would make unused state buildings in downtown urban areas available to young residents for purchase or rent, Wu said.

Young people interested in purchasing such units would have access to low-interest government loans administered by the banks, while those who wish to rent would be offered a government subsidy, he said.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Dec 16, 2011 
*2012 ELECTIONS: Aspirants disagree on fourth nuclear power plant: NGOs*
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA

All three of the presidential candidates agree that the life of the country’s three operational nuclear power plants should not be extended, but they have mixed views on the progress of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市), local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) said yesterday, citing responses they received to a list of environmental questions submitted to all three of the candidates.

Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said she is opposed to the installation of fuel rods in the fourth plant, while People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said the safety of that step would have to be assured, the groups said at a press conference.

However, the candidates were all hesitant to support the idea of an immediate suspension of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant project or allowing residents within a 30km radius to vote on the fate of nuclear plants, said Shih Shin-min (施信民), an environmentalist and professor at National Taiwan University.

The Fourth Nuclear Power

Plant has been the subject of much controversy, with environmentalists advocating the suspension of the project before it gets to the stage where the fuel rods are installed. Currently the electrical and peripheral facilities of the plant are being put in place.

“When it comes time to install fuel rods, the government will give it some serious thought,” Minster of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang (施顏祥) told lawmakers earlier this year at a legislative committee meeting in response to questions about the safety of the plant.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidates said the operations and life of the three existing plants should not be extended or prolonged, according to the responses made to the 16 questions posed by more than 10 environmental groups.

Representatives of the groups visited the three candidates’ campaign offices on Saturday to present their questions, which covered issues ranging from nuclear safety and petrochemical development to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

At yesterday’s press conference, the groups urged the candidates to step up their nuclear safety policies and to suspend the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, which they called a dangerous facility that could have a catastrophic impact on the environment.

They also called on the candidates to introduce policies that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions to their 2000 levels by 2016 and to their 1990 levels by 2025.

In addition, the candidates should aim for negative growth of water and electricity consumption, the groups said.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Dec 16, 2011 
*Taipei Confucius Temple reopens after renovation*
THE SIX ARTS:Multimedia installations at the newly reopened temple teach China’s ancient curriculum: chariots, archery, music, rites, calligraphy and math
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA









_Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin, center, yesterday leads officials in paying their respects to Confucius at the reopening ceremony of the Confucius Temple in Taipei after its reconstruction.
Photo: CNA_

After three years of renovations, the Taipei Confucius Temple reopened yesterday with new multimedia simulations of the Six Arts — practical disciplines in ancient China — and dances to honor the Chinese philosopher and teacher Confucius (孔子).

The Taiwanese soap opera In Time With You (我可能不會愛你) has helped younger generations understand Confucius (551-479 BC) and his teachings, especially because several scenes were filmed at the temple, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said at the temple’s reopening ceremony.

Hopefully, the addition of multimedia simulations and movies that introduce Confucius’ life will make the temple an even more popular tourist site for Taiwan’s youth and international tourists, Hau said, adding that the new features will allow foreign visitors to understand Taiwan’s Confucian traditions better.

Hau said he hoped that in the future people would not only think of the temple on Teacher’s Day, a holiday celebrated annually on Sept. 28, the anniversary of Confucius’ birth, which is touted as a time to honor teachers.

The Taipei City Government has budgeted a total of NT$981 million (US$32.31 million) for the renovation and “Confucius revival tourism projects.”

The renovated traditional gardens at the temple were also opened to the public yesterday, and the multimedia simulations allowed visitors to experience the Six Arts. The Six Arts, the basis of education in ancient China, are rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy and mathematics.

Kung Chuei-chang (孔垂長), a 79th-generation descendant of Confucius, also attended the opening ceremony.


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## hkskyline

Sun, Dec 18, 2011 
Taipei Times
*EDITORIAL: Property legislation still needs work*

Following months of negotiations among lawmakers and real-estate professionals, the legislature passed amendments to three property laws last week to promote the registration of real-estate transaction prices in a bid to make the real-estate market more fair.

However, the negotiations and debates over the amendments were rushed, with the amendments passing just two days before the legislative body went into recess ahead of next month’s elections. However, despite the changes, no one can be sure when real-estate taxes might actually be based on real transaction prices to help curb rampant property speculation.

Indeed, the revisions of the Real Estate Broking Management Act (不動產經紀業管理條例), the Land Administration Agent Act (地政士法) and the Equalization of Land Rights Act (平均地權條例) are a first step in enhancing transparency in the real-estate market.

This is because the amendments require that land administration agents, real-estate buyers and real-estate brokers register the value of property transactions within 30 days of a deal closing. If the parties involved fail to do so or register inaccurate prices, they will be subject to a fine of between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000, according to the amendments, which are scheduled to take effect in July next year.

However, since the amendments state that registered real-estate prices cannot be used as a basis for levying taxes until after relevant laws have been revised and complementary measures put in place, it remains to be seen when and how these amendments will really start combating property speculation.

The most important question for the government is how to proceed from here. The government said it would seriously consider taxing real estate on real transaction prices once a comprehensive databank on transactions has been established, but when will that be possible — five or 10 years from now?

Another issue facing the government, and the public as well, is that although the revisions require the relevant parties to register the actual transaction prices of real estate, they are not the prices disclosed to the public, which are an average of prices for housing units or plots of land within a specific area.

The government and lawmakers have attributed the decision to only disclose average housing prices and average land prices to privacy concerns, but this still creates a transparency problem and will undoubtedly undermine the public’s expectations for fairer prices.

Furthermore, buyers of pre-sale housing units will be disappointed at the government’s failure to improve fairness in the real-estate market because, under the revised laws, real-estate brokers are required to register the actual value of property transactions within 30 days of “their contracts with land developers or construction companies” being closed, rather than within 30 days of “deals” being closed, as stipulated for non-presale projects.

In other words, it will still be hard for the public to find out the real transaction prices of pre-sale housing projects, at least until the expiration of the contracts between the brokers and the developers. As prices of pre-sale homes are subject to market speculation more than those of existing homes, this difference in legal definition has left a lot of room for brokers and construction firms to disseminate false market information to the public.

Disclosure of information about real-estate transactions is the first step in the process of curbing runaway real-estate prices.

People do not know when the government will make its next move, but what they know for sure is that in the foreseeable future any effort to tax real--estate transactions based on real prices will face direct or indirect pressure from corporations and groups with vested interests. Only when the government makes its next move will people know if it is pushing toward “housing justice” with great sincerity or just half-heartedly.


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## hkskyline

Monday, December 19, 2011 0:16 am TWN
CNA
*MRT Xinzhuang line passes final inspection*

TAIPEI -- The final inspection of the Taipei mass rapid transit (MRT) Xinzhuang branch line was satisfactory, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said Sunday.

The 8.2-kilometer line, which extends from MRT Daqiaotou Station in Taipei City to Fu Jen University Station in New Taipei City, cuts travel time between the two points by least half, the MOTC said.

From MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station, which connects the branch line and the Luzhou Line, the total travel time to Fu Jen University Station is only 24 minutes, the ministry said.

“The MRT team has done an outstanding job and deserves high praise,” said Chen Yen-po, director of the MOTC's Department of Railways and Highways and chairman of the inspection committee.

Chen also said the branch line had tested well in terms of stability, passing a midnight spot-check that simulated a power shutdown on the system.

As soon as the Taipei City government fixes the 18 flaws pointed out by the inspection committee Sunday, the Xinzhuang branch Line will be ready to go, he said. The problems include four major issues that needed to be resolved before commercial operation of the line could begin, he said.

The city government will announce the exact date for the start of operations, the MOTC said.

The Xinzhuang branch line has seven newly constructed stops, including Taipei Bridge Station, Sanchong Station and Xinzhuang Station.

It is expected to become part of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line that is being built to link the capital city to the country's main airport.


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## philip

hkskyline said:


> Monday, December 19, 2011 0:16 am TWN
> CNA
> *MRT Xinzhuang line passes final inspection*
> 
> It is expected to become part of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line that is being built to link the capital city to the country's main airport.


No, it's not.


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## hkskyline

Updated Sunday, December 25, 2011 0:09 am TWN
*Shilin night mart set to reopen today*

The China Post news staff--The Taipei Shilin Night Market, one of the most famous night markets and tourist draws in Taiwan, is set to reopen at an underground but more modern location today.

Vendors already started moving into the brighter and modern facilities on Dec. 15. Some of them continued operating over the weekend to seize business opportunities offered by huge crowds.

They said they will complete relocation this week before Christmas Eve for a grand opening on Sunday.

Officials of the city government and the association formed by the vendors said celebrations will be held and incentives offered to market the beginning of a new era for the popular market.

The new facilities that will welcome the customers are actually located underground of the original site of the market.

The market has been operating on a temporary site for the past few years while the original market location underwent reconstruction.

Some tenants had expressed concerns that moving the famous and popular market back to the old site and underground could make it lose special appeal to customers.

But officials said they are confident that the modern and brighter facilities as well as new equipment like dishwashers and tableware for much improved food hygiene for the wide range of delicacies and snacks will help attract more customers, although the place is a little farther from Jiantan Station of the mass rapid transit network compared with the current site.

All surrounding areas of the night market have been redesigned to ensure smoother flow of the large number of customers and for public safety.

There will be exclusive zones only for pedestrians while vehicles, especially the large tour buses, will be parked in specially assigned districts for arriving and departing customers along major streets in the areas and underground.

Officials advise customers and tourists to take public transport service systems like the MRT and bus to visit the relocated Shilin Night Market to avoid increasing vehicle congestion.

A new Taipei arts center will be constructed at the current site of the night market to become another major tourist attraction in Shilin District.


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## hkskyline

Updated Tuesday, December 27, 2011 0:13 am TWN
*Group petitions Control Yuan over projects*

The China Post news staff--Members of the Taiwan Alliance of Urban Renewal Victims and people affected by 15 urban renewal projects in the country yesterday petitioned the watchdog Control Yuan, complaining that the government and developers are preoccupied with an unrealistic urban renewal big dream that is disturbing disadvantaged households.

Acting out an impromptu drama at the entrance to the country's highest watchdog organization, the alliance accused the central and local authorities of giving a free hand to developers keen to make the country's urban renewal policies a gold mine for themselves.

The central and local authorities should have come up with a housing policy that would protect the citizen's housing and property rights, the petitioners said, claiming the authorities have brazenly gone ahead with their ill-conceived policies in hopes of speeding up urban renewal without considering whether the procedures are “reasonable” or “fair.”

Several petitioners claimed they are “prepared for the worst,” vowing to remain where they used to live even if their homes are torn down.

These petitioners are not “nail households,” people who refuse to accept compensation deemed incommensurate with the perceived value of their land and be resettled, but victims of urban renewal, attorney-at-law Joseph K.C. Yeh (葉光洲) said yesterday.

According to Yeh, they are all victims of urban renewal projects and actions against them, such as the subordination of the minority to the majority and “forcible demolition” of homes, are unconstitutional.

Associate Professor and Director Huang Li-ling (黃麗玲) of the Graduate Institute of Building and Planning at National Taiwan University (台大城鄉所), who was on hand to give the petitioner her moral support, said urban renewal has ceased to be a matter of public interest as it has become a “real estate interest.”

A few areas may have become more scenic after urban renewal, but people are complaining in most of these areas, Huang opined, calling on the government to lose no time in amending such a bad law.

The petitioners demanded that the government review the policy of unconditionally and indiscriminately approving proposed surface-area-to-volume ratios, and called for Control Yuan censure and correction of several ill-conceived measures adopted by the Taipei City Government, such as its “a ping for a ping” compensation plan, its “four- to five-storied apartment buildings redevelopment” project, and its “old, run-down marketplaces redevelopment” project.

They also called on the Control Yuan to correct the “supplementary rules adjunct to Article 36 of the Urban Renewal Regulations,” which authorize the demolition of properties by people other than owners and demanded that the central government immediately take over their threatened communities.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Dec 30, 2011
*Home pre-sales decline 11.7% in northern Taiwan*
Taipei Times Staff Writer, with CNA

Pre-sales of homes in northern Taiwan dropped 11.7 percent this year from last year, due mainly to the government’s efforts to cool the property market, the Chinese-language Housing Monthly reported yesterday.

The value of pre-sale homes in the north fell from NT$930 billion (US$30.68 billion) last year to NT$821 billion this year, the magazine reported.

The magazine said housing projects that have been on hold in the fourth quarter because of the Jan. 14 presidential and legislative elections might be put on the market after the polls.

Looking ahead, the value of pre-sale homes in northern Taiwan will rise to about NT$900 billion next year, it said, while in Taichung and Kaohsiung pre-sales were expected to remain at this year’s levels of NT$180 billion and NT$120 billion respectively.

However, Housing Monthly’s research chief Ni Tzu-jen (倪子仁) said the low home pre-sale rate in northern Taiwan, which currently averages 40 percent to 45 percent, was likely to continue for the next few years.

Construction companies will have difficulty selling completed new houses, he said.

Nonetheless, interest rates will be the key factor in the housing market next year, he said.

The magazine said the oversupply of finished homes in the north was most evident in the Linkou (林口), Sansia (三峽) and Tsmsui (淡水) districts of New Taipei City (新北市) and near the expressways leading to Nangang Science Park in Taoyuan County and Jhongli City.

The situation also exists in Hsinchu City and Chupei City, the magazine said.


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## hkskyline

Wed, Jan 11, 2012 
*Low-cost housing pacts signed*
_AFFORDABLE HOMES:The 3,960-unit housing project is slated for completion in 2016 and will sell for no more than NT$150,000 per ping, the government said_
Taipei Times 

The Construction and Planning Agency yesterday signed agreements with four major land developers to start construction of a low-cost housing project near a planned mass rapid transit (MRT) station in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Linkou District (林口).

Pre-sale marketing of the housing project, scheduled for completion in 2014, will begin in June, with each ping (3.3m2) selling for no more than NT$150,000 (US$4,990), the agency said.

The four companies that won the construction bid in July last year are Farglory Land Development Co (遠雄建設), Huang Hsiang Construction Co (皇翔建設), Lih Pao Construction Co (麗寶建設) and Advancetek Enterprise Co (名軒開發).

The 3,960-unit project, which will be built near the designated “A7” station of the MRT line connecting Taipei and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, is the second phase of the “affordable housing” program launched by the agency.

“We have received countless phone calls from people interested in the ‘affordable housing’ program since [the program was launched] last year,” Construction and Planning Agency Director-General Yeh Shih-wen (葉世文) said at the signing ceremony.

When completed, 3,761 of the units will be sold, while the remaining 199 units will be leased out for no more than NT$250 per ping. The units measure between 30 ping and 50 ping in size, the agency said in a release.

The four land developers promised to utilize high-quality materials and adopt green and energy-saving concepts in building the units, it added.

The first phase of the social housing program consists of 4,480 low-cost units that are being built in Fujhou (浮州), Banciao District (板橋), New Taipei City. Construction started in December last year and pre-sales will begin in April this year.

More than 30,000 people have applied for accreditation to qualify as a potential buyer of the low-cost housing units, with more than 7,000 people confirmed qualified. The agency began accepting applications on Dec. 23 last year.

“We expect the number of qualified applicants to total more than 10,000 after the Lunar New Year holiday,” Yeh said.

The agency will launch new “affordable housing” projects in the second half of the year if the number of qualified applicants exceed 20,000 in the near term, Yeh said.


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## hkskyline

Thu, Jan 12, 2012 
*Taipei is wasting money on fripperies*
Taipei Times

People First Party (PFP) presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) on Friday criticized the Taipei City Government, saying that while it had lots of money to throw at its bid to host the 2017 Summer Universiade, it won’t repay the money it owes the national health insurance system. The city responded by saying that the two matters were different budget items.

From a legal perspective, this seems like good reasoning: Civil servants are not allowed to move funds between different budget items as they see fit. However, if the city government has billions of dollars to throw at the preparations for the Universiade, why doesn’t it consider using that money to pay its national health insurance debt? Or does it actually prefer to sit by and watch as the city’s homeless are forced to sleep in city parks, upsetting city councilors to the point that they applaud clearing the parks with water cannons, instead of using these funds to help the homeless?

If the homeless were to decide to start taking walks at the different sports arenas during the Universiade, and to rest and relieve themselves there, the city would have a big problem on its hands.

The Universiade will gobble up NT$30 billion (US$996 million). Contrast that sum with the homeless people living in the parks in the city’s Wanhua District (萬華), not knowing where their next meal will come from.

The Chinese poet Du Fu (杜甫) wrote: “While the fragrance of meat and wine seeps out from the houses of the wealthy, the bones of the dead lie frozen in the streets.”

While things might not be that bad yet, we are moving in that direction. When the government has money, it does not think to use it to resolve the problems of the disadvantaged, but it does spend it on ostentatious displays of wealth — after the Deaflympics it was the Taipei International Flora Expo, which was followed by the Double Ten National Day celebrations and now there is the Universiade.

In just a few years, the city government has spent in excess of NT$50 billion of public money on such events. One can only wonder how many disadvantaged groups could have benefited from this money if it had been spent on improving social welfare instead.

It is of course true that the government must give comprehensive consideration to all aspects and cannot only pay attention to some groups or certain specific aspects, so it is only reasonable that it sometimes organizes various other activities. However, there is the matter of prioritizing what is important and urgent over less urgent matters — money should go to the areas where it can resolve the most problems. Only then should any remaining funds be spent on those other, hugely expensive, activities.

Spending everything on grandiose events that leave nothing once they are over instead of showing concern for increasingly serious standard of living problems might bring a government temporary praise, but not so in the long run. Wasting public funds will only empty city coffers and increase public debt, which will have a negative effect on future policy implementation and infrastructure construction.

It is difficult to understand why the government continues to behave unrealistically and waste public funds when the economy is in the doldrums and that public debt is building, while constantly talking about clean government, frugality and saving money.

The government’s function is public affairs management and wealth redistribution focused on building an equal society. I wonder how many leaders would pass muster if we were to evaluate the performance of governments at all levels based on these standards.

Hsu Yu-fang is associate professor and chairman of Sinophone literatures at National Dong Hua University.

Translated by Perry Svensson


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## hkskyline

Updated Friday, January 6, 2012 0:19 am TWN, CNA
*MRT Xinzhuang line begins free-of-charge commercial service*

TAIPEI--The Xinzhuang line on the greater Taipei's mass rapid transit (MRT) system began commercial runs yesterday, offering service from downtown Taipei to Xinzhuang District in New Taipei City.

Travel on the line will be free of cost for the first month, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said on the first commercial ride.

However, the free fares apply only to passengers who use the MRT's EasyCard for travel to one of the eight stations on the line, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp. said. People who buy tokens for single rides will be charged the standard fare, it said.

The new line was inaugurated jointly by Hau and New Taipei Mayor Eric Liluan Chu, who both took the first service on the 8.2 kilometer-line between their two cities. The Xinzhuang line will become part of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line thatis being built to link Taipei to the country's main gateway.

With the start of its operation, the Taipei MRT has now been expanded to a network of 114.6 km.

Last November, the Luzhou line was launched, providing service from the Zhongxiao-Xinsheng intersection in downtown Taipei to Luzhou District in New Taipei City.

The Xinzhuang line follows the same route for part of the way, from Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station to Daqiaotou Station, then branches off to the Xinzhuang area and ends at Fu Jen University Station in New Taipei.

The entire trip on the new line takes an estimated 24 minutes,cutting the travel time between the two points by at least half.

Some passengers on the inaugural ride said they were excited at the launch of the new line.

“We have been looking forward to this service for a long time,” said Huang Hsi-yi, head of Jungho Borough in Xinzhuang. “It will provide a more comfortable transportation choice, especially in rainy weather.”


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## hkskyline

Monday, January 9, 2012 0:14 am TWN
CNA
*First eco-friendly vault to store urns opens in Taipei*

TAIPEI--A green vault for the storage of funeral urns was officially opened on Yangmingshan in suburban Taipei on Sunday, offering a capacity of 50,000 spaces.

The new columbarium became necessary after the two existing ones in the city ran out of space.

At the opening ceremony, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung bin said the facility will be free of charge or 50 percent discounted for the storage of the cremated remains of organ donors, aboriginals and people from low income households.

The vault is a green building that is equipped with solar and wind power systems and a rainwater recycling system, according to the city's Department of Civil Affairs.


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## hkskyline

Updated Sunday, January 29, 2012 0:02 am TWN
The China Post news staff
*Real estate market may rebound in second half of 2012: analysts*

Real estate developers are expected to roll out new housing projects amounting to NT$1.2 trillion at three major metropolitan regions in northern, central and southern Taiwan in 2012 to warm up the real estate market in the second half following a big slump in 2011.

Realty analysts generally forecast higher presentation of more new housing projects in Taipei and New Taipei City in the north, Taichung City in central Taiwan, and Kaohsiung on the southern part of the island.

They gave the more optimistic business prediction in spite of negative economic developments, including the impact from the prolonged European debt crisis that will almost certainly affect Taiwan's export trade.

The new regulations concerning the levying of luxury taxes on purchases of luxury goods and speculative real estate transactions adopted in 2011 will be another market damper.

But analysts pointed out there will also be positive factors for the realty market for 2012, including Taiwan's continuing and steady economic expansion, the stable and low interest rate, the return of more capital held by Taiwan-based businesspeople from abroad, and possible increasing interest in Taiwan properties by the wealthy in mainland China amid intensified business interchanges between Taiwan and China.

Realty developers and construction companies put on the market NT$821 billion worth of new housing projects throughout Taiwan in 2011, representing a drop of 11.7 percent from NT$930 billion in 2010, according to analysts at the My Housing magazine.

Public Discontent

The government and legislators passed new regulations last year to limit realty speculations that caused soaring housing prices, a major source of public discontent.

Many developers also postponed their new projects in view of falling property prices and transactions at major cities, declining stock prices of construction firms on the financial market, and political factors like the new presidential and legislative elections.

But new development projects will be unveiled after political uncertainties settle down in the wake of the Jan. 14 general elections.

Experts believe that more people in need of their own apartments will return and take part in rational property transactions after realizing the government's crackdown measures have been targeted primarily toward exceptionally large housing units and speculators who had sought quick and high returns in realty investments while lifting the market prices along the way.

Analysts at the My Housing magazine said new housing projects in northern Taiwan will recover and rise back to the level of more than NT$900 billion plus additional development projects valued at around NT$300 billion in central and southern Taiwan.

Lai Cheng-yi, chairman of the Shining Construction Group, pointed out that the integration of resources and upgrading the administrative status of New Taipei City, Taichung City, Tainan City, and Kaohsiung City will significantly enhance the economic and commercial activities in the major metropolitan areas in Taiwan.

Taoyuan County in northern Taiwan will also see the construction of more new apartments this year due to the increasing number of foreign spouses married into local families and the rising demand from newly formed families.

Surge in H2

Lai expects new apartments and houses receiving construction licenses will go up to 90,000 units in 2012.

Most analysts believe that the number of housing starts and purchases of new apartments will resurge beginning from the second half (H2) of 2012.

Demand from mainland Chinese and overseas Chinese from Hong Kong and Singapore will also rise as more of them have personally visited Taiwan and hold positive views on the local living environment. Further developments of relations across the Taiwan Strait will also contribute to the resurgence.

The return of more property buyers on improved transport networks will help reduce the inventory of housing units accumulated in areas like Tamsui, Linkuo, and Sanxia in New Taipei City and the areas of Chungli and Nankan Interchange in Taoyuan, according to the analysts.

Most residents in Taiwan still generally hold the traditional concept of purchasing apartments for their own use while the interest rate on mortgage loans remains low as an effective way of offsetting the impact from inflation over the long term, the analysts said.

Second-hand apartment transactions will also increase in the metropolitan regions that generally offer better job opportunities, they added.

Other sources of strength for the realty industry include the government's plan to increase low-cost housing units for low-income families and continuing urban renewal projects for older communities.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Feb 03, 2012 
*Road resurfacing in Taipei failed: survey*
ROCKY ROAD:As city agencies and Taipower dig up resurfaced roads, an online poll shows that Mayor Hau Lung-bin’s road improvement initiative has failed
Taipei Times









_Taipei City is not the only city facing road quality problems. A hole caused by land subsidence on Changan Street in New Taipei City’s Lujhou District is pictured yesterday. The Water Resources Agency said work filling the hole should be completed within the next three days. 
Photo: Lai Hsiao-tung, Taipei Times_

Taipei City’s “Smooth Road Project,” a major policy initiative of Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), has failed to improve road conditions and many resurfaced roads remain uneven, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilor said yesterday.

Launched in 2010 to improve road conditions, the project has so far cost about NT$5 billion (US$170 million). By the end of last year, the city’s New Construction Office had completed resurfacing on more than 150 roads.

Citing an online poll, DPP Taipei City Councilor Kao Chia-yu (高嘉瑜) yesterday said that of the “top 10” roads in Taipei with the worst conditions, at least three had been resurfaced as part of the project.

Kao criticized the city government, saying that it had executed the initiative poorly.

“Most roads in Taipei are still uneven and even Mayor Hau was not satisfied with the results … We need him and the city government to improve the quality of work” so that the project will not lead to even more complaints, she told a press conference at the Taipei City Council.

In the online poll, conducted by Yahoo Kimo on Jan. 11 and Jan. 12 with about 2,500 votes registered, the “top 10 rotten roads” in Taipei included Nanjing E Road Sec 4, Dadu Road, Yangde Boulevard, Keelung Road Sec 2, Yangping N Road Sec 2, Zhongcheng Road, Bei-an Road, Zhongshan N Road Sec 6, Tayou Road and Changan E Road.

Major roads with the most manholes included Nanjing W Road, Heping W Road Sec 3 and Bade Road Sec 4, with more than 500 manholes.

Constant construction work and the digging up of the roads by the Taipei Water Department and Taiwan Power Company are the main reasons behind the uneven roads, Kao said.

Digging work by the department was carried out at 174 locations last year, while Taipower excavated 51 sites.

“The city government had promised that no digging would be allowed on resurfaced roads within three years of resurfacing work and apparently it failed to keep its promise. We continue to see road construction everywhere and ugly patches on the surface of roads,” she said.

New Construction Office Maintenance Division director Lin Kun-hu (林昆虎) said that Taipower and the Taiwan Water Department continued to perform construction on some resurfaced roads, but that the city government only allowed such roadworks under emergency conditions, such as to repair leaking pipelines.

The city government said it will take all advice into consideration and that construction on all major roads will be completed by 2014.


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## hkskyline

Mon, Feb 06, 2012 
Taipei Times
*FEATURE: Legislature again thinking of relocating*

Relocating the Legislative Yuan is an issue that has often been raised over the past two decades, and despite a long history of debate, decision, but no firm action, the issue is once more in the spotlight, after Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) brought it up again on Wednesday.

One reason the matter is receiving a renewed examination is that the Taipei City Government owns the land on which the legislature is located, and has been sending out notifications asking for the return of the land. The Legislative Yuan pays NT$50 million (US$1.6 million) to the Taipei City Government in annual rent for the land.

Prior to the election for legislative speaker on Wednesday morning, Wang said the Legislative Yuan is a symbol of democracy, and his proposal to relocate the legislature was in the hopes of jump-starting discussion among relevant bodies.

If the relocation of the Legislative Yuan is to be implemented, the process of planning and construction would take many years, said Wang, adding that as such, the newly elected legislators for the eighth term of the legislature, sworn in on Wednesday, would not be around when the time came to use the facility, hence there would be no issue of them personally profiting from the relocation.

The Legislative Yuan entertained thoughts of relocation as early as its first term, but in the 20 years since there have been two attempts made, but without success.

The legislature’s Expenditure Examination Committee first proposed in 1990 that the Legislative Yuan be moved to the site of the old Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) Huashan Station. The proposal was passed two years later, in 1992, and in 1994 the central government’s annual budget allotted the Legislative Yuan NT$10 billion for construction at its new site.

However, the relocation plans were effectively terminated when the legislature reviewed the budget during its second term and the opposition blocked the funding.

The Huashan relocation plans were also controversial and attacked by members of the legislature and the public alike as being excessively luxurious. The plans called for a Speaker’s room of more than 100 ping (1 ping is 3.3m2), over 30 ping for each legislator’s personal office and 50 ping for each lawmaker’s research room — not to mention multi-functional ball courts, warm water swimming pools and saunas.

The Legislative Yuan scratched the plans and instead set its sights on land that currently houses the Ministry of National Defense’s Air Force Command Headquarters in Taipei. The Air Force Command Headquarters, along with the ministry, is being relocated to Dazhi District (大直) in order to centralize the nation’s military command capacities and also to comply with the ministry’s policy of cutting down on military personnel and budgets.

The land the Air Force HQ will be leaving behind, on Renai Rd Sec 3, is a 7.2 hectare block exceptional for both its size and prime location.

The Taipei City Government says it wishes to use the land to build social housing, and the Judicial Yuan has also expressed its wish to use the land to establish a “Judicial Park” and unite the scattered Northern Taiwan courts and offices in a single area.

However, the Legislative Yuan, during its third term, went ahead with its plan to build on the land. The new plan called for a revamped Legislative Yuan with an increase to 225 seats from the fourth term onward.

The increase was due to the Taiwan provincial government having been frozen in 1998, following the fourth constitutional amendment, due to the overlap of the administrative powers of democratically-elected provincial governors and presidents.

In 1997, the Executive Yuan listed a NT$24.1 billion “special budget for the construction of the new Legislative Yuan,” with NT$10.3 billion for purchasing the land and NT$13.8 billion for construction.

Construction was estimated to take two years and the budget was passed in 1999.

However the plans were stonewalled by the eighth term of Taipei City councilors, and the special budget funding, after being held for five more years after its expiration date, was finally canceled because the construction had not yet started.

The current term of legislators seems to hold an open mind on the relocation of the Legislative Yuan, and is amenable to further discussion of the issue.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus director-general Pan Men-an (潘孟安) said it was true that the Legislative Yuan building is functionally unsuitable, particularly because of the scattered offices.

Construction of a new building should only be further discussed once changes to the function of the Legislative Yuan had been addressed, Pan said, adding that if the main objective of relocation was to give the building a more presentable exterior, it really wasn’t needed.

DPP Legislator Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said he would be proposing that a special cross-party committee be set up to push for the relocation of the Legislative Yuan by installments, adding a request to the Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) administration to keep an open mind and respect the Legislative Yuan.

People First Party (PFP) convener Thomas Lee (李桐豪) said that it was amazing that current location and structure of the Legislative Yuan, designed as a temporary solution, had actually been kept for the past six decades.

“The Legislative Yuan symbolizes the development and spirit of democracy in the country, and it does not need grandiosity, but functionality,” Lee said, adding that the discussion of the relocation of the Legislative Yuan should not be focusing on the issue of cost and overheads of the construction itself, but rather on the intangible representation of spirit and symbolism.

Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) caucus convener Hsu Chun-hsin (許忠信) said that the relocation of the legislature would require massive funding, and as the government has hit the debt ceiling, “the TSU does not agree to the relocation under the present unfavorable financial conditions.”

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus said no new plan had as yet been made for the relocation of the Legislative Yuan.


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## williamchung7

http://english.dof.taipei.gov.tw/ct....6096&mp=103002

The “Taipei City Xinyi District Serial No. 28, 29, 30 of the 4th subsection land development and creation of superficies” welcomes all interested investors to participate.
Taipei City Government Department of Finance would like to officially announce the “Taipei City Xinyi District serial no. 28, 29, 30 of the 4th subsection land development and creation of superficies.” The above mentioned property is located in Xinyi District, between Songzhi Road and Songren Road with a total area of 17,708 square meters with total volume set at 450% or 560%. As of 2011, the total land is valued at NT$13.1 billion and designated for specific business, commercial, and entertainment
facilities. The location puts the lot near the base of the Taipei 101 building and is in excellent condition. The property is currently use occupied by the World Trade Center and parking facilities. This is an ideal property to attract foreign businesses and capital as well as tourists foreign and local.

The Taipei City property management code article 65 provides that the city develops subsection section 4, serial no. 28, 29, 30 through private investments. The Department of Finance noted that aside from the required number of statutory parking spaces, an additional 31 large car parking spaces must be made available, and the property site should not be built for residential use. Beside the above noted, all other specifications must follow standard urban planning codes and relative laws. The Taipei City Government
expects to introduce private investments and adopt the overall planning approach in order to achieve the purposes of enhancing Taipei’s international perspective through its landmark buildings, effectively achieve financial gains, strengthen the Xinyi business district development, and enhance the social and economic benefits.

The Department of Finance has expressed it will employ a three-stage selection process (Qualification review - Investment Implementation Proposal Review – Price Bidding). The duration of existence of superficies will be set at 50 years and the royalty shall amount to twenty five billion New Taiwan Dollars (NT$25,000,000,000) in reserved minimum price. No more than 3 bidders will be selected from the qualified bidders based on initial applications and the winning bidder will be selected based on highest bid.
The annual rental will be based on 5% of the official declared land value. Please see the tender documents for further details regarding bidder qualifications and bid specifics.

The deadline for submitting the bid application is set at 5pm on April 30, 2012. Interested investors may purchase the tender documents at the Taipei City Hall, Department of Finance, Administrative Services (No. 1, Shifu Road, Xinyi District, Central Area, 8th floor). To download relevant documents and information, please go to the Department of Finance website (http://www.dof.taipei.gov.tw), Chinese version, under the Promotion of Private Participation (PPP) section.


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## hkskyline

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 
CNA
*Universiade athlete village to be built in New Taipei*

TAIPEI--Taiwan is set to build the athletes' village for the 2017 Summer Universiade in New Taipei City, with the project set to be completed by the end of 2016, a government official said yesterday.

Tai Hsia-ling, minister of the Cabinet-level Sports Affairs Council, said the building of the athletes' village is one of the major tasks facing Taipei as it prepares to host the Universiade five years from now.

Late last November, the International University Sports Federation picked Taipei over Brasilia as the host city for the 2017 Universiade, also known as the World University Games.

It will be the highest-level and biggest international sports event ever staged in Taiwan.

The athletes' village, to be situated on a 16 hectare site in Linkou District of New Taipei City, will include a transportation center, accommodation for 12,000 people, restaurants serving free food and beverages 24 hours a day, supermarkets, a medical center and a laundry center, Tai said.

“The travel time between the athletes' village and the sporting venues will be under one hour,” she said.


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## hkskyline

Updated Tuesday, February 14, 2012 0:02 am TWN
The China Post
*Renovation project for Yangmingshan guest house attacked *

The China Post--Opposition lawmakers yesterday urged government authorities to reconsider a large-scale development project to renovate a military-operated guesthouse in Yangmingshan into a hot spring resort.

Calling the project for Yi Yuan Guesthouse (逸園招待所) a violation of laws, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP's) Lin Shu-fen (林淑芬) and People First Party's Chang Show-foong (張曉風) both urged an evaluation committee to drop the plan at a meeting later this week that will be held to screen the proposal.

According to Lin, the project near the historic Chung-Shan Building (中山樓) is scheduled be carried out in the ROT (rent, operate and transfer) format with a selected developer from the private sector, with the government to retain full property rights.

The project, however, with an initial budget less than around NT$70 million does not conform to government regulations and has violated the Act for the Promotion of Private Participation in Infrastructure Projects (促進民間參與公共建設法), she told a press conference in the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.

The resort is also located at the Yangmingshan National Park, and the land is registered for administrative authorities' use only, the DPP legislator said.

According to regulations, land for administrative authorities can only be used to build facilities for holding activities involving conferences only.

”Rebuilding the guesthouse into a hot spring resort obviously violates the rule,” she added.

The military-use guesthouse was originally administrated under the Combined Logistics Command under the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

The MND signed an ROT contract with the Miramar Group (美麗華集團) in 2005 to renovate the guesthouse into a hot spring resort.

A review committee under the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is expected to hold a meeting tomorrow to review the proposal.

Once approved, it is likely to become the largest ROT project related to national parks to be handled by the Construction & Planning Agency (CPA) under the MOI which oversees the operations of the country's national parks.

MND's Response

Asked to comment, MND officials said the project was proposed in accordance with all related regulations.

It is a common practice that facilities constructed on land for administrative authorities are now into all kinds of resorts and recreational facilities, unidentified MND officials said in a United Evening News report yesterday.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Feb 17, 2012 
*Work begins on Koolhaas arts center in Shihlin area*
CULTURAL ICON:Taipei City officials find no incongruity in the Koolhaas-designed performing arts complex’s location next to the famous Shilin Night Market area
Taipei Times









_Rendering from : http://www.archdaily.com/12728/oma-wins-competition-for-the-taipei-performing-arts-centre/_

Construction of the Taipei Performing Arts Center, designed by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and intended as a new cultural landmark, began yesterday on the former site of the Shilin Night Market.

City officials hope the arts center will boost the city’s cultural significance upon its scheduled opening in 2015.

The project, initiated in 2003 during President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) term as Taipei mayor, will be one of the biggest arts centers in Taipei once it is completed, and will house one cube-shaped theater with 1,500 seats and two circular 800-seat theaters.

However, the choice of site has been criticized, as some have challenged the decision to place a performing arts center next to a night market.

Ma discussed the problem of finding a suitable location while attending the center’s groundbreaking ceremony yesterday. He said the site, which is next to the MRT’s Jiantan Station, offers a convenient location with easy access to public transport.

Once it is completed, the arts center will serve as a major venue for arts and cultural performances in northern Taipei, while the National Theater and Concert Hall will remain the major performance venue for the southern area.

Together with the “Grand National Palace Museum Project,” which will enlarge the museum’s exhibition space fivefold, the president said, the arts center will help make the city’s northern district a “cultural zone.”

“The Performing Arts Center will become a new landmark, not only in Taipei, but also in Asia and even in the world. It will help boost cultural development in Taiwan and make us the pioneer in the development of Chinese culture [sic],” he said.

Koolhaas, discussing the design of the building, shared Ma’s confidence in blending the arts center into its environs, saying that the vitality of the adjacent Shilin Night Market was the main inspiration for the design.

The exterior of the building was described as looking like “tofu with preserved egg” when Koolhaas’ team unveiled the design in 2009.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday defended the design of the building, and said the “public loop,” which exposes the backstage to the public and allows people to view the different theaters and watch rehearsals, will offer the audience a more complete experience of theater production.

According to Taipei City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the center will be completed in November 2014 and begin operation in 2015.


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## hkskyline

Updated Monday, February 13, 2012 0:06 am TWN
China Post 
*Yangmingshan prepares for national park*

The historic Chung-Shan Building on the scenic Yangmingshan north of Taipei will become the center of a massive multipurpose complex that will also incorporate new facilities for activities involving cultural, education, tourism, recreation and business conferences.

The large-scale development project with an initial budget of NT$10 billion could be carried out in the BOT (build, operate and transfer) format with a selected developer from the private sector while the government retains full property rights.

This is likely to become the largest-ever BOT project related to national parks to be handled by the Construction & Planning Agency (CPA) under the Ministry of the Interior which oversees the operations of the country's national parks.

The MOI has submitted the development project to the Executive Yuan for review and approval.

The CPA is set to hold open bidding in 2012 to find a qualified development enterprises to undertake the project.

Officials at the Cabinet's Council for Economic Planning and Development confirmed that the development program was already forwarded to all relevant government agencies for feedback and suggestions.

They said the project will be handled in principle by the government. But private enterprises will be solicited to make investment and manage the complex by the BOT format if there is a problem of fund shortage.

Five Districts

According to the preliminary CPA plan, there will be five major districts in the sprawling complex.

They include the Chung-Shan Building of traditional Chinese palatial style dedicated in 1966.

It is one of the many landmark constructions and public projects like memorial parks, buildings, freeway, roads and streets in Taiwan honoring Sun Chung-shan, aka Sun Zhong-shan and Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China.

The building, which used to be the conference venue of the now-defunct National Assembly to indirectly election the R.O.C. presidents, was already designated as a historic heritage site under protection.

The other adjacent areas to be developed include districts for cultural environmental education, tourism with hotel rooms and spas for tourists, business conference rooms, and restaurants.

The development efforts will include the resources of the surrounding local community that have become a major agricultural development center for new species of rice in Taiwan.

Community Development

The Zhuzhihu (Bamboo Lake) community on Yangmingshan (Mt. Sunshine) will be assisted to cultivate agricultural tourism to provide recreational resources for residents in the Greater Taipei region.

Legislator Ting Shou-chung of the ruling Kuomintang said he supports the massive development project to create another large cultural and recreational area for the people.

But he said that the development project should focus more on conserving the existing resources rather than adding just man-made constructions.

Lawmaker Hsueh Ling of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party said the development project costing NT$10 billion should turn the whole area into new public areas with free access by all people in Taiwan and tourists instead of being used by profit-seeking private enterprises just for commercial purposes and financial gains.


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## little universe

*More Information About Taipei Performing Arts Centre from Archdaily*



36774387 



*Dutch Architect Rem Koolhaas was explaining his design to the Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou and Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-pin*


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## hkskyline

A few more renderings from : http://tdesign.tw/taipei-performing-arts-centre/


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## el palmesano

really nice!!


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## hkskyline

Tue, Feb 21, 2012 
*Sixty-year-old Grand Hotel to undergo grand overhaul *
Taipei Times









_Source : http://www.pbase.com/boon3887/image/139536524_

The management of the Grand Hotel, one of Taipei’s landmarks, yesterday said they would spend NT$500 million (US$16.9 million) renovating the facilities, with the entire effort scheduled to be completed in 2014.

Grand Hotel chairman Lee Chien-jung made the announcement in the run-up to the hotel’s 60th anniversary on May 10.

The management said that the renovation project would keep the traditional Chinese architectural elements and at the same time infuse modern style into the structure.

A series of events will be held to celebrate the hotel’s 60th anniversary, Lee said.

“Aside from the presidents of Taiwan, the hotel has received more than 2,000 important guests from other countries in the past 60 years,” Lee said. “They include the late US president Dwight Eisenhower, late king of Tonga Taufaahau Topou IV and Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits Chairman Chen Yun-lin.”

Lee said the hotel had witnessed several politically significant events, including the conferences celebrating the formation of the Democratic Progressive Party and the People First Party.

Former president Lee Teng-hui also held his first national affairs conference at the hotel, during which experts suggested the nation abolish the National Assembly and form the Straits Exchange Foundation to negotiate with China on cross-strait affairs.

Because of the hotel’s place in Taiwan’s history, Lee said it had kept many historical items, including the Dragon-Phoenix Chairs on which former president Chiang Kai-shek and his wife, Soong Mei-ling, sat.

He said the hotel also had had a chair custom-made out of rosewood to welcome the arrival of King Topou IV, who was said to weigh more than 200kg.

Those items will be on display in an exhibition at the hotel, along with the dining utensils used at state banquets, as well as photograph collections.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary, Lee said that the hotel had introduced a feast featuring dishes served at state banquets, which will be open for reservations from the public. The hotel will offer several discount deals for dining and accommodation.


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## hkskyline

Updated Sunday, February 26, 2012 0:00 am TWN
The China Post
* Shida market dispute draws gov't action	* 

Situated only a few meters away from National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in downtown Taipei, Shida Night Market (師大夜市) is one of the city's most crowded night markets. 

Over the years, it has won national fame by becoming a hub of international cuisine, including Korean, Indian, Malaysian, Thai, Tibetan and American-style diners, mostly because of the unique composition of students studying at NTNU.

The university is one of Taiwan's most renowned higher education institutes — instructing Mandarin to foreigners for decades — and it has enrolled students of many different nationalities over the years. Because of this, the community nearby has created its own exotic atmosphere with visitors from all parts of the world.

The widely popular destination, however, recently became a center of confrontations between local residents, stores and stand owners operating in the night market, as well as the city government.

Residents in the nearby community for years have been plagued by the lingering noise, trash and fumes generated by stores and stands operating late into the night in the market that welcomes tens of thousands of visitors daily.

According to statistics, there are now around 30,000 residents surrounding the NTNU night market, and each of them have their own story about how the businesses have damaged their quality of life.

Residents' Protest Draws Government Action

The situation has worsened in the past four years as the market has continued to expand further into the original residential area, with the number of shops sharply increasing to more than 700 from the original 200, Jerry Liu (劉振偉), president of a local residents' self-help organization, told The China Post.

Amid strong opposition from area residents who went as far as to stage a demonstration last Oct. 26 at the bustling market, the mounting pressure forced the Taipei City Government to take a stronger stance in cracking down on illegal operations there.

In response to residents' calls, Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin announced that there would be no further expansion of Shida Night Market in a bid to protect the rights of local residents.

In addition to the expansion ban, Hau also instructed related agencies to impose tight management on existing businesses in the area and to conduct strict screenings for new business applications.

According to relevant regulations, such commercial services as restaurants, retail stands and shops are not allowed to be operated in lanes with a width of under six meters. Many shops and stores around the market are illegally operated in narrow lanes.

Stores in Shida Call for Longer Grace Period

Realizing the fact that they lack legal basis to continue their operations, some of the stores and stands operating in the market formed an alliance earlier this month to enforce a series of self-discipline measures to safeguard themselves from being forced to suspend operations.

Members of the alliance also agreed to close their businesses by 10:30 or 11 p.m. and to ensure that storekeepers and customers leave the area by 12 p.m., according to Wayne Chen (陳澄祥), a member of the alliance.

Chen told The China Post that many of the shop owners in the market admitted error in illegally running their businesses.

“We are not asking for government to allow us to keep doing business unlawfully in the night market, but we are simply asking for a longer grace period so that we can move,” said Chen.


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## Silver Swordsman

^Well, it's about time. One thing that I decry about Taiwan is the poor concept of respect for public areas: sidewalks are claimed by shop owners whereas pedestrians are forced to walk in the street, and we're not even talking about the infamous "double parking" and "Chinese crossing" that is prevalent here. 

Government should have cracked down on these things a long time ago.


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## hkskyline

Silver Swordsman said:


> ^Well, it's about time. One thing that I decry about Taiwan is the poor concept of respect for public areas: sidewalks are claimed by shop owners whereas pedestrians are forced to walk in the street, and we're not even talking about the infamous "double parking" and "Chinese crossing" that is prevalent here.
> 
> Government should have cracked down on these things a long time ago.


Would these also impact the stalls that are physically on the street? Thought they got the licenses to operate like that.


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## hkskyline

Updated Saturday, March 3, 2012 0:09 am TWN
The China Post 
*Chinese Banyans to be removed for 'prettier' cherry blossoms*

A whole row of Chinese Banyans (榕樹) will be forced out of its original residence in Taipei's Fushun Park (撫順公園) by year end and replaced by cherry trees because, as decided by the local residents, “cheery blossoms are prettier.”

Located on Zhongshan North Road, Fushun Park, known for its Chinese Banyan shades, has long been the oasis pedestrians chill at in hot summer days. Two hundred meters away, Yungjing Park (永靜公園) is famous for its gorgeous cherry blossoms, and residents of the district Fushun Park belongs to become envious — to the point that they reached the consensus to replace their Chinese Banyans with cherry blossoms.

“We will not have to crowd with others into Wuling Farm (武陵農場) to see cherry blossoms if we have them right here,” the neighborhood chief said, quoting local residents.

While residents of the area reached the consensus on switching up the scenery, spectators worry that the decision was too rushed, especially amid experts' warnings that cherry blossoms are difficult to take care of.


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## hkskyline

Updated Tuesday, March 20, 2012 0:02 am TWN
The China post
*Taipei dismantles houses over owners' wishes*

The Taipei City Government yesterday forcibly dismantled two independent two-story houses in the “Wen Lin Yuan” residential community located on WenLin Road of the Shihlin District as the owners have stubbornly refused to relocate beyond the deadline set by the government to facilitate an urban renewal project for the community.

The city government issued an ultimatum to the owners, surnamed Wang, of the two “nail households” asking them to move or tear down their houses on their own before the deadline of 12:00 a.m., March 19, or see their houses dismantled by the city government.

The government issued a construction license to a land developer to launch an urban renewal project on the said residential community in 2009, but the project has yet to be kicked off due mainly to the boycott of the Wang family owning the two independent two-story houses, although all the remaining 40 homeowners have agreed to join the renewal program.

The Wangs argued that they have long lived in the Shihlin District and therefore hoped to pass the land lots to their offspring. In addition, the Wang said as one of the two houses was revamped only several years ago, and the other was refined for less than 20 years, they don't see any reason why the two houses should be torn down for renewal.


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## hkskyline

Thu, Mar 22, 2012 
*Taipei ignores protest over urban renewal project*
Taipei Times

The Taipei City Government yesterday said it was pushing through with an urban renewal project despite repeated protests from a family who has refused to moved.

The Wang family’s two apartments in Shilin District (士林) are scheduled for demolition, as their location forms part of an urban renewal project called Wenlin Yuan (文林苑), with construction company Le Young building a 15-story apartment complex in the area.

Several Wang family members staged a protest again yesterday in front of Taipei City Hall, accusing the city government of ignoring their rights to profit the construction company.

“Our family homes are our family treasures, and we expect our children to continue living in these homes,” Wang Yao-teh (王耀德) said.

“We never agreed to the urban renewal project and we need to defend our rights,” he said.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said the construction company had received the consent of more than 95 percent of the landowners on the block, and the city government would proceed with the project in the interests of the majority of the landowners.

“Only 5 percent of the landowners are against the project. We cannot sacrifice the rights of the majority of the landowners in this case,” he said.

Taipei City Urban Redevelopment Office director Lin Chong-jie (林崇傑) said the Wang family had agreed with the project before it was approved by the city government, but changed their mind later on and demanded more subsidies.

The city government will have to help the urban renewal project move forward in accordance with the Urban Renewal Act (都市更新條例) and help the firm take action, city officials said.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Nov 30, 2012 
*Cabinet OKs urban renewal law change*
PROPERTY PROTECTION:The proposed amendment would raise the thresholds for both government and privately initiated development projects to minimize disputes
Taipei Times

The Cabinet yesterday approved an amendment to the Urban Renewal Act (都市更新條例) that aims to address flaws in urban renewal mechanisms that favor property developers over residents, as highlighted most recently in the Wenlin Yuan (文林苑) case.

On March 28, the Taipei City Government dispatched police to evict a family surnamed Wang (王) from their homes. The Wangs were the only residents who opposed the Wenlin Yuan urban renewal project in Shilin District (士林), while the other 36 families affected by the project were in favor. Since the majority of residents affected by the project approved, the Wangs saw their two two-story houses demolished to make way for the project.

The project reignited concerns over the nation’s land acquisition policy which had met with much criticism after a spate of farmland acquisitions for development purposes in various counties and cities sparked controversy.

Under the proposed amendment, if an urban renewal project is initiated by a local government, the developer would have to obtain the consent of all the residents affected to proceed with the project, compared with the threshold of more than four-fifths of the land or property owners involved that is currently stipulated by the law.

The current rule that entitles local governments to exercise their power to seize land is viewed as unconstitutional by critics.

If the amendment passes the legislature, the principle of majority rule in deciding matters of urban renewal would only apply to projects initiated by residents, land or property owners and construction firms, and not to local governments.

However, the thresholds for approval of such projects would also be raised under the amendment.

For example, for an urban renewal project initiated by a construction firm to proceed, more than half of the residents affected would have to agree on the developer’s draft proposal of the project before the firm files an application with the local government for approval, a significant increase from the 10th currently required.

After a local government approves the proposal, the construction firm would not be allowed to proceed with the project without the consents of between two-thirds and nine-10ths of land or property owners. The ratio would be decided according to different urban areas.

Currently, a construction firm can go ahead with a project as long as it obtains consent from between 50 percent and 80 percent of the residents involved.

The amendment would prohibit construction firms from preselling units before all housing located in the designated urban renewal area has been dismantled. Violation of the rules would result in a fine of between NT$50,000 and NT$5 million (US$171,000), with a further fine imposed for each further violation if the behavior is not corrected.

Under the amendment, local governments would still retain the authority to forcibly remove residents from their houses and demolish the buildings on behalf of construction firms or developers if the houses or residents are not gone before a given time limit. However, this course of action would only be permitted after the developers have exhausted every possibility of negotiation through administrative and judicial channels.

The Taipei City Government said it supported the amendment, adding that its passing would facilitate the promotion of urban planning projects.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) has been urging the Cabinet to amend the regulations and demanded that no presale housing transactions should be made before old houses are torn down to prevent future disputes.

However, both supporters and opponents of the Wenlin Yuan project said the amendment would not help resolve the stalled project, in which the construction of a new apartment complex has been delayed indefinitely since March.

Wang Yao-te (王耀德), a Wang family member, said the developers still insist on building the houses on the original site and would not make any compromises.

Hsieh Chun-chiao (謝春嬌), one of the residents who agreed to the project, said the primary goal for the households who had given their consent was to be allowed to have their new homes as soon as possible, adding that the government had failed to defend their rights.

She said the households agreed with the Wang family’s demand that the construction firm should change the project’s blueprint and rebuild the family’s demolished units on the site separately, adding that the government should help facilitate the project design change and restart the construction within the next six to eight months.


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## hkskyline

Tue, Dec 04, 2012 
*Taipei’s Japanese-built granary could be given new life*
Taipei Times with CNA

The decades-old No. 1 Granary in Taipei’s Songshan District (松山), which was built under the Japanese colonial administration toward the end of World War II, could be given a new life, thanks to a scheme to revive culturally significant properties launched by the Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs in August.

The program aims to revitalize idle or abandoned historical buildings by inviting private corporations and individuals from the cultural innovation sector to repair the properties and put them to use.

Once renovated, most of these buildings would be used by the cultural industry. They cannot be used as private homes.

Hidden away in an alley near the Breeze Center on Fuxing S Road, the 200 ping (660m2) brick and cypress-beam granary was constructed to serve as the primary wartime emergency grain storage facility in the city.

Construction of the granary seemed imperative at the time, particularly when Taipei could be at risk of food shortages in the event of US military strikes on Taipei Bridge, a vital link between Taipei and what is now known as New Taipei City (新北市).

The granary was outfitted with three doorways emblazoned with the word “No Fireworks” and was built with a high ceiling and a number of small windows to facilitate ventilation and ward off mildew.

Designated by the Department of Cultural Affairs as a cultural heritage site in February last year, the granary still bears the scars of World War II, as evidenced by the many shrapnel and bullet holes left by the US military during air raids.

While the exterior has suffered greatly over the years, the interior has been preserved in good condition.

“There are not many old buildings left in the city that share a similar architectural design with the No. 1 Granary,” the department said.

Former granary administrator Yao Mu-sen (姚木森), who served in the Taipei Administration of the Taiwan Provincial Government’s Food Bureau — the predecessor of the Council of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Agency — before being transferred to a managerial post at the granary in 1957, praised the effort to find new uses for historic buildings.

“While I support the city government’s cultural revitalization plan for old houses, it would be better if repair and renovation works could focus mainly on the interior and not make major changes to the building itself,” Yao said, adding that the granary was later used to store burlap grain sacks.


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## hkskyline

Tue, Dec 04, 2012 
*Railway agency mulls moving offices*
VITAL ASSETS : The TRA could turn the space at the Taipei Railway Station into a shopping center, boost its revenue and give commuters a break, pundits said
Taipei Times


Taipei Rail Station台北車站 by hwgirl, on Flickr

The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) is assessing the viability of making the Taipei Railway Station “taller,” moving its main office to another location and turning the space into a shopping center, TRA Director-General Frank Fan (范植谷) said recently.

Fan said central bank Governor Perng Fai-nan (彭淮南) suggested more than a month ago to Premier Sean Chen that the Taipei Railway Station could “be a little taller.”

Peng’s idea has garnered wide support, Fan said, adding that the TRA would outsource the task of evaluating its viability.

A full reconstruction of the Taipei Railway Station would affect too large an area, but adding a few floors would be easier and ensure structural safety, he said.

“The TRA has made a rough estimate of the viability of adding floors to the station. If we use light steel materials for the additional floors, they wouldn’t place too much of a strain on structural safety,” Fan said, adding that there is a limit to how many floors can be added.

Currently, the TRA leases the second floor, part of the ground floor and the first basement floor to Breeze Square. Despite the limited space, the revenue generated by the shops on those floors has exceeded expectations.

TRA’s contract with Breeze Square stipulates a minimum revenue of NT$60 million (US$2.06 million), but estimates show that sales this year could easily surpass NT$100 million, Fan said.

Some TRA officials have suggested moving the railway agency’s offices to the nearby Taipei Twin Towers project, and turning the vacated offices — currently taking up the third to sixth floors of the station — into a commercial center, Fan said.

After the Taipei Twin Towers are completed, the TRA would regain use of 60,000 ping (198,300m2) of land, he added.

The idea and the TRA’s approach have met with approval from members of the public and railway experts.

A commuter surnamed Yang (楊) said he often used the time waiting for the train to buy some sweets on the first floor or go to the second floor for a meal.

Having a shopping center will be an even better way for commuters to while their time away as they wait for trains, he added.

Another commuter, surnamed Lin (林), said it was hard to imagine how the TRA — which has been running a deficit for years — could sit on such a vital asset for so long.

If the TRA were to move its offices to the suburbs and change the station into a mall, it would revitalize its finances and help it develop a closer connection to the public, Lin said.

“It’s about time that the TRA came to its senses,” railway expert Hung Chih-wen (洪致文) said, adding that the TRA using the station — situated in the heart of downtown — as an office building was a waste.

Foreign railway companies usually move their headquarters to the suburbs, while reserving the station itself for commercial use, Hung said.

Since railway staff do not have to pay to take the train, the TRA should not just move its headquarters to the Twin Towers, but should instead move to the suburbs, Hung said.

However, there were also dissenting voices within the TRA who said the station’s main purpose is transportation and there are already too many people coming and going from the station.

Should the station become a commercial center, the sheer amount of pedestrian traffic would create an even bigger problem, they said, adding that the TRA’s dispatch center is also housed in the station and it would be difficult to move it elsewhere.


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## hkskyline

Sat, Dec 15, 2012 
Taipei Times
*DORTS defends bid for Taipei Twin Towers project*

Taipei’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS) yesterday defended the bidding process for the Taipei Twin Towers project (台北雙子星) near Taipei Railway Station, amid questions about the qualifications of both the evaluation committee and the developer.

It said that the department would take action if the developer was found to be involved in any illegal acts.

The developer, a multinational consortium composed of Taipei Gateway International Development (太極雙星), Malaysia’s IGB and Mid Valley City in October won the contract to develop two high-rise buildings that would cost between NT$70 billion and NT$80 billion (US$2.39 billion to US$2.73 billion).

Shortly after the Taipei City Government announced the project developer, BES Engineering, which lost the bid to the consortium, questioned the qualifications of the former director of the Bureau of High Speed Rail, Wu Fu-hsiang (吳福祥), as a member of the review committee on the selection of the developer.

Wu is an advisor to Kagawa International Investment.

The corporation and Taipei Gateway International Development both draw the bulk of their funding from Japan’s Mori Group, which made it a conflict of interest for Wu to serve as a member of the review committee, BES Engineering said, accusing the city government of violating the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法).

BES Engineering also questioned the consortium’s financial strength, given the large amount of funding required for the project.

DORTS Commissioner Richard Chen (陳椿亮) said the department has reviewed all of the 17 committee members and found no relationship between Wu and the companies involved in the bid, while insisting on the impartiality of the process of finalizing the developer.

He said that the bid for the project was not solely based on the bidding price, as applicants’ financial situations and construction design skills were also taken into consideration.

“The project’s developer was determined via a legal process. If any evidence is found to prove illegal acts in the bidding process, the department will handle it in accordance with the law,” he said.

The consortium is expected to break ground for the construction of the two high-rise buildings within one year.

The project is scheduled to be completed in 2017, and the twin towers will serve as the main hub for the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line to Taipei and five other railway and MRT lines.


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## italiano_pellicano

taipei city looks amazing


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## hkskyline

*Taipei dismisses allegations of port pollution from reclamation project*
The China Post 
January 3, 2013, 12:02 am TWN

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The materials used for Port of Taipei's land reclamation projects are safe, the city's environmental authorities said yesterday, dismissing allegations they would be a source of pollution.

The materials from the dump site at Taipei's Neihu District are certified as safe before being shipped to the reclamation projects at Bali, New Taipei, the capital city's environmental bureau said.

The bureau was responding to allegations by a magazine report that said the materials from the dump site were toxic, and would pollute the sea.

The bureau noted that the dump site — which had been mainly for the city's household garbage — was closed in 1985. After so many years, the garbage has decomposed to a stable state, it said.

The city began removing the garbage from the site in 2006 and after a hiatus the removal restarted in March 2009.

So far 370,000 cubic meters of materials from the site have been shipped to the port projects since July 2012, when such shipments started, the bureau said.

The bureau added that the dump site will be transformed into an ecological park after the garbage is all removed.


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## hkskyline

Tue, Jan 08, 2013 
*Plan to construct Tamsui light-rail system approved*
Taipei Times

The Council for Economic Planning and Development yesterday approved a two-stage plan by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to build a 13.99km light-rail transit system by the end of 2023 to provide transportation for people living in Tamhai New Town (淡海新市鎮) in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Tamsui District.

“The system is expected to cost NT$15.31 billion (US$525.98 million) and will generate NT$14.16 billion in revenue 30 years after its completion,” said Chung Wen-li, the deputy chief engineer of the ministry’s High Speed Rail Bureau, at a press conference.

Chung added that it is still too early to tell how many jobs the project would create.

The first phase of construction, which will begin this year and is to be completed by 2018, includes 14 stations along the Green Mountain Route and the part of the Blue Sea Route that links the Green Mountain Route to Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf, the council said.

The second phase of construction is to include six stations along the Blue Sea Route, linking Tamsui Mass Rapid Transit Station to the wharf.

The population of Tamhai New Town is currently 16,000 and the bureau estimated that it would grow to 120,000 by 2041. The system is designed to accommodate the projection of a 120,000-strong population.

The central government is to provide NT$1.67 billion to fund the project, with the Construction and Planning Agency to provide NT$7.09 billion and the New Taipei City Government to provide NT$6.55 billion, Chung said.


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## RonnieR

hkskyline said:


> Fri, Sep 07, 2012
> *DPP queries use of Taipei Dome*
> SIDE-LINED:According to DPP city councilors, the dome was designed to be a multifunctional venue and should be used for both ceremonies and sports
> By Mo Yan-chih / Staff reporter
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Work continues yesterday at the Taipei Dome construction site in downtown Taipei. The dome will be used for the opening ceremony of the 2017 Summer Universiade, but is not listed as a competition site for the Games.
> Photo: Liu Jung, Taipei Times_
> 
> Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors yesterday accused the Taipei City Government of having no intention to use the Taipei Dome for competitions during the 2017 Summer Universiade, questioning the purpose of the Taipei Dome construction project, which was designed as a indoor baseball stadium to promote baseball and other sports.
> 
> The Taipei Dome project, a 500,000m2 commercial complex in downtown Xinyi District (信義) that would include a 40,000-seat indoor stadium, was expected to be a major venue for the Summer Universiade in 2017.
> 
> However, the dome was not included on the competition venue list, and Taipei City’s Department of Sports plans to use the dome for opening and closing ceremonies instead.
> 
> DPP Taipei City Councilor Lee Ching-feng (李慶鋒) and Taiwan Solidarity Union Taipei City Councilor Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) yesterday questioned the city government’s plan, urging the department to use the dome for sports events.
> 
> “Taipei Dome is built to become one of the nation’s biggest baseball stadiums, and it is ridiculous that it will not be the venue for baseball competitions in the Summer Universiade. What would Taipei Dome be used for if it cannot serve as a venue for international baseball games?” Lee said at a press conference at the Taipei City Council.
> 
> Citing the example of the recent Olympics Games and previous Summer Universiades, Chen said venues for opening and closing ceremonies in international sports events have also been used to hold competitions, while questioning the preparation of the international sports event.
> 
> “The Fukuoka Dome was used to hold baseball competitions during the Universiade in 1995 in addition to the opening and closing ceremonies. The city government’s promise in building the Taipei Dome as a professional stadium would not be very persuasive if it cannot be used as a multifunctional venue,” he said.
> 
> The Taipei Dome project began construction last year after long-term protests against the project amid concerns on its environmental impact.
> 
> Farglory Group, the developer, signed a contract with the city government in 2005 and planned to invest more than NT$23 billion (US$700 million) in the complex at the abandoned Songshan Tobacco Factory on Zhongxiao E Road, and promised to build a professional indoor baseball stadium with at least 40,000 seats.
> 
> Deputy commissioner of the department Ding Ruo-ting (丁若亭) said the department has not yet made a decision on the venue for baseball competitions and opening and closing ceremonies, and the preparatory committee will make a final decision after discussing the issues with the International University Sports Federation.
> 
> “The Taipei Dome could definitely be used to hold baseball competitions, and we did not finalize the arrangements on venues for competitions yet,” he said.


Interesting....any render of Taipei Dome?


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## hkskyline

RonnieR said:


> Interesting....any render of Taipei Dome?


Website : http://www.farglorydome.com.tw/en/dome/dome_05.jsp


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## RonnieR

hkskyline said:


> Website : http://www.farglorydome.com.tw/en/dome/dome_05.jsp


Thanks. It looks modern and beautiful.


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## hkskyline

*Wenlin Yuan residents plead for construction to commence*
The China Post 
January 13, 2013, 12:02 am TWN


Untitled by pepebino, on Flickr


Untitled by pepebino, on Flickr

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Dozens of Wenlin Yuan residents continued yesterday to voice their protests against the Taipei City Government for stalling an urban renewal project, after spending a night outside the government's main building.

Many elderly people, who were some of the first people to live in the Wenlin Yuan residential complex came to the protest in wheelchairs, asked Mayor Hau Lung-bin to “help them get them back home.”

An elderly woman surnamed Wu, pleaded with tears in her eyes for the government to provide her with a home to live in. Wu said she was tired of not having a stable home for almost three years, imploring the government to begin construction of an urban renewal project.

Director Hsieh Chun-chiao of a self-help association that supports the urban renewal project said she was unhappy to see the elderly sitting in the rain and waiting for the government to provide a satisfactory answer. The group is made up of residents of former Wenlin Yuan households. The elderly insist that they want to fight for their homes, she said.

Taipei City's Urban Regeneration Office said they have sent officials to talk with the protestors and acknowledge that their voices are being heard. Officials also said the government would speed up negotiations with households who do not support the urban renewal project and will try their best to launch the construction as soon as possible.


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## hkskyline

hkskyline said:


> Website : http://www.farglorydome.com.tw/en/dome/dome_05.jsp


Site view (Jan. 13, 2013) - top left

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pooldodo/8379303953/in/photostream


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## hkskyline

Fri, Jan 18, 2013 
*Hau determined to improve city roads*
SMOOTH OPERATOR?Despite its high failure rate, the city government defended its ‘Smooth Road Project,’ saying any rework costs would fall on the contractor
Taipei Times

The Taipei City Government yesterday defended its “Smooth Road Project” amid continual complaints over poor road conditions and promised to ensure the project’s quality, while acknowledging the high failure rate of road resurfacing work.

Recent data from the city’s New Construction Office showed that of the 1.19 million square meters of road resurfaced last year, about 25 percent failed quality examinations and required a second round of resurfacing.

For example, the office’s examination of road quality on Minchuan E Road Sec 6, where resurfacing was completed last year, showed that the contractor did not apply enough pitch to the surface. The office has instructed the contractor to remove the pitch from a 610m section and reapply it this week.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), who inspected the resurfacing work on Wednesday, insisted that the city government’s determination to improve the quality of the capital’s roads remained firm, and said that it welcomes all residents to examine the quality of the project.

According to New Construction Office Maintenance Division director Lin Kun-hu (林昆虎), the city government had expected to complete resurfacing on 20 roads, but the work on Xinhai Road, Chungde Street, sections 1 and 2 of Chengde Road and Wanmei Street are yet to be finished due to poor weather conditions.

He dismissed concerns over the poor quality of resurfacing work, and said that the city government will increase the frequency of examinations on roads scheduled to be completed this year to ensure their quality.

“We have adopted high standards in the examination of road resurfacing work, and the contractors are required to remove the pitch and redo the work if the quality of the roads fail to meet our standards. The contractors also have to pay for the second batch of resurfacing work,” he said yesterday.

The “Smooth Road Project,” a major feature of Hau’s election campaign, was launched in 2010 to improve road conditions. The project has cost about NT$5 billion (US$170 million) so far.

The city government is scheduled to complete road resurfacing work on 29 roads this year, and 34 roads next year, Lin said.


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## hkskyline

Thu, Jan 24, 2013 
*Tzu Chi buildings spark protests*
DEVELOPMENT FURYrotesters said the Tzu Chi charitable organization had bought illegally constructed buildings in a conservation area in Neihu District, Taipei










_Environmental activists hold a banner at the entrance of Taipei City Hall yesterday as they protest against a Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation development project in Taipei’s Neihu District.
Photo: Chen Wei-tzu, Taipei Times_

Representatives from environmental groups and local residents yesterday gathered in front of Taipei City Hall to present a petition saying that all the buildings on a plot of land purchased by the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation within an environmental conservation area in the city’s Neihu District (內湖) are illegal, a view that the city government said had some validity.

The Tzu Chi Foundation purchased a plot of land on the district’s Chengkong Road Sec 5, across from Dahu Park (大湖公園), and applied to the city government in 1997 to change the land’s status from a environmental conservation area to one that could be used for the construction of a 4.6 hectare “social welfare park.”

The foundation’s plans led to opposition from environmentalists and local residents over concerns that the fragile geological features of the site may not be appropriate for a large-scale development, possible water drainage problems and over fears that the case would become a bad example of giving over environmental conservation areas to development.

Shouting: “The city government should stop covering up for Tzu Chi, and Tzu Chi should stop its illegal practices,” the protesters urged the city government to admit that the buildings on the land are illegal constructions, and to put a stop to the foundation’s efforts to legalize them or to expand the development.

Neihu Environmental Conservation Area Protection Association chairperson Lee Jih-Ching (李日進) said that according to the city government’s land use regulations for environmental conservation areas, developments larger than 5,000m2 need to go through urban planning and renewal procedures, and construction of buildings more than 200m2 require approval from the city’s urban planning committee, but the foundation did not fulfill either of these requirements.

Pan Han-shen (潘翰聲) of Green Party Taiwan, said the city government should not neglect the fact that the existing buildings in the area are illegal and should take action accordingly.

Receiving the petition from the groups’ representatives, Construction Management Office deputy director Chen Huang-cheng (陳煌城) said: “According to our records, there are indeed illegal constructions in the area, but operations to tear them down are on hold.”

The city government passed an administrative order some years ago that allowed illegal constructions built before 1994 to be exempted from being torn down, Chen said, adding that the office would check whether there are new illegal constructions in the area within the next two weeks.


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## hkskyline

Thu, Jan 24, 2013 
*Hsinchu getting ready to unveil Taiwan Pavilion*
CITY BOOST : The local government is hoping the pavilion, which showcases technology as well as some of the nation’s attractions, will lift its visitor numbers
Taipei Times

With a high price tag for its purchase and refurbishment, the Taiwan Pavilion that was erected at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo will have its trial opening on Feb. 10 and officially open to the public on Feb. 21 in Hsinchu City.

Hsinchu purchased the pavilion for more than NT$450 million (US$15.53 million), with the aim of establishing an industrial innovation park as part of efforts to boost tourism.

The building was designed by prominent Taiwanese architect Lee Tsu-yuan (李祖原), who also designed Taipei 101.

The pavilion not only highlights Taiwan’s cutting-edge technology, but also showcases some of Taiwan’s best natural and cultural attractions, including Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), Yingge ceramics, rocks from Yushan (玉山) and an infinity pool symbolizing the Pacific Ocean.

Despite encountering problems and delays during the pavilion’s installation at its new location, the city government is hailing it as “the most important public project in the past two decades.”

Work on the lantern-shaped pavilion’s new Hsinchu site on 4.95 hectares of public zoning land next to a Taiwan Fertilizer Co complex, has been ongoing for some time, and has recently been completed.

The city government decided to involve the private sector in the development of the site, but the tender invitation for open bids fell through three times.

Finally, the bid was won by the operators of Kindom Construction Corp’s Global Mall in July last year, who announced earlier this week that the trial opening date had been set for Feb. 10, to coincide with the Lunar New Year.

Tickets are to be priced at NT$200 (daytime) and NT$250 (nighttime), the operators said, adding that Hsinchu residents can enjoy one free admission by showing their city ID card.


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## hkskyline

The *Agora Hotel* in Xinyi district has been demolished and will be redeveloped. 

Hotel photo : 


Agora Garden Hotel We stayed in Taipei by Jay Sim, on Flickr

December 2012 (empty site next to the brown building)


View of a historic building from the Taipei 101 Observatory. by gunman47, on Flickr


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## kubachrick

Nice photos,thanks!.


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## hkskyline

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 
*Bureau hoping to open new overpass section for holidays*
JUST IN TIME?The section of the overpass between Wugu and Jhungli could divert 30% of holiday traffic and reduce travel time by between five and 10 minutes
Taipei Times









_Photo source : http://www.appledaily.com.tw/realtimenews/article/new/20121213/156498/_

The National Expressway Engineering Bureau yesterday said it would conduct a “practical evaluation” on whether the section of the Wugu-Yangmei Overpass between Wugu (五股) in New Taipei City (新北市) and Jhungli (中壢) in Taoyuan County could become operational before the Lunar New Year holiday next month, adding that the section would not be opened for traffic until it passed inspections from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

The 40km overpass has been constructed on both sides of the Sun Yat-sen Freeway (National Freeway No. 1) to ease congestion between Wugu and Yangmei on the freeway during peak hours. The bureau opened the section between Jhungli and Yangmei (楊梅) to traffic last month. That section is about 12km in length.

The bureau said that 97.4 percent of the overpass construction has been completed, adding that construction near the Airport Interchange was delayed due to labor shortages.

“Persistent rain and low temperatures that have continued since the end of last year have affected the work for concrete placement, road pavement and the drawing of traffic lines,” the bureau said. “The section is located at the Taoyuan plateau, and workers employed to work on the overpass have to endure long hours in an environment with high humidity, low temperatures and strong winds. This has led to a high turnover of workers.”

The bureau said the unfinished construction should take about seven to 10 days to complete, but that it has no control over how many workers are available each day.

The bureau said that it was still aiming to have the section between Wugu and Jhungli opened to traffic before the Lunar New Year holiday.

Construction of the overpass was launched in 2009, at an estimated cost of NT$88.2 billion (US$2.9 billion). The bureau said the overpass could divert about 30 percent of the ground traffic on Freeway No. 1 between Wugu and Yangmei, reducing the travel time in this section by between five and 10 minutes.


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## hkskyline

*Wugu-Yangmei overpass opening delayed*
The China Post
January 30, 2013, 12:07 am 

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The opening of the Zhongli section of the Wugu-Yangmei overpass has been postponed to the end of February, Transportation and Communications Minister Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) announced yesterday. The Wugu-Yangmei overpass was scheduled to be opened to traffic before Chinese New Year. However, its construction schedule has been delayed by factors such as weather and staff shortage, said Mao. 

“The Zhongli section of the Wugu-Yangmei overpass will be finished around Feb. 9,” he said. 

“Even though the schedule is delayed, this is still the achievement of many people's hard work.

“Everything must be completed according to regulations.” 

The director-general of the National Expressway Engineering Bureau (NEEB, 國工局), Tseng Da-ren (曾大仁), said that the delay will not affect traffic flow during the holiday period.

As for safety concerns regarding cracks found on some sections of the overpass, Tseng said that they are only flaws in the road's concrete surface and do not affect the structure's overall integrity. 

The Wugu-Yangmei overpass, the construction of which began in 2009, was to divide mid- and long-distance travelers from short-distance travelers. The Zhongli-Yangmei section was opened to traffic last December. 

CNY Traffic 

There will be no charge for freeway use from 12 a.m. to 7 a.m. during this year's Chinese New Year holiday from Feb. 9 to 7, according to the NEEB. 

Tseng said that the travel time from Taipei to Kaohsiung via the freeway during Chinese New Year could be controlled within six hours.

The NEEB has estimated that Feb. 12 will be the peak travel time during this nine-day Chinese New Year break, with around 2.9 million vehicles using the freeway system that day. 

According to the bureau, high-occupancy vehicle regulations will be in effect for some sections of south-bound freeway lanes on Feb. 9 and on north-bound lanes on Feb. 13 and 14. 

Extra Trains Scheduled 

There will be an additional 54 trains scheduled to run on the East Coast during Chinese New Year, the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) announced yesterday. 

Ticket reservation will be open to public through the TRA website and phone system and convenience stores at 9 a.m. on Feb. 1, according to the TRA. 

The TRA said that the administration hoped to reach the goal of safely transporting all passengers to their destinations. 

The TRA already added 604 additional trains to run Feb. 7 to 18. However, tickets for trains running on the East Coast during peak travel times of the Chinese New Year holiday were sold out the same day they were released on Jan. 22.


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## hkskyline

Subway construction


At Xinyi Rd (Sec 2.) in Taipei city, Taiwan by Minochage, on Flickr


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## subzerotemp

The Agora Garden Residential Tower looks great, though I'm wondering how the trees, plants, shrubs, etc. will be maintained. Another thing would be the bugs and/or animals you may have to deal with.

Still, it's beautiful looking.


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## hkskyline

*No changes to Taipei MRT transfer stations: mayor*
Taipei Times
Fri, Apr 19, 2013 

The Taipei MRT transport system’s Xindian and Tamsui lines will not have routes or transfer stations altered once the Xinyi Line launches at the end of this year, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday, stressing the city government’s commitment to minimizing inconvenience for passengers.

The 6.4km Xinyi Line, the city’s second east-west route after the Bannan Line, is set to include seven stations: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Dongmen, Daan Park, Daan Station, Xinyi Anhe, Taipei 101/World Trade Center, and Elephant Mountain.

Taipei City’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems initially planned to use Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station as a transfer station for the Xindian line, but decided to keep the originally-planned route between Xindian and Tamsui with a transfer stop at MRT Taipei Main Station.

The Xinyi Line will integrate with the Tamsui Line, and allow passengers to travel directly between Beitou Station and Elephant Mountain Station in about 35 minutes. Travel time between Taipei Main Station and Taipei 101 Mall is estimated to be about 11 minutes once the line is opened.

The department further extended the MRT route between Taipower Building Station and Ximen Station to connect the Xindian and Xiaonanmen lines.

“We will maintain the existing routes of the Xindian Line and Tamsui Line for the convenience of passengers, aiding the smooth operation of the MRT,” Hau said at Taipei City Hall.

Department Commissioner Tsai Hui-sheng (蔡輝昇) said the six-minute train intervals on MRT lines will remain unchanged after the Xinyi Line is launched. The new line is expected to ease the flow of passengers on the Nankang Line by about 11 percent, and reduce passenger flow at MRT Taipei Main Station by about 19 percent.

The decision to keep the transfer station for the Xindian Line unchanged is believed to be aimed at preventing similar complaints from passengers as those made after the launch of Dongmen Station on the Luzhou Line last year.

Guting Station replacing Taipei Main Station as the new transfer station for passengers from Zhonghe (中和) heading to Taipei Railway Station and destinations along the Tamsui Line drew complaints from passengers on the Zhonghe Line.

Taipei Rapid Transit Corp general manager Tan Gwa-guang (譚國光) declined to confirm whether the transfer station for the Xindian Line will be changed to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station once the Songshan Line is launched next year, but said more route adjustments will be necessary as the city continues to expand its transport network.


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## hkskyline

Thu, Apr 25, 2013 
*Twin Towers corruption probe begins*
BAD START : The credibility of the task force investigating the project came under fire as KMT councilors withdrew from the probe for accepting donations from a bidder
Taipei Times

The Taipei City Council task force charged with investigating the Taipei Twin Towers project held its first meeting yesterday amid concerns about the credibility of task force members who accepted political donations from the project’s second-priority bidder. It reached a consensus to complete the investigation by June.

The task force is comprised of cross-party Taipei City councilors and is to probe the project’s controversial bidding process, as well as any possible wrongdoing by city officials in relation to the project, amid allegations of bribery.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City councilors Lee Shin (李新), Angela Ying (應曉薇) and Wang Hsin-yi (王欣儀) withdrew from the task force for having accepted political donations from the second-priority bidder, BSE Engineering Co. However, KMT Taipei City Councilor Yang Shih-chiu (楊實秋) refused to leave the task force, drawing criticism from independent Taipei City Councilor Chen Cheng-chung (陳政忠) as he accused the KMT caucus of lacking the credibility to take part in the probe.

“Allowing councilors who have accepted political donations from a bidder to be in the task force shows that the KMT caucus is carrying out a perfunctory probe into the matter and I don’t want to be part of such a team,” he said during the meeting, before leaving the room in protest.

Yang insisted that the investigation is targeting the project’s first bidder, Taipei Gateway International Development, and whether he accepted political donations from the second-priority bidder should not be an issue.

The construction project has been indefinitely stalled after the city government’s cooperation with a multinational consortium led by Taipei Gateway International Development collapsed and led to a probe into bribery allegations in the bidding process.

Prosecutors have taken KMT Taipei City Councilor Lai Su-ju (賴素如) into custody over her alleged deal with the developer to help it secure the bid in exchange for a NT$10 million (US$336 million) bribe, and listed Taipei City Finance Department Commissioner Chiu Da-chan (邱大展) as a defendant.

The city government’s planned negotiation with BES Engineering Corp for a contract has also been stalled due to the ongoing probe into the project’s bidding process.

New Party Taipei City Councilor Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯), who is heading the task force, said it would ask Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) to clarify the city’s handling of the project, and will look into the role played by Chiu and city officials in Taipei City’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems.

The task force will complete its probe and present an investigation report by June, he said.


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## hkskyline

Sun, Apr 28, 2013 
*Taipei insists Wenlin Yuan renewal project still legal*
FORCED DEMOLITION : The city government said that a constitutional interpretation found only part of the Urban Renewal Act to be a violation of the constitution
Taipei Times










The latest constitutional interpretation of the Urban Renewal Act (都市更新條例), which ruled that part of the act violated the Constitution, will not affect negotiations on the stalled Wenlin Yuan (文林苑) urban renewal project in Taipei’s Shilin District (士林), the Taipei City Government said yesterday, insisting it is legitimate.

The Council of Grand Justices on Friday handed down Interpretation No. 709, finding that some of the articles in the act does not guarantee individuals involved in cases have access to relevant information and the opportunity to voice their opinions. It also said the act failed to demand that authorities deliver relevant information to all legal property owners involved in cases, or demand that a public hearing be held where all parties involved can state their opinions.

As to the Wenlin Yuan project, the grand justices denied a request to review the legality of the Taipei City Government’s forced demolition of the Wang (王) family’s houses to facilitate the construction, as the case is still being heard at the Taipei High Administrative Court.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday cited the interpretation to defend the legality of the demolition, and said negotiations with the Wang family, 36 households taking part in the project and the project developer would proceed.

Taipei Deputy Mayor Chang Chin-oh (張金鶚), who is leading the negotiations, said the developer of the Wenlin Yuan project has completed the urban renewal process, and the city government will focus its efforts on negotiations to solve the disputes over the project.

“Only part of the act violated the Constitution, and the grand justices did not find our handling of the Wenlin Yuan project illegal … We expect the negotiation to resolve controversies over the project,” he said.

The city government held its first meeting with the three parties earlier this month and will continue to discuss related issues. The Wang family’s previous insistence that their houses be rebuilt on the original site is one of the proposed solutions, and discussions on other solutions will continue without a timetable, he said.

Members of the Wang family yesterday accused the city government of distorting the constitutional interpretation and evading responsibility, insisting that the forced demolition of their houses last year was illegal.

“The constitutional interpretation questioned the urban renewal process, and that applies to the city government’s handling of the Wenlin Yuan project. It’s nonsense to say that the demolition was legal,” said Wang Kuan-shu (王廣樹), a family member.

However, representatives of the 36 households voiced support for the city government’s handling of the case.

Hsieh Chun-chiao (謝春嬌), a spokesperson for the households, said that the developer had followed regulations by obtaining approval from more than 70 percent of the households and sending relevant information to all the households, and that the city government had the authority to facilitate the project.

Taipei City Urban Redevelopment Office Director Lin Chung-chieh (林崇傑) said the interpretation, which requires the authorities to hold public hearings with households and send a finalized version of all the pros and cons of the project to all concerned parties, would affect about 400 urban renewal applications. The city government will meet with the Ministry of the Interior to discuss the cases.


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## hkskyline

Thu, May 09, 2013 
*HSR boss quits over Airport Rail delays*
RUNNING LATE : Instead of being launched in October, the Airport Rail will now only become operational at the end of 2015, the Bureau of High Speed Rail said
Taipei Times

Bureau of High Speed Rail Director-General Chu Shu (朱旭) yesterday resigned from his position after assuming responsibility for delays in the launch of the Airport Rail line between Taipei Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei.

Chu told a press conference that the bureau aimed to have the section between Sanchong (三重) and Jhongli (中壢) operational by the end of 2015.

Immediately after the press conference, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) issued a press release stating that MOTC Minister Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) had accepted Chu’s resignation.

The ministry said Chu had also applied for early retirement, which would take effect next month.

MOTC Deputy Minister Jack Hsu (許俊逸) has been assigned to oversee the operation of the bureau while the bureau’s deputy director-general Allen Hu (胡湘麟) will temporarily assume Chu’s position, the ministry said.

Chu said the bureau had originally planned to launch the Airport Rail in October. However, it estimated that construction might not meet the approved deadline due to disputes between Marubeni Corp, the contractor in charge of building the railway’s signaling system, and its subcontractor, London-based control and safety system manufacturer Invensys.

The bureau also ordered the complete replacement of electrical wires used in the signaling system after some were found to have cracks in their insulation.

Currently, 97.17 percent of the civil engineering construction of the Airport Rail has been completed. About 56 percent of the signaling system is complete.

Asked why it would take another two-and-a-half years to launch the Airport Rail, Chu said the contractor should finish installation of the signaling system by the end of this year or the beginning of next year. He said that the bureau would use next year to test the Airport Rail, adding that the signaling system and 13 other systems involved must be fully integrated to fulfill the requirements stated in the contract.

Taoyuan Metro Corp has been assigned to take over the line’s operation once the Airport Rail is completed and Chu said that the company would need time to prepare for the takeover. The company also needs to pass the final safety inspection by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications before it can start running services, he said.

Asked if the bureau would postpone the deadline again, Chu said that he could not make any promises.

“We can only strive to fulfill the mission,” he said.

According to Chu, the signaling system is being jointly constructed by Marubeni, Kawasaki and Hitachi. If Marubeni drops out, the other two contractors would take over, he said.

Marubeni reached an agreement with Invensys in March to continue the construction, he added.

Meanwhile, the bureau will fine Marubeni for violating the terms of its contract by failing to meet the deadline, with the contractor being asked to pay about NT$12 million (US$400,000) daily for each day it exceeds the deadline by. The penalty is capped at NT$2.5 billion. However, the bureau could seek further restitution from Marubeni for financial losses caused by the delayed launch of the Airport Rail.

The Japanese contractor could also face suspension of the right to bid for public constructions in Taiwan for one year, if the Public Construction Commission rules that it has committed a serious violation.

Chu said the bureau would continue to monitor progress by the contractor, which has submitted a plan to speed up construction of the signaling system. Should the bureau deem that the contractor has been ineffective in executing its plan to speed up construction, Chu said the contract with Marubeni could be terminated.

Chu said that the bureau did not know that Marubeni had violated the terms of the contract by outsourcing the signaling system to Invensys until the bureau received a letter from the subcontractor admitting that it was building the signaling system.

Marubeni also had disputes with another subcontractor for the railway construction in 2010. The subcontractor withheld the design plan for the railway construction and did not hand it over until it was ordered by a court to do so.


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## hkskyline

*Huaguang residents protest outside Taipei City Hall*
RESIDENTS’ PLEA:The residents urged the Taipei mayor to suspend demolition work scheduled for Friday next week and assist them in finding permanent homes
Taipei Times
Sat, May 11, 2013 

_Aerial photos : http://gis.rchss.sinica.edu.tw/mapdap/?p=3021&lang=zh-tw _

A dozen residents of Taipei’s Huaguang Community (華光社區) and their supporters demonstrated outside Taipei City Hall yesterday, asking Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) to defend freedom of residence and offer a long-term relocation plan to help them resettle.

The crowd shouted: “Taipei City Government toughen up. Don’t let Huaguang Community fall down,” after the Taipei City Government’s Cultural Heritage Evaluation Committee decided earlier this month to conduct an assessment on the cultural and historical value of the community.

They urged the city government to ask the Ministry of Justice to suspend the demolition of the part of the community on Aiko E Road scheduled for Friday next week.

“Huaguang Community is a historical community with rich cultural resources and history. The city government should exercise its authority to protect local residents’ rights and preserve the community,” residents’ representative Cheng Wei-hui (鄭偉慧) said.

The residents also complained about the city’s short-term relocation plan, urging Hau and his team to find permanent residences for them.

National Taiwan University urban redevelopment professor Kang Min-jay (康旻杰) said the city government should demand that the central government build public housing on the site and take care of the original residents.

Located near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Huaguang Community is a neighborhood of about 60 households, of mostly low-ranking former soldiers who fled the Chinese Civil War with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime in 1949 and their descendants.

Last year, the Executive Yuan approved plans to remodel the area into a “second Roppongi district” — a district in Tokyo famed for its nightclubs — and officials began measuring all the buildings in the designated area in November last year.

In response, Lo Shi-yu (羅世譽), a division chief at the Taipei City Government’s Department of Urban Development, said the city government is offering public housing units at three public housing projects to the residents.

The residents can rent the units for two months at half the price of the normal monthly rent.


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## hkskyline

Wed, May 29, 2013 
*Court extends Lai Su-ju’s detention over Twin Towers*
Taipei Times 

The Taipei District Court yesterday granted the prosecutors’ request to detain Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Lai Su-ju (賴素如) for another two months.

Lai, a confidante of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), stands accused of taking bribes related to the Taipei Twin Towers project.

She was first detained on March 30 and will now be detained for another two months starting tomorrow, the court said yesterday.

The court ruled that there was a risk that Lai would collude with others to change their testimony if she was not in detention and able to communicate with them.

A consortium led by Taipei Gateway International Development Co (太極雙星) won the tender in October last year with a NT$70 billion (US$2.34 billion) bid.

However, it lost the rights to the project in February, when it failed to put up a performance bond by the required deadline.

Prosecutors allege that Lai struck a deal with the consortium to receive a NT$10 million bribe in three installments — NT$1 million as a down payment, NT$3 million after Taipei Gateway International Development had signed the contract with the Taipei City Government to build the Twin Towers and NT$6 million once construction had started.

Lai has admitted to taking a NT$1 million payment, but said she considered it to be a “political donation.”

She said she returned the money after realizing that it had come from the consortium.

Lai, a lawyer who served as director of the KMT chairman’s office for President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), had her KMT membership suspended.


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## hkskyline

Wed, Jun 12, 2013 
*Taipei to inspect buildings’ ‘health’*
HEALTHY HOUSES : The city government is planning to spend NT$4m surveying apartment buildings that are more than 30 years old to promote urban renewal
Taipei Times

The Taipei City Government will launch a home inspection program next year to identify apartments that are 30 or more years old and in need of maintenance or reconstruction work as part of its bid to promote urban renewal.

The initiative, dubbed the “Old House Health Exam,” will begin in January next year and survey the general structure, fire safety measures and exterior walls of 200 apartment buildings.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday said the inspections were also aimed to address safety concerns in old buildings and the results would serve as a reference for determining which properties need maintenance, renovation or renewal work.

“The ‘health’ of a building, like a person’s, needs to be examined on a regular basis. Through the initiative we want to establish a standard home inspection mechanism and encourage homeowners to conduct regular inspections on their residences,” he said at Taipei City Hall.

According to the Department of Urban Redevelopment, about 70 percent of Taipei’s more than 90,000 buildings are more than 30 years old. Safety inspections cost NT$20,000 per apartment, so the city government will budget NT$4 million (US$134,000) next year to implement the program.

Department Commissioner Ben Tai-ming (邊泰明) said privately owned apartment buildings that are at least 30 years old and at least three stories high will be eligible for the inspection program. However, apartment buildings that are participating in urban renewal projects will be excluded from the program.

Hau touted the inspection program as the city’s latest effort to improve the condition of older buildings and provide more information on proprty conditions for homeowners. He added that the city would not make the inspection results public to protect property owners’ privacy.

Taipei Deputy Mayor Chang Chin-oh (張金鶚), a real-estate expert, dismissed concerns about keeping the results private and insisted that the initiative would ultimately make property conditions more transparent and could help prevent disputes in housing transactions.

“Conducting property inspection is the first step toward building a healthy housing market. Eventually, we want to apply the inspection mechanism to buildings of all ages to offer open and transparent information on properties’ conditions,” he said.

The department will conduct the inspections along with construction associations. After obtaining the inspection results, property owners are encouraged to seek follow-up assistance from the Taipei Urban Renewal Promotion Center or private construction agencies, he said.


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## hkskyline

Taipei Times
Mon, Jun 10, 2013 
*TRA seeks compensation over collapsed crosswalk*
SAFETY CONCERNS:After the collapse of a pedestrian crosswalk, Keelung has come under scrutiny with 47 of the city’s 182 bridges requiring immediate repair 

The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) yesterday said that it is seeking damages from the Keelung City Government for the collapse of a pedestrian skywalk crossing which disrupted train services on Saturday.

The collapsing skywalk broke electric cabling, forcing the TRA to operate two-way services using a single track in the section between Keelung and Cidu (七堵) for the entire day.

According to the railroad, the incident delayed 55 train services and affected approximately 9,800 passengers.

A 22-year-old woman surnamed Chan (詹) also suffered concussion and temporary amnesia after falling from the bridge.

“The incident was caused by the collapse of a pedestrian skywalk crossing, which is maintained and managed by the Keelung City Government,” the railroad said in a statement.

“Therefore, the TRA will seek compensation for damage to equipment and the impact on train operations [from the city],” it added.

However, passengers would not be able to seek compensation or ticket refunds because the TRA was not responsible for the cause of the incident, the railroad said, adding that it was also a victim of the incident.

The collapse of the pedestrian crossing has brought the quality of bridges in Keelung under scrutiny.

According to the city’s Department of Public Works, the city has 182 bridges. Forty-seven of them have been placed on a priority list for immediate repair as they may be cause for safety concerns.

The city budgeted NT$10 million (US$336,000) three years ago for such repairs.

However, the collapsed skywalk crossing is not on the list.

A nationwide bridge maintenance survey carried out by the Institute of Transportation, a think tank under the Ministry of Transportation, listed Keelung under the category of requiring “immediate improvement.”

Although maintenance work was needed on 152 bridges in the city last year, none of it is yet complete.

Keelung Mayor Chang Tong-rong (張通榮) said that the overpass that fell was considered an old bridge, but not a dangerous one.

“We recently checked the bridge and we do not know why [the collapse] occurred following the earthquake,” Chang said. “The deck of the bridge was still intact.”

Chang said he hopes that the central government can provide funding to rebuild the pedestrian skywalk as well as to relocate the railway station.

The city government has decided to build a makeshift steel bridge for pedestrians after the collapse. In the meantime, it installed barriers to create a temporary passage for pedestrians on a motor-vehicle overpass next to the collapsed crossing.


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## hkskyline

Xinyi


繁華．信義．夜倒映 by 阿 ken Huang, on Flickr


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## hkskyline

Taipei Times
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 
*Xinzhuang Line’s last stations open*
END OF LINE : Protesters said at the launch ceremony that the authorities were trying to fool people when they said the Losheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium must be torn down

Operation of the last two stations of the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Xinzhuang Line were launched yesterday amid a small protest by supporters of the Lo-sheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium, renewing concerns about the safety of the line and preservation of the sanatorium.

The Danfeng and Huilong MRT stations were the only two stations that remained closed when the Xinzhuang Line opened in 2010. Taipei City’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems at the time insisted on demolishing the sanatorium to facilitate construction of the line’s maintenance depot. However, several protests followed, which halted the sanatorium’s demolition, and the two stations were launched yesterday while the maintenance depot is still being built.

“The department threatened that the Xinzhuang Line could not start operation unless the sanatorium was torn down to build the maintenance depot. The launch of the line is solid proof that the department was trying to fool sanatorium residents and the public,” a member of the Losheng Youth Alliance surnamed Kuo said in front of Huilong Station.

The department dismissed concerns about the line’s safety and said it would use part of the Zhonghe Line maintenance depot for train storage and emergency response measures before the depot for the Xinzhuang Line is completed.

The protest did not affect the stations’ launch ceremony. Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) attended the ceremony and took an MRT train from Huilong Station to Fu Jen University Station.

Hau said the two stations would make transportation more convenient for passengers and promote business opportunities in the area. He added that Huilong Station, which is to connect the MRT Wanda Line and an extension line to Taoyuan County, would further benefit residents outside Taipei City and New Taipei City.

Chu, on the other hand, said he was “not too satisfied” with the fare discounts to celebrate the launch of the two stations and said Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) should consider offering more discounts.

Under the discount, the Danfeng-Huilong route will not be included in EasyCard fare calculations if users enter or exit at either of the two stations. The preferential offer runs until tomorrow and saves passengers NT$4 on a trip.

The TRTC said the three-day discount would benefit an average of 21,000 passengers per day, or a total of 63,000 passengers during the period.

The interaction between Hau and Chu during yesterday’s ceremony also drew attention, because both are seen as possible Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) contenders in the presidential election in 2016.

“It’s sheer speculation and the public is mulling the issue,” Chu said when approached by reporters for comments.

Hau joined Chu in dismissing the rumors. He said he and Chu have known each other since serving as professors at National Taiwan University.


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## hkskyline

Sun, Jul 07, 2013 
Taipei Times
*Groups urge protection of Bitan scenic bridge*










Civic groups and local activists living near New Taipei City’s (新北市) Bitan (碧潭) scenic spot yesterday called on people to join them in protecting the 76-year-old suspension bridge in the area from being damaged by an urban renewal project.

Using a Facebook page, the Organization of Urban Re-s (OURs) urged people who supported designating the old bridge as a cultural heritage site to gather at the bridge in the afternoon and voice their demands to the city government.

At about 4pm yesterday, dozens of people gathered on the bridge and held yellow signs that read “designate [the bridge] a cultural heritage site.”

OURs member Chuang Ting-yu (莊婷宇) said the bridge was being threatened by a construction project that will erect a number of 26-story apartment buildings close to one end of the bridge.

The group said it is unreasonable that while up to 65 percent of the construction project’s land is public property, the city government did not choose to protect the suspension bridge for the public to enjoy, but rather allowed private contractors to build tall residential buildings on the land.

In addition, the group said the construction project may also affect the safety of the bridge by harming its piers, and also destroy the scenery that has attracted many visitors to the area in the past decades.

Chuang said that during a city government review meeting on June 26, the committee members voted on the issue and seven specialists had voted in support of naming the bridge a cultural heritage site, but the no conclusion was reached on that day and another meeting on the issue is scheduled for this month.

The group urged the city government to recognize that the bridge is not only the last remaining bridge featuring a unique tungsten steel ball-bearing design in the world, but also an important collective memory of many Taiwanese, and should be protected for future generations.


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## hkskyline

Tue, Jul 09, 2013 
*Tamhai New Town project must pass through stricter EIA*
Taipei Times





_News clip from 東森_

The initiation of the second phase of the new Tamhai New Town (淡海新市鎮) development project in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Tamsui District (淡水) was blocked by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) general assembly yesterday, until it passes a second, stricter review.

The project to create a town using 1,756 hectares of land north of central Tamsui to relocate 300,000 people from the overcrowded Taipei metropolitan area was first proposed by the Construction and Planning Agency in 1992.

The first phase of the project has been completed. The second and third stage plans were drawn up in 1995, but never implemented after the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) requested that both be submitted to two EIAs.

After many years of delays, the agency this year submitted another development project covering more than 1,100 hectares to an EIA under a new name, but which included zones that were designated for development under the original plan’s second phase.

Before the EIA general assembly meeting was held yesterday, dozens of people supporting and opposing the project gathered at the EPA to express their views.

Carrying soil, rice stems and seaweed from the area, representatives of a Tamsui self-help association said the project would destroy not only the area’s environment and ecology, but also its high-quality agricultural land and fishing sites. Cultural sites such as 100-year-old houses, aqueducts and ponds would also be destroyed, they added.

They said the first phase of the project was finished more than 20 years ago, but though it was designed to house 130,000 people, only 13,000 have moved — one-tenth of what was planned — so if the new project proposal is realized, it will likely only create another “ghost town.”

Members of the association are also concerned that more than 15,000 households would be forced to relocate if the project is approved.

“We don’t want to become the second Dapu Borough (大埔) of Taiwan,” association member Tsai Yin (蔡瀛) said.

In an effort to gain approval from the general assembly, the Construction and Planning Agency has amended the proposal to reduce the size of the development to 655 hectares, so it only includes the first zone of the original second phase area.

Supporters of the project, including city councilors and borough chiefs, said that the project could help develop the area economically and many residents have already waited more than 20 years for the development to be completed.

Taking into consideration the possible impacts that the project would have, the meeting’s committee members concluded that the proposal needs to undergo a second-phase EIA process to be reviewed more thoroughly.


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## hkskyline

*Taipei finishes first city gov't-led urban development project*
By Lauly Li ,The China Post
July 10, 2013 

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The first urban development project involving a Taipei City Government-led apartment demolition has been completed, Deputy Mayor Chang Chin-oh (張金鶚) announced yesterday, saying that the project is an excellent demonstration of a successful urban renewal project.

The redevelopment in Jingmei of Wenshan (文山區), or Jingmei project (景美都更案) as it is colloquially known, is the first such project to be guided by the city government.

Chang said that, like the controversial Wenlin Yuan (文林苑) urban development project that saw two houses razed by the Taipei City Government against the owners' wishes in 2012, there was one household member, surnamed Kao, who did not agree to the project before construction commenced in 2010.

The Taipei government demolished Kao's apartment under Urban Renewal Act No. 36 on June 9, 2010. That same day Kao went to a police station and reported the incident to maintain an official record of his dissent.

Chang Wen-te (張溫德), chief engineer at the Taipei City Urban Redevelopment Office, said that as Kao's previous property was within the project's scope, after the project was completed, Kao will receive one household, one parking space and NT$10 million to make up for owning less than two households' property rights.

The deputy mayor said local governments have been questioned about the legitimacy of demolishing people's homes, noting that the Legislative Yuan should amend the Urban Renewal Act as soon as possible to clarify whether or not the local government should be the executor of demolitions.

Chang suggested that urban renewal projects go through a negotiation process if there is any controversy regarding them, noting that if the negotiations go well the Taipei City Government will assist the project's construction consortium in demolishing the properties.

39 Public Housing Releases

The project is located near the famous Jingmei night market, and the city government noted that previously there were 10 households within the project scope, and there are 118 households now that the project has been completed.

Of those 118 households, 39 households are to be redistributed to the Taipei City Government, Chang said, adding that the 39 households will be part of Taipei's public housing scheme.

The capital's public housing policy states that properties owned by the city government are open to citizens who meet certain conditions and will be offered at a rental price 30-percent below the market price.

Applicants must be Taipei residents, aged between 20 and 46, with household annual income below NT$1.26 million and their close relatives or spouse must not own residential land for self-use.


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## hkskyline

hkskyline said:


> *Huaguang residents protest outside Taipei City Hall*
> RESIDENTS’ PLEA:The residents urged the Taipei mayor to suspend demolition work scheduled for Friday next week and assist them in finding permanent homes
> Taipei Times
> Sat, May 11, 2013
> 
> _Aerial photos : http://gis.rchss.sinica.edu.tw/mapdap/?p=3021&lang=zh-tw _
> 
> A dozen residents of Taipei’s Huaguang Community (華光社區) and their supporters demonstrated outside Taipei City Hall yesterday, asking Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) to defend freedom of residence and offer a long-term relocation plan to help them resettle.


Thu, Jul 25, 2013 
Taipei Times
*Relocation vital to Huaguang residents facing demolitions* 

A 73-year-old on a ventilator yesterday called on President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to provide new housing before next month, when homes in Huaguang Community (華光社區) are scheduled to be dismantled.

“There is not much I ask the government to do, only that it helps resolve our relocation problem and abrogates the fines,” Yu Ssu-chin (余賜秦) told a press conference in Taipei organized by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇).

A monthly wage of little more than NT$30,000 from his youngest son is the main source of income Yu’s family of five relies on, said a student surnamed Tung (董) who, with other students, has sided with the residents to preserve their houses.

Tung said the residents recently received a letter from the Ministry of Justice, which owns the land, reminding them demolition is set to begin at the end of next month, but most of them have nowhere to go.

Located near Taipei’s National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the Huaguang Community has been designated by the Executive Yuan as the site for a commercial zone.

The community was originally a neighborhood of 183 households, but earlier this year, part of the neighborhood was flattened despite opposition from residents.

Yu said the house he has lived in for more than 30 years was bought from a friend and the transaction was completed after filing for registration at the Daan District Office.

“Although I did not own the land, the house was mine,” Yu said.

Therefore, Yu said he does not understand why he was found by the ministry to be illegally profiting from occupying the land.

After the ministry won a lawsuit, the court ordered forfeiture of one-third of his youngest son’s salary to pay legal costs of NT$130,000.

In addition to a fine of NT$2 million (US$66,862), Yu must pay NT$110,000 for the dismantling of his house if he fails to demolish it by the deadline.

“I cannot afford all these fines. I cannot afford to live in public housing either because I have to pay a deposit of NT$50,000 before we move in, monthly rent of NT$10,000, management costs of NT$1,000 and a parking fee of NT$2,000 per month,” Yu said.

The ministry has arranged for Huaguang residents to live in public housings, but many of them have found the accommodation unaffordable or unsuitable, Tung said.

“We urge the Ministry of Justice to call off its demolition plans until it provides relocation assistance for the displaced people that meets their specific needs,” Tung said, joined by dozens of students at the press conference.

John Liu (劉可強), professor and executive director of the Building and Planning Research Foundation at National Taiwan University, slammed the government for “a gross violation of the Constitution” over the salary forfeiture and over the forced evictions without adequate alternative housing as required by international human rights standards under the two human rights covenants the nation has signed.

Tien said Ma should step in to settle the problem because he had repeatedly promised the residents when he was mayor of Taipei that their houses would not be flattened before they have adequate places to live in.


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## hkskyline

Mon, Aug 05, 2013 
*Taoyuan hopes to inspire travelers while they wait*
Taipei Times

Travelers waiting to board their flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport will not have a problem killing time after the construction of several themed lounges is finished next year.

The nation’s largest international airport first drew the attention of the media with the opening of a waiting lounge featuring Japanese cartoon character Hello Kitty.

Wen Yung-sung (溫永松), senior vice president of Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC), said the airport began renovating 34 waiting lounges in its terminals in 1999, with the project featuring a variety of different themes.

He said that the work has been carefully planned to avoid disruption of walking routes for passengers inside the terminal, which was why the renovations have taken such a long time.

The renovation of 24 lounges was finished as of last month, including six new themed lounges, he said, adding that work on the remaining 10 lounges is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.

Six new lounges in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 feature Taiwanese operas and Hakka culture as well as the fruit, tea, Koji Pottery and 100 high mountains of Taiwan, according to the airport operator.

The waiting lounge featuring Taiwanese opera was designed by Xiao Qin-yang (蕭青陽), who has been nominated for Grammy Awards four times for his album cover designs.

One of his nominated works was an album cover for singer Lala Xu (徐佳瑩), who sang a song inspired by the well-known Taiwanese opera Love Amongst War (薛平貴與王寶釧).

Aside from watching Taiwanese opera, TIAC said that visitors to the traditional opera-themed lounge in Terminal 1 will be able to see pictures of two main characters from Love Amongst War that have been painted on a wall.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy Chinese calligraphy created by Taiwanese calligrapher Grace Tung (董陽孜).

Another spectacular lounge is the one in Terminal 1 featuring Koji pottery designed by artist Chen Chung-cheng (陳忠正).

Chen worked with five other artists to decorate a wall 19m wide and 6.3m high with colorful ceramic cherry blossom flowers.

The Hakka culture themed lounge is sited next to the D6 boarding gate in Terminal 2.

Visitors can read about the history and culture of the Hakka people, including how they migrated to different parts of Asia and their distinct customs.

Visitors can also watch a mini-film about Hakka culture and play an interactive game testing their knowledge of Hakka traditional clothing.

Artifacts and other examples of Hakka culture are also to be displayed in the lounge from time to time.


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## hkskyline

Tue, Aug 13, 2013 
Taipei Times
*Aerotropolis fuels land price surge* 









_Source : http://www.taoyuan-aerotropolis.com _

The planned Taoyuan Aerotropolis project in Taoyuan County’s Dayuan Township (大園) has raised concerns among residents over its promised economic benefits, after it received lukewarm responses from investors while fueling land speculation and driving up property prices.

According to a local real-estate agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the 6,150 hectare development project has turned Dayuan from a relatively poor part of the county into its wealthiest township.

“Dayuan is now home to more than 1,000 billionaires, the highest number of any township and borough in Taiwan,” he said.

“In addition, the price of land surrounding the Aerotropolis has soared 25-fold from NT$4,000 per ping (3.3m2) to NT$100,000 over the past few years, while property sales during the same period amounted to NT$230 billion [US7.67 billion],” he said.

The Taoyuan Aerotropolis is one of eight areas to be designated as free-trade zones by the government as part of its plans to establish “free economic pilot zones.”

The government is expected to invest NT$321.225 billion in the development project, which aims to transform Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and its surrounding areas into a global transportation and logistics hub by 2030.

However, the project has been an issue of contention since the Executive Yuan launched it in September last year, mainly because it requires the expropriation of 3,316 hectares of land and the demolition of 15,510 houses, affecting 46,500 residents.

Real-estate investors have long shunned lands in the township because buildings near the airport would be subjected not only to serious noise pollution, but also to stringent height limits, the agent said.

“However, property prices began to climb after the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced its plan to construct a third terminal and runway at the airport [in 2011.] The upward trend became even more noticeable after the launch of the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project last year,” he said.

The agent added that the price of farmland in townships surrounding Dayuan has also rocketed due to the development project, attributing farmland speculation to the flawed regulations governing sales of such land.

“Owners of farmland wishing to sell their land are only required to obtain a certificate of agricultural use of such land, and because sales of farmland are exempt from value-added tax or luxury tax, land speculators may sell and re-sell the land several times within a year, he said.

However, in stark contrast to the red-hot real-estate market in the county, the government’s plan to attract NT$60 billion in private-sector investment for the Aerotropolis project has so far been met with lukewarm responses from investors, the agent said.


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## hkskyline

Xinyi and north :


台北 by 傑森林 (Jason Lin), on Flickr


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## hkskyline

hkskyline said:


> Fri, Mar 01, 2013
> *Wugu-Yangmei overpass to finally open on March 11*
> Taipei Times
> 
> The entire Wugu-Yangmei overpass (五楊高架橋) will open on March 11, Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) said on Wednesday.
> 
> The 40km overpass is constructed alongside the Sun Yat-sen Freeway to ease peak-hour congestion between Taipei and Taoyuan, as well as between Jhongli (中壢) and Yangmei (楊梅). The ministry opened the 12km long Jhongli-Yangmei section in December last year.
> 
> The 28km section between Wugu and Jhongli — 28km in distance — was originally scheduled to open before the Lunar New Year holiday, but inclement weather and a labor shortage prevented the work from being finished on time, causing the ministry to repeatedly postpone the official opening of the entire overpass.
> 
> The ministry’s Department of Railways and Highways has arranged to have a final safety inspection of the overpass’ Wugu-Jhongli section today.
> 
> Yeh said on Wednesday that the ministry would hold an inauguration ceremony for the overpass on March 10. The overpass will officially be opened to traffic on March 11.
> 
> The National Expressway Engineering Bureau, which is building the overpass, estimated that it would help reduce driving time in peak hours by about 20 minutes.
> 
> The bureau is banning large cargo trucks from using the overpass, which is also equipped with the nation’s first high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane.
> 
> The lane can only be used by vehicles carrying more than three people.
> 
> Meanwhile, Yeh said the ministry would likely launch a trial run exempting drivers on the east-west national freeways from toll fees after the ministry begins implementing a “pay-as-you-go” policy this year. Yeh said that polls by the National Freeway Bureau showed that a majority of freeway users still opposed the plan to include the east-west national freeways in the policy, because some serve as important regional commuting routes. However, some transportation experts suggested that the ministry implement the policy first and make gradual improvements later.
> 
> Yeh said that complementary measures must be in place if the policy does not apply to the east-west freeways.
> 
> “The Freeway Construction Fund (國道建設基金) would be reduced by about NT$2 billion (US$67.5 million) a year if the freeways running east to west are excluded from the policy, which might mean the nation would not have enough funds to build another freeway,” Yeh said.
> 
> Nevertheless, Yeh said that the ministry was considering having a trial operation for two or three years exempting drivers on east-west national freeways from toll-fees to observe if there is any change in freeway user behavior. The ministry can also use that time to test how sensitive drivers are to toll fees if they are charged at different rates in peak hours and off-peak hours.



Mon, Aug 26, 2013 
Taipei Times
*Bureau defends overpass as safe*
NO COMPARISON: Last week’s overpass damage, caused by groundwater not draining fast enough, was nothing like the 2010 Formosa Freeway collapse, the bureau said

The Wugu-Yangmei Overpass, where cracks were found last week, poses no immediate danger to drivers, the National Expressway Engineering Bureau said yesterday, following an investigation over the weekend.

The 40km-overpass, which opened four months ago, was built alongside the Sun Yat-Sen Freeway (National Freeway No. 1) to divert the traffic between Wugu (五股) in New Taipei City (新北市) and Yangmei (楊梅) in Taoyuan County.

Its safety came under scrutiny after three cracks were found in the road by the 45km-marker last week.

As the damaged road surface was discovered after the nation was struck by heavy rainfall brought by Tropical Storm Trami, many have begun to question the quality of the overpass’s construction and whether it is able to withstand the impact of natural disasters.

The bureau said that it launched a two-day on-site investigation to determine the cause of the cracks.

It excavated section of the road in which the cracks were found, as well as those nearby, and compared the data with results of the geological surveys previously done on National Freeway No. 1.

The investigation showed that the draining of the overflowing groundwater caused by heavy rainfall was not quick enough, which forced some groundwater to flow in the direction of the road surface, the bureau said.

Some media reports compared what happened on the overpass last week with the massive landslide on the Formosa Freeway (National Freeway No. 3) three years ago that killed four people. However, the comparison was wrong, the bureau said.

The 2010 landslide at the 3.1km-marker of National Freeway No. 3 happened because the road has a dip slop, formed by sandstone and shale, which was softened due to continuous infiltration of the ground water. The ground anchors lost their grip on the dip slope due to corrosion. Both factors together had caused the massive landslide, the bureau said.

According to the bureau, construction personnel would continue monitoring the overpass. The bureau said it would work on measures that would help drain the excessive groundwater, or obstruct the refill of groundwater.

Taiwan Geotechnical Society civil engineering experts would be invited to conduct a separate safety assessment and offer suggestions, which the bureau would follow to reinforce the structure of the overpass.

The bureau said the problem will not affect the safety of the overpass.


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## hkskyline

*Sunset must be protected against bridge, artists say*The Tamsui River sunset does not meet the requirements because it does not have the interaction of both humans and nature
29 August 2013
Taipei Times 


DanShui sunset 淡水夕照 by [email protected], on Flickr

Artists and writers yesterday called for the protection of the famous sunset at Tamsui Rivers mouth as a piece of cultural heritage, while they protested against a planned bridge construction project.

However, the citys department of cultural affairs said the sunset does not match designated criteria for cultural heritage.

The planned Tamkang Bridge, which will connect Tamhai New Town in Tamsui and the Taipei Harbor in Bali, both in New Taipei City, received approval from an Environmental Impact Assessment meeting in June.

Holding replica works of the sunset by famous painters, the representatives, accompanied by Democratic Progressive Party legislators Tien Chiu-chin and Cheng Li-chiun, spoke out in a bid to preserve the scenery at the river mouth, which has been voted more than once as one of Taiwans top-eight scenic spots.

The key point is where to construct the bridge and how to balance economic development and cultural preservation... Many countries would not build a bridge that blights their most beautiful scenic view, orchestra conductor Tseng Dau-hsiong said.

Cheng said it was sad that the famous painting of the Tamsui sunset by renowned painter Chen Cheng-po was sold for about NT$210 million (US$7 million) to Hong Kong, and now the government was unwilling to keep the real thing for future generations of Taiwanese to enjoy with their own eyes.

Sophie Seeing, a documentary filmmaker, said the petition to the citys Department of Cultural Affairs to designate the Tamsui sunset as cultural heritage was refused under the Enforcement Rules of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, which says cultural heritage requires the interaction between humans and nature, whereas the sunset is pure natural scenery that cannot be managed.

Liu Hsin-jung, assistant professor at Tamkang Universitys Department of Architecture, said in order for the residents in Japans Kyoto to see giant bonfires lit on mountains surrounding the city during the annual Daimonji festival, the Japanese government had even set regulations on the height of buildings in the city, which he says means the preservation of culture must also consider symbolic meanings and peoples feelings for history and tradition as a whole.

Tseng Chi-tien, chief of the Cultural Heritage Division at the citys Department of Cultural Affairs, said the sunset should not be tied together with the river mouth, because it can be seen in other places too.

If the bureau designates the Tamsui sunset as cultural heritage, it still lacks a property owner, manager and users, so it will be impossible to establish management plans, he added.

However, the Ministry of Cultures Bureau of Cultural Heritage Deputy Director Nien Chen-yu said the ministry cannot interfere with the city governments authority on individual cases.

He said the ministry discovered that local governments have different identification criteria for designating cultural heritage, so the ministry will further discuss and communicate with the local governments on this aspect, adding that the education on the significance of cultural heritage in Taiwan must be improved too, especially among government officials and teachers.

While Tien suggested that the government spends more money to build an underwater tunnel to solve the traffic problem, Seeing suggested that the government should at least hold community consultation in the Tamsui area to gather public opinion.


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## hkskyline

Tue, Oct 01, 2013 
*Environmentalists protest Universiade forest project*
FOLLOWING ORDERS : The Ministry of the Interior has authorized the destruction of woodland in Linkou after receiving approval for the plan from the Executive Yuan
Taipei Times

Environmentalists and local residents yesterday protested outside the Ministry of the Interior against a plan to destroy 16 hectares of woodland in Linkou District (林口), New Taipei City (新北市), to make way for an athletes’ village for the Universiade 2017, an international sporting event for university students, that will be held in Taipei.

Despite opposition from local residents, the ministry — which administers government-owned land — has authorized the Taipei City Government to proceed with the work.

“Minister of the Interior Lee Hong-yuan [李鴻源] vowed to work on flood prevention, disaster prevention and national spatial planning when he took office, however, he has failed to keep his promise with the ongoing plan to clear 16 hectares of woodland using a NT$20 billion [US$67.6 million] budget and replace it with concrete,” Linkou resident Lee Kuan-ci (李冠畿) said.

“We would like to call on the ministry to pay attention to what Taipei City Government is doing on a plot of state-owned woodland, and ask it to suspend work immediately,” the Linkou resident said.

Lee Kuan-ci went on to ask why it was that the ministry had sent an official notice to Taipei City Government to not start the work before the budget passes the Legislative Yuan, yet the ministry does “nothing when the city government started the construction a few days ago with the budget still not passed?”

Pan Han-chiang (潘翰疆), a member of the Taiwan Alliance of Groups for Protection of Trees, said that stopping a project that may lead to future disasters is the best way to prevent disasters.

“Lee Hong-yuan said that Taiwan has very advanced techniques in disaster prevention, but in my opinion, we are better at creating disasters,” Pan said. “The government allows projects to concrete over and destroy natural environments, leading to mudslides and then executes reconstruction or disaster prevention projects through more cementization.”

Responding to the protesters, Construction and Planning Agency’s Public Housing Division director Wang An-chiang (王安強) did not answer the question on the budget, but repeatedly said that the project was approved by the Executive Yuan and the ministry has fully authorized the Taipei City Government to execute the project according to the Executive Yuan’s directions.

“It’s the Taipei City Government that has to work to meet all requirements and make decisions,” Wang said.

In a separate setting, Taipei City Government’s New Construction Office deputy director Lin Chih-feng (林志峰) said that the city government has not yet formally started work.

“The digging people may see on the site is merely to test the bearing capacity of the soil, and the fallen trees were blown down by typhoon,” Lin said.


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## hkskyline

*Taoyuan is No. 1 district for property deals*
The area covering the Aerotropolis project and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport saw 1,600 land deals valued at NT$48.5 billion, Sinyi said
12 October 2013
Taipei Times 

Taoyuan County topped administrative districts in land deals for the first eight months of this year, suggesting there will be more residential development projects in the area as builders seek to take advantage of growing infrastructure facilities there, a property report showed yesterday.

Land transactions totaled NT$811.6 billion (US$27.52 billion) between January and August, with Taoyuan County accounting for 24.56 percent, or NT$199.3 billion, as the ongoing Taoyuan Aerotropolis project continued to attract property funds, Sinyi Realty Inc said, citing sales figures.

Year-ago deal data are not available, as the government started disclosing transaction details in October last year.

Taoyuan Countys Dayuan Township, where the Aerotropolis project and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are located, saw 1,600 land deals valued at NT$48.5 billion, outperforming other townships or sub-city level districts, Sinyi said.

The data lend support to continued property momentum in Taoyuan where housing is much more affordable, compared with Taipei and New Taipei City, and more desirable after the mass rapid transit system is extended to the airport, Sinyi researcher Tseng Chin-der said.

*The Aerotropolis project, one of the i-Taiwan 12 public construction projects, refers to a 6,000 hectare plot of land near the airport and high-speed railways Taoyuan station to be turned into commercial and residential space, Sinyi said.*

Jhongli City and Lujhu Township, two other districts in the county, also did well with NT$40.2 billion and NT$20.9 billion of land deals respectively, ranking second and fourth among townships nationwide, Sinyi said.

Measured by municipalities, Greater Taichung ranked second, with NT$135.6 billion in land transactions as of August, followed by New Taipei City with NT$99.2 billion, Sinyi said.

Greater Kaohsiung reported NT$90.7 billion of land deals during that period and Greater Tainan came next with NT$52 billion, Sinyi said.

In Taipei, where land supply is limited and expensive, transaction volumes lagged behind Miaoli County, Sinyi said.

Demand for land remains strong in Taipei, despite soaring prices, but a lack of supply accounted for the sluggish trade, Tseng said.

Rezoning districts also proved attractive as evidenced by active trading in New Taipei Citys Tamsui District and Linkou District, as well as in Greater Kaohsiungs Gushan District, Sinyi said.


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## hkskyline

Wed, Oct 16, 2013 
*Airport MRT line nearly done: BHSR*
Taipei Times

Construction work on more than 90 percent of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line was finished last month, meaning that it is on track to begin operating in 2015, the Bureau of High Speed Rail (BHSR) said yesterday.

The MRT line was originally scheduled to start operating this month, but construction was delayed due to contract disputes between the project’s turn-key contractor, sub-contractors and equipment suppliers, as well as setbacks installing signal cables.

“Most of the facilities will be finished this year, so the trains can start test runs early next year. All the test runs should be finished by the end of next year and the line is expected to meet the conditions for operation by 2015,” Bureau Deputy Director-General Chang Wu-Hsun (張武訓) said yesterday.

The bureau said that the signal cable installation began in June and has been completed on the line from the A14 station to the A21 station. The cables are currently being installed at the stations on the northern section of the line.

The rail tracks between the A2 and A21 stations were all connected by the end of last year, while work on the electricity supply between these stations was finished in July this year, the bureau said.

It added that 6.6km of track has been laid down between the A2 station and Taipei Railway Station, with the section scheduled to be completed by May next year.

Moreover, all 28 trains for the line arrived at the Cingpu Depot (青埔) in June, so static testing is already being conducted between the A17 and A21 stations, with dynamic testing procedures set to begin in mid-January next year, bureau officials said.

Saying that 90.34 percent of the project had been completed by the end of last month, the bureau said it is confident that the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line can be opened by 2015.

The bureau added that it will also seek compensation from the project’s contractors for not completing their work on time. The contractors may face a fine of NT$12.5 million (US$421,000) per day for each day that has passed since the original deadline of Friday last week.

The MRT line will be 51.03km long when completed and stretch from Taipei Railway Station to Huanbei Station (環北站) in Taoyuan County’s Jhongli (中壢). It will pass through the airport and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp’s Taoyuan Station, and will have a total of 22 stations.


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## hkskyline

*Airport MRT line nearly done: BHSR*
16 October 2013
Taipei Times

Construction work on more than 90 percent of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line was finished last month, meaning that it is on track to begin operating in 2015, the Bureau of High Speed Rail (BHSR) said yesterday.

The MRT line was originally scheduled to start operating this month, but construction was delayed due to contract disputes between the projects turn-key contractor, sub-contractors and equipment suppliers, as well as setbacks installing signal cables.

Most of the facilities will be finished this year, so the trains can start test runs early next year. All the test runs should be finished by the end of next year and the line is expected to meet the conditions for operation by 2015, Bureau Deputy Director-General Chang Wu-Hsun said yesterday.

The bureau said that the signal cable installation began in June and has been completed on the line from the A14 station to the A21 station. The cables are currently being installed at the stations on the northern section of the line.

The rail tracks between the A2 and A21 stations were all connected by the end of last year, while work on the electricity supply between these stations was finished in July this year, the bureau said.

It added that 6.6km of track has been laid down between the A2 station and Taipei Railway Station, with the section scheduled to be completed by May next year.

Moreover, all 28 trains for the line arrived at the Cingpu Depot in June, so static testing is already being conducted between the A17 and A21 stations, with dynamic testing procedures set to begin in mid-January next year, bureau officials said.

Saying that 90.34 percent of the project had been completed by the end of last month, the bureau said it is confident that the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT line can be opened by 2015.

The bureau added that it will also seek compensation from the projects contractors for not completing their work on time. The contractors may face a fine of NT$12.5 million (US$421,000) per day for each day that has passed since the original deadline of Friday last week.

The MRT line will be 51.03km long when completed and stretch from Taipei Railway Station to Huanbei Station in Taoyuan Countys Jhongli. It will pass through the airport and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corps Taoyuan Station, and will have a total of 22 stations.


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## hkskyline

*Beitou gondola plans slammed*
The Maokong Gondola has accrued a large deficit and some people are worried that a new construction in Beitou will only add to the problems
8 November 2013
Taipei Times

The Taipei City Government on Monday was accused of badly managing the Maokong Gondola, which has run up a total loss of NT$360 million (US$12.24 million) over the past three years.

The Maokong Gondola is a great money-losing venture. For each days operation, it adds NT$350,000 to its deficit. It loses an average of NT$41 for each passenger, Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City Councilor Wu Su-yao said during a city council question session.

Wu accused the city government of mismanagement and incompetence in operating the gondola, saying it has accumulated NT$360 million in losses since 2010.

She demanded that the city reassess the proposed Beitou gondola project and suggested it be halted.

The plan for the Beitou gondola has been in the works for 20 years, but I see that it is following in the footsteps of the Maokong Gondola, Wu said.

She said that the geology of Beitou District would make the proposed gondola weaker and more risky than the construction in the Maokong area.

The Taipei City Government must put in stringent measures to monitor the process. I suggest that the decision [to build the Beitou gondola] be left to the next mayor, Wu said.

The land designated for the Beitou gondola project has a serious erosion problem, and sulfur from the hot springs and volcanic vents breaks down the rock. People are very worried about the projects safety, she said. The proposed gondola goes through residential neighborhoods and important cultural sites. Even if the project conditionally passed the environmental impact assessment in December, the city government must not slack off on its responsibility to monitor and regulate the process.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin told Wu that the environmental impact assessment report was completed for the Beitou gondola project last year. The project is now proceeding according to the proper regulations, he said.

As for questions about the geology, the city government will uphold its responsibility to oversee and monitor the project, he said.

Wu also said that when the Beitou gondola project was initiated 20 years ago, the aim was to alleviate traffic congestion on Yangde Boulevard, the main road to and from Yangmingshan National Park, but since then changes have been made to improve the traffic flow to and from the park.

Wu added that the city government had bungled the Maokong Gondolas management, saying this was the cause of the deficit and was affecting tourism to the area. She said Hau and city officials basked in the positive publicity from the newborn giant panda Yuan Zai, yet were incapable of formulating good ideas.

We have Yuan Zai the baby panda at the Taipei Zoo attracting much attention, but the city government signed a business collaboration agreement with Japanese company Sanrio for Hello Kitty marketing and merchandizing to promote the Maokong Gondola in an attempt to salvage the operation, Wu said.


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## cameronrex

The article doesn't say why the Maokong Gondola is losing money. Anyone know? Is the demand not there? Tickets priced too low? Ridership less than expected?


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## hkskyline

cameronrex said:


> The article doesn't say why the Maokong Gondola is losing money. Anyone know? Is the demand not there? Tickets priced too low? Ridership less than expected?


* Maokong Gondola mired deep in debt*
The cable car system, which cost NT$1.3 billion to build, was once the feather in Ma Ying-jeous cap, but its popularity has gone downhill
20 July 2012
Taipei Times 

Taipeis Maokong Gondola has accumulated losses of about NT$230 million (US$7.6 million) due to poorly designed cabins and a lack of promotion since 2010, becoming the biggest money-losing transportation form in the capital, according to figures released by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC).

The gondola system, which began operation on July 2007, recorded a NT$98 million annual loss in 2010 and a NT$83 million loss last year, following the systems reopening in 2010 after having been suspended for 18 months due to safety concerns.

In the first half of this year, the system accumulated a NT$50 million deficit, partly due to major maintenance work that shut it down for a month. The systems loss for this year is expected to be as high as NT$100 million.

In light of the mounting losses, the National Audit Office demanded that the Taipei City Government address the matter during an annual report on government spending last year.

The city decided to include the gondolas losses in its Property Development Fund and then use profits made by the Taipei Arena, which, like the gondola, is run by the TRTC, to offset the accumulated deficits.

The Taipei Arena generated NT$130 million in revenue last year, more than enough to balance out the gondola systems losses while still bringing in a NT$60 million surplus to the fund.

Its [so far] feasible to cover losses with the combined profits gained by the companys two businesses, TRTC general manager Tan Gwa-guang said.

President Ma Ying-jeou saw the gondola, which was built during his term as Taipei mayor and cost the city NT$1.3 billion, as his greatest mayoral achievement.

Some said I have achieved nothing during my eight-year tenure as Taipei mayor and only knew how to jog and swim. Now it proves that I also know how to construct a cable car system, Ma said at the gondolas opening ceremony.

The system did enjoy a period of initial success, when all the stations were inundated by scores of people lining up for up to two hours to take a ride on the weekend.

It also recorded a single-day record of 23,000 passengers.

However, the popularity was short-lived, as the system was shut down for 18 months starting in 2008 because of safety concerns after the foundation of a support pillar was eroded during a typhoon.

A wrongful policy is even more horrendous than corruption, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Wang Shih-chien said.

Wang said Ma had rushed to start construction in a bid to appeal to voters.

It turned out that the seeming glory of the system at the time was nothing but a pipe dream, because it was just a money-losing proposition that no private corporation will be willing to take and whose financial distress will only go from bad to worse, Wang said.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Lee Ching-yuan blamed the dwindling popularity of the gondola on the lack of action on the part of Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bins administration to build a leisure area.

Taipei City Bureau of Transportation Director Lin Chih-ying, who has served under both Ma and Hau, said that passengers rode the gondola only to try it out.

Because of limitations imposed by land use regulations around the mountainous area of Maokong, we have not developed tourist attractions, Lin said.

The TRTC said it was stepping up promotions, as well as reducing internal expenses, such as personnel and electricity.


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## cameronrex

That is unfortunate. When I was on it last month it was pretty empty. Pretty ride though. I can see how its more of a gimmick than an effective part of Taipei's transportation grid.


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## hkskyline

Note on the left the new MRT Xinyi Line entrance adjacent Taipei 101. The line will open by end of this year : http://english.trtc.com.tw/ct.asp?xItem=50591076&ctNode=11752&mp=122032



TAIPEI 101 005_20131111 by Tomiy-Fu, on Flickr


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## Noodles7

The Xinyi line will open this Sunday :banana:


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## starrwulfe

Guess I know what I'm doing Sunday since I live near 101 station now... 

Sent from my SC-04E using Tapatalk


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## hkskyline

Sun, Nov 17, 2013 
*New MRT Xinyi Line to launch*
Taipei Times

The Taipei metro rail system’s new Xinyi Line — the city’s second east-to-west route after the Bannan Line — is scheduled to begin operations this week.

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) is to announce the launch date and discount fare plan tomorrow following the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ final inspection of the line last week, Taipei City Government spokesman Chang Chi-chiang (張其強) said.

The line will integrate with the Tamsui Line and allow passengers to travel directly between Beitou Station and Elephant Mountain Station in about 35 minutes.

Once the line is launched this week, east-to-west cross-city travel times will be shortened, with the journey time between Taipei Main Station and the Taipei 101 Mall estimated to be about 11 minutes.

The line will include seven stations: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Dongmen, Daan Park, Daan Station, Xinyi Anhe, Taipei 101-World Trade Center and Elephant Mountain.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station had been planned to be the transfer station for the Xindian line, but the final design reverts to the original plan of a transfer stop at Taipei Main Station instead.

Department of Rapid Transit Systems commissioner Tsai Hui-sheng (蔡輝昇) said the six-minute train intervals on MRT lines will remain unchanged with the launch of the Xinyi Line.

The new line is expected to ease the flow of passengers on the Nankang Line by about 11 percent and reduce passenger flow at Taipei Main Station by about 19 percent, he said.


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## hkskyline

Mon, Nov 25, 2013 
*MRT Xinyi Line attracts 200,000 on opening day*
Taipei Times


DSC06855-21 by AllenKSL, on Flickr


DSC06811 by AllenKSL, on Flickr


DSC06843-18 by AllenKSL, on Flickr


DSC06817 by AllenKSL, on Flickr

Taipei’s MRT Xinyi Line attracted more than 200,000 passengers yesterday on its first day of operation, with major stations including Daan Park and Elephant Mountain stations packed with visitors.

Passengers flocked to the stations along the line, which began operation at 6am yesterday.

Daan Park Station, with an open garden featuring artificial waterfalls and landscapes, was packed with visitors taking pictures and enjoying the views. The lobby was turned into a performance stage at night with concerts.

According to Ling Chi-yao (凌啟堯), director of Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s public relations division, the ridership of the line reached about 200,000 as of 7pm, and the total ridership of all MRT lines increased to about 260,000 during the day.

Three hundred company staff members were on duty to manage the crowds and explain the transfer routes at 18 major stations, and free guide pamphlets were also offered at every MRT station, he said.

The 6.5km long line, which covers seven stations — Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Dongmen, Daan Park, Daan Station, Xinyi Anhe, Taipei 101-World Trade Center and Elephant Mountain — integrates with the Tamsui Line and allows passengers to travel directly between Beitou and Elephant Mountain stations in about 35 minutes.

For one month, passengers who use an EasyCard are to enjoy free rides along the line, and can also get a 30 percent discount when traveling between the Chungho Line and part of the Tamsui Line between National Taiwan University Hospital and Beitou stations.

With a total budget of NT$39 billion (US$1.3 billion), the Xinyi Line was the second-most expensive MRT line in Taipei following the Chungho Line.

As the line passes through Taipei’s financial and business districts of Xinyi and Daan, the city government allotted a large part of the budget to the design of each station.

Daan Park Station, for example, cost about NT$14 million to build.


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## hkskyline

Xinyi Line


新蓋的台北捷運大安森林公園站 - New Taipei MRT Subway Daan Forest Park Station - Taiwan by urbaguilera, on Flickr


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## hkskyline

*NT$500 bil. to be invested in aerotropolis*
The China Post
December 11, 2013, 12:30 am TWN

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said yesterday that the government is aiming to have NT$500 billion invested in the Taoyuan Aerotropolis, adding that the project is expected to generate an output value of NT$2.3 trillion and create 300,000 jobs in Greater Taipei.

The premier made the comments at an event marking the official formation of the Taiwan Intelligent Aerotropolis Association (台灣智慧航空城產業聯盟) which is chaired by Chunghwa Telecom chief Lee Yen-sung (李炎松). Industrial Technology Research Institute President Shyu Jyuo-min (徐爵民) was appointed as deputy chief of the association.

The event was also attended by Transportation Minister Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時), Interior Minister Lee Hong-yuan (李鴻源), Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Duh Tyzz-jiun (杜紫軍), Taoyuan Magistrate John Wu (吳志揚) and others.

The head of Chunghwa Telecom said that preparatory work for the association's formation lasted only two months, and within those two months, 70 domestic and foreign have joined up, including Chunghwa Telecom (中華電信), China Airlines (華航), EVA Air (長榮航), D-Link Corporation (友訊), Delta Electronics (台達電), Mega Holdings (兆豐金), Marketech International Corp. (帆宣), HTC Corporation (宏達電), Inventec Corporation (英業達), PROMISE Technology (喬鼎), HwaCom Systems (華電網), Lion Travel (雄獅), Farglory Group (遠雄), Cathay United Bank (國泰世華銀行), Microsoft Taiwan (台灣微軟), Taiwan Smart Card Corporation (臺灣智慧卡), Fujitsu Taiwan (台灣富士通) and Hewlett Packard (惠普).

Transformation

The premier said that the aerotropolis project is key to Taoyuan's transformation, adding that the project is also closely related to the planned Free Economic Pilot Zones (FEPZs).

The government is currently drawing up a draft for the FEPZs, which will in turn be key to Taiwan's transformation, the premier said, adding that easing regulations on the movement of people, goods and capital within in the zones will be some of the focal points.

If the FEPZs can be successfully established, Taiwan's high-end service industry will be greatly enhanced, Jiang said.


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## hkskyline

*Police, aerotropolis protesters clash outside meeting *
31 December 2013
Taipei Times

Residents and activists against the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project clashed with the police outside the headquarters of the Construction and Planning Agency (CPA) in Taipei yesterday as they were refused admittance to a meeting that was to decide whether their land would be seized by the government.

Holding banners protesting against the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project while chanting slogans asking for the Urban Planning Review Committee to allow them to attend the meeting, local residents who are affected by the project and rights activists supporting them demonstrated outside the agency, as police officers formed a line to block them from entering the complex.

This project will have a huge impact on our lives and properties. Why cant we attend the meeting? a resident asked police officers, but received no response.

After a brief standoff, some demonstrators decided to climb over the wall of the complex, but their attempt failed when police officers held on to their feet, preventing them from moving.

A few minutes later, the committee finally allowed representatives of the protesters to attend the meeting, but they were only given a few minutes to talk and were then told to leave, triggering another wave of protests.

Thousands of hectares of private land is to be seized to build a third runway for Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, but we really doubt the necessity of it with the declining numbers of passengers and flights using the airport, Chan Hsien-chang, spokesman for the Taoyuan Aerotropolis Self-Help Association, told the meeting.

Even if its absolutely necessary, do we really need to pick an option that would affect the largest number of residents? Chan asked.

Chan went on to allege that the entire project is to benefit big corporations with connections in the government, as the second phase of the project involves the construction of commercial and industrial centers, while some local politicians are also proposing building a casino resort.

The details of the project are yet to be drawn up and it is not due to start for another 20 years, so why the hurry to take our land? Chan asked.

Deputy Minister of the Interior Hsiao Chia-chi, who presided over the meeting, did not offer a response.

Soon after Chan and the other representatives had spoken, they were asked to leave.

Another protester, Pan Chung-cheng, refused to leave the building and was forcibly removed by police officers.

The committee approved the project at about noon, but the residents only learned about it hours later when they were asked to comment by reporters.

They vowed to continue their resistance to the project.


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## hkskyline

*Historic Grand Hotel sees major internal renovations*
CNA
January 17, 2014 


Taipei: Grand Hotel by Jimmy · Lin, on Flickr

TAIPEI -- At 62 years old, Taipei's landmark Grand Hotel is undergoing its first-ever full internal renovation, with work expected to be complete by September of this year, Grand Hotel Chairman Lee Chien-jung said yesterday.

The building's traditional Chinese facade sits perched on a hill above the city, where it has offered its panoramic views to important guests including presidents and foreign dignitaries.

The hotel begun renovations in November last year, overhauling guest rooms and the Golden Dragon and Chi-lin Halls at a cost of NT$600 million (US$20 million), Lee said.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Jan 24, 2014 
Taipei Times
*Airport express service speed to be kept at 90kph*

The travel time for trains on the under-construction line between Taipei Main Station and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is to be kept at 35 minutes, according to the Bureau of High Speed Rail.

The bureau had submitted an analysis report on the difference of the environmental impact of the Airport Rail to the environmental impact assessment committee due to the changes made in the system’s operational design. The committee gave its initial approval of the changes on Wednesday.

Media reported that the changes in the railway system would shorten the travel time from the Taipei Main Station to Terminal One at Taoyuan Airport to half an hour, which would meet President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) expectations of the system.

The bureau’s deputy chief engineer Rao Kuo-jeng (饒國政) said yesterday that the travel time between the two stations would remain unchanged.

“The operational speed of the railway system is to be kept at 90kph, and it will only be elevated to 100kph whenever there is a delay,” he said.

According to the bureau, the operational speed of the Airport Rail was set at 80kph when the committee reviewed the environmental impact report in 2004. In 2006, the operational speed was changed to 90kph when the bureau signed a contract with the contractor, with the maximum speed on the rail system being 110kph.

Because of the elevation in speed, the bureau had proposed to build more acoustic partitions along the route to allay concerns over noise pollution, Rao said.

Rao said that 95 percent of the civil engineering work for the Airport Rail system has been completed.

The rail system is scheduled to be operational by the end of next year, he said.


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## Awesome.e

end of NEXT YEAR?


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## hkskyline

Taipei Times
Wed, Feb 05, 2014 
*Taoyuan airport rail project to start this month: bureau*
EXTENSION : Despite a one year delay, the goal of completing the airport railway project remains unchanged, the Bureau of High Speed Rail said

After six failed bids, construction of an extended line of the Taoyuan airport rail is to be launched this month, according to the Bureau of High Speed Rail (BHSR).

The Airport Rail is designed mainly to connect Taipei Main Station and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

In 2010, the Executive Yuan approved the project to extend the airport rail from Taoyuan Airport to Jhungli (中壢) Railway Station.

Construction of the extended line was scheduled to begin at the end of 2012 and to be completed by June 2018.

However, it was delayed after the tender failed to attract any bidders.

After six unsuccessful attempts, the bureau decided to hold separate bids for the civil engineering part of the project and that of the electrical engineering.

The former was won by Continental Engineering Corp (大陸工程) in November last year, and it is scheduled to begin construction after the Lunar New Year holiday.

As for the public tender for the electrical engineering part of the project, the bureau said that it is scheduled to hold another bidding session for contractors in the middle of this year.

Though the construction was delayed by one year, the goal of completing the project by June 2018 remains unchanged, the bureau said.

Minister of the Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) had said that the government aims to first get the section between Taipei Railway Station and Taoyuan Airport become operational by the end of next year.

The bureau said that it had begun testing trains operating on this section last month.


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## hkskyline

Feb 16, 2017 
*Ko seeks aid with Songshan airport move after ride on MRT*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

The launch of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line will likely affect passenger volumes at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said after a ride on the new line yesterday, calling on the Executive Yuan to help streamline efforts by Taipei and Taoyuan to relocate the Songshan facility.

Ko and Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) rode the MRT line, which opened this month on a trial basis.

Ko praised the “excellent” construction quality of the line, saying that the ride was “smooth and comfortable.”

He was equally complimentary of outlets in the carriages for passengers to charge mobile devices, as well as free Wi-Fi connectivity, saying that he had instructed Taipei Rapid Transit Corp to offer free Wi-Fi services in Taipei MRT carriages by the end of the year.

The launch of the airport MRT provided an outlook on Songshan airport’s future, Ko said.

Ko said that he and Cheng would ask the Executive Yuan to streamline efforts by the two municipalities to relocate Songshan airport, as the highest level of collaboration is required to complete the task.

Ko’s administration has proposed a plan to merge Songshan airport with Taoyuan airport by 2020, with a central park planned to be built at the Songshan site.

Taoyuan airport’s third terminal, of which construction is to begin next month, and a planned fourth terminal should be able to process the passenger volume from Songshan airport, the Ko administration said.


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## hkskyline

*Taipei touts new solar power plant*
Feb. 18, 2017
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

The Taipei City Government yesterday held a launch ceremony for a photovoltaic power plant named Taipei Energy Hill, which is capable of generating 2 megawatt-hours of electricity per year.

The power plant in the Fudekeng Environmental Restoration Park in the city’s Muzha (木柵) area, is built on the site of of a former landfill and consists of 8,000 solar panels covering about 3 hectares.

The electricity generated by the plant would help the city reduce yearly carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 tonnes, which is three times the amount that Daan Forest Park can absorb in a year, the Taipei Department of Environmental Protection said.

The department in July last year signed a contract with Taipei-based Tatung Co (大同), a leader in the nation’s photovoltaic industry, to build the power plant.

Touting the facility as a model for “green” electricity generation, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said at the ceremony that the power plant has generated 153,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity since it went online last month, which translates into an about 80-tonne reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

The city provided the land on which the power plant was built and Tatung provided the photovoltaic panels, Ko said.


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## hkskyline

Feb. 14, 2017 
*Taipei mulls plans for concert hall on AIT site in Daan*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

The Taipei City Government is hoping to turn the American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) current site into a home for the Taipei Symphony Orchestra and the Taipei Chinese Orchestra.

The Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs wants to build a municipal concert hall in Daan District (大安) after the AIT relocates to a new complex under construction in Neihu District (內湖), department Commissioner Chung Yung-feng (鍾永豐) said.

A new hall would provide a dedicated venue for the two orchestras, he said.

The 48-year-old symphony orchestra and the 38-year-old Chinese orchestra now use Zhongshan Hall (中山堂) for performances.

A municipal concert hall would help promote Taipei’s music industry and work closely with educational institutions, Chung said.


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## hkskyline

Feb. 23, 2017 
*Farglory passed Dome reviews: Taipei deputy mayor*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

Amid media reports of Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) having set a deadline for the completion of the Taipei Dome, Taipei Deputy Mayor Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) yesterday confirmed that contractor Farglory Corp had completed seven safety reviews by the Taiwan Architecture and Building Center, adding that he expected the review process to be completed within four months.

Citing one of the mayor’s close aides who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Chinese-language Mirror Media weekly on Monday reported that Farglory had recently completed the seven reviews.

It also quoted Chen, who heads the city’s negotiations with Farglory over the complex, as saying that the city government would not be “difficult” with Farglory over an environmental impact assessment and urban planning review the corporation is required to pass before it can resume construction, and that he expected both reviews to be finished within three months.

Chinese-language online outlet Up Media yesterday reported that Ko had set the deadline for the Taipei Dome’s completion at August next year, citing anonymous sources in the mayor’s office.

When asked about the reports, Chen confirmed that Farglory had passed the seven reviews, saying that two city government reviews would likely take three to four months to complete if the developer promptly delivers revised construction blueprints.

Asked about the purported deadline and whether Ko aims to finish construction before next year’s mayoral election in a bid to boost his chances of re-election, Chen said that the Taipei City Government could not provide an estimate for the duration of construction, which would depend on Farglory’s attitude toward completing the project.

He urged the media not to associate the construction project with Ko’s re-election bid.


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## hkskyline

hkskyline said:


> Nov. 22, 2016
> *Airport MRT passes test*
> Taipei Times _Excerpt_
> 
> 
> 1000928總統視察桃園國際機場聯外捷運系統工程進度及首列電聯車運抵公開活動 by 總統府, on Flickr
> 
> Taoyuan Metro Corp yesterday said that the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT system finally met two crucial criteria during its final inspection on Sunday and full operation of the line is expected soon.
> 
> Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) and Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) jointly made the announcement after inspecting the system’s station near Taipei Railway Station.


Mar. 05, 2017 
*Foundation slams airport MRT*
UP TO STANDARD : The Bureau of High Speed Rail has dismissed claims the airport line needs improvements, saying that it meets fire and platform safety regulations
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

The Consumers’ Foundation on Friday listed five items that need improvement on the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line, after it began commercial operations on Thursday.

Foundation inspectors used the MRT line during its trial period and recommended that changes be made to ticket prices, signage, station and carriage safety, baggage check-in services and fire safety, it said.

Consumers’ Foundation chairman Yu Kai-hsiung (游開雄) said ticket prices for direct and local train services are NT$160, but local train ticket prices should be reduced to between NT$100 and NT$120.

The foundation said that passengers transferring to the Taipei MRT should be given a discount so that the new line not only serves airport traffic, but encourages people who live nearby to use the MRT to commute.

Signs in Taipei Main Station to the new line are not clear enough, the foundation said, adding that electronic signs like those used in Taipei MRT stations could be installed to improve clarity.

The gap between the carriage and the platform at Airport Terminal 1 station was up to 7cm and could be dangerous, it said.

Baggage check-in services are limited to Taipei Main Station, but should be offered at more stations, the foundation said.


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## hkskyline

Airport MRT

桃園機場捷運 by Haren Wang Photography, on Flickr

桃園機場捷運 by Haren Wang Photography, on Flickr


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## hkskyline

Mar 23, 2017 
*Arthur Yo pans Taipei mayor on Dome*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) should not use the Taipei Dome construction project as a bargaining chip for his re-election, Songshan Tobacco Factory Tree Protection Union convener Arthur Yo (游藝) said yesterday, also accusing the project’s developer of employing two-faced tactics.

Yo, a longtime opponent of the controversial build-operate-transfer project, made the remarks before entering the Taipei High Administrative Court, which yesterday reviewed a lawsuit the union initiated against the Taipei City Government.

The lawsuit is aimed at forcing the city to reverse an urban design committee resolution that granted Farglory Group the initial construction license for the project and terminated the city’s contract with the company.

Although Farglory passed four safety reviews administered by the Taiwan Architecture and Building Center almost four months ago, it has not delivered the revisions of the Dome’s construction blueprint to the Ministry of the Interior for approval, or passed the Taipei City Government’s urban design review and environmental impact assessment needed for construction to be resumed.

Saying that former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin’s (郝龍斌) administration profiteered on behalf of Farglory by being lenient during reviews and helping the developer obtain the initial construction license, Yo said he is often asked: “What is Mayor Ko doing? Why has he not dissolved the contract with Farglory?”

Ko and Farglory chairman Chao Teng-hsiung (趙藤雄) have clashed over the project numerous times.

While Ko might view the completion of the Dome as his ticket to re-election, he should not be too optimistic, as it is unlikely that Chao will cooperate over the required review procedures to help him attain that goal, Yo said.

As Ko on June 8 last year had demanded that Farglory fix safety issues at the construction site, he should move forward and terminate the city’s contract with Farglory on June 8 this year and put the Dome’s fate to a referendum, Yo said.

The plot of land on which the Dome sits has been named by the Cabinet as a cultural and sports complex, but the developer’s plans include a theater, a hotel, an office and a department store around the half-finished baseball stadium, which deviates from the land’s intended use and would cause the complex to exceed its legally permitted capacity of 60,000 people, potentially endangering visitors in the event of an evacuation.

The city last year found that Farglory had deviated from its original construction blueprint in 71 areas, about 90 percent of which pertain to fire safety.


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## hkskyline

Mon, Apr 10, 2017 
*Tamsui residents march for delayed expressway*
MORNING RALLY : An EIA committee approved the Tambei project in 2011, but court cases and additional environmental reviews have delayed construction
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

About 200 residents of New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水) yesterday morning marched near the Hongshulin MRT station, calling on the central government to build a proposed expressway connecting Tamsui and neighboring Guandu District (關渡) in Taipei to ease the traffic congestion that has plagued the area for years.

Wearing white T-shirts, protesters shouted “Give us the Tambei (淡北) expressway” and “We do not want traffic congestion” as they marched.
Tamsui District Administrator Wu Tsung-ren (巫宗仁), New Taipei City Councilor Cheng Tai Li-hsiang (鄭戴麗香), representatives of New Taipei City councilors Tsai Ching-hsien (蔡錦賢) and Tsai Yeh-wei (蔡葉偉) and 20 borough wardens joined the march.

Many drivers honked their horns in support of the marchers as they drove past the protesters.

Chang Lien-rong (張連榮), who created a Facebook page for supporters of the proposed Tambei expressway project, said Highway No. 2 is the only road that Tamsui residents can use to commute to Taipei, even though the population in Tamsui has soared from about 100,000 people 20 years ago to about 200,000.

“Highway No. 2 is still the only highway we have after 20 years. People in Tamsui have to put up with traffic jams every day and even ambulances get stuck in traffic. We need another road to ease the traffic on Highway No. 2. The new roadway should at least be able to divert 50 percent of traffic from Highway No. 2,” he said.


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## hkskyline

Fri, Apr 21, 2017 
*Farglory sees Taipei Dome cost jumping to NT$40bn*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

Taipei Dome contractor Farglory Group yesterday said that it would need about NT$400 million (US$13.15 million) to fix corrosion problems at the Dome, which, together with losses sustained due to a prolonged suspension of work, would push its total construction cost to more than NT$40 billion.

Farglory spokesman Jacky Yang (楊舜欽) made the statement following an inspection of the construction site with Taipei City Government officials and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City councilors Li Keng Kuei-fang (厲耿桂芳) and Chung Hsiao-ping (鍾小平).

“Photographs of the Dome’s mostly bare roof taken by a drone shows that there are more than 30 corroded spots per 1m2,” Yang said.
Based on the Dome’s floor area of 32,000m2, that would put the total number of corroded spots at about 1 million, Yang said.

With the additional cost, the Dome’s estimated cost would rise to more than NT$40 billion considering other losses that Farglory would absorb, including the cost of reinforcement work on 14 areas of the structure and salary payments to the Dome’s subcontractors, Yang said, adding that building material prices have increased this year.

Even if construction work were to fully resume today, the Dome would still take between 20 and 22 months to complete, Yang said.

Li Keng said that although the Dome is a build-operate-transfer project in which the Taipei City Government does not have a stake, the monetary losses suffered by Farglory would ultimately be transferred onto taxpayers.

Taipei Department of Urban Development Deputy Commissioner Chang Kang-wei (張剛維) urged Farglory to step up efforts to work on the 14 areas that could pose risks to public safety per the city government’s order.

He reiterated that the construction was suspended by the city government because Farglory had deviated from the approved construction blueprint, so the extra cost should be shouldered by Farglory.

The issue is being reviewed by a court, Chang added.

Asked to comment on Farglory’s remarks, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said that the Ministry of the Interior’s review of the structure’s safety has reached a stalemate since it passed four safety reviews by the Taiwan Building and Architecture Center in December last year.


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## hkskyline

May 01, 2017 
*Builders’ lack of interest delays Tamkang Bridge*
BID BLOCKAGE : The tender process for the construction of the main part of the bridge has failed three times, so the DGH said that it would raise its offer to NT$9.4 billion
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

The Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) yesterday said it might have to postpone the opening of the Tamkang Bridge (淡江大橋) until after 2020 due to a lack of interest among construction firms in building it.

The structure, which connects the Port of Taipei and Danhai New Town (淡海新市鎮), was once ridiculed as a bridge “that would only emerge during election time,” as many politicians made building it one of their key campaign promises.

Construction of the 6km-long bridge began three years ago and was then estimated to cost NT$14.1 billion (US$466.67 million at current exchange rates). The DGH divided construction into three projects that were put up for tender.

The first two, which involve building connecting roads at both sides of the bridge, were begun in October 2014 and January last year.

However, the tender process for the construction of the main part of the bridge has failed three times, the DGH said.

To facilitate the bidding process, the highway authority said that it is planning to raise the construction funds for the third project from NT$8.4 billion to NT$9.4 billion in the hopes of attracting qualified bidders at a tender session scheduled for May 23.

The completion of the bridge would be set back until 2021 at the earliest, it said.


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## hkskyline

2017-05-09_06-23-24 by Pi-cheng Chuang, on Flickr


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## hkskyline

May 13, 2017 
*CKS Memorial Hall height restrictions to be eased: Taipei*
HIGHER BUILDINGS : A resolution that would raise the height limitation for buildings near the hall from 53m to 65m needs the city council’s approval
Taipei Times with CNA _Excerpt_

After 39 years, a height limitation on buildings near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei could be relaxed, city officials said on Thursday.

The Taipei Urban Planning Commission reached a resolution after discussions on a proposal to revise the building height limit in the special zone surrounding the hall from 53m to 65m, equivalent to an additional four stories.

The maximum height of buildings situated on Xinyi Road Sec. 1 and Aiguo East Road would be raised from 53m to 65m, while the limitation in the rest of the special zone would remain unchanged, according to the resolution.

The resolution has to be approved by the Taipei City Council before it can be implemented, the Department of Urban Development said.

It said the plan to relax the building height limitation was brought up by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) after he took office in December 2014.


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## hkskyline

Jun 06, 2017 
*Legislature touts start of solar installation project*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

To mark the World Environment Day yesterday, the Legislative Yuan began construction of a rooftop solar system on one of its annexes as part of its efforts to promote an “energy transition” to make all public buildings and schools “green.”

The building on Zhengjiang Street in Taipei is being fitted with a 99 kilowatt solar system, which will be enough to power it, Legislative Yuan Secretary-General Lin Chih-chia (林志嘉) said.

The system, which is expected to be completed by November, will be able to generate 100,000 units of electricity and reduce carbon emission by 53 tonnes per year, which is equivalent to planting 2,944 trees, or half of the number of trees in Daan Forest Park, Lin said.

“The torrential rain and landslides Taiwan experienced over the weekend is an indication of the ever-increasing threat of climate change. The Legislative Yuan wants to take the lead in conserving energy and reducing carbon emissions,” Lin said.

Much of the Legislative Yuan will still have to rely on electricity generated by fossil fuels because it is housed in a historic building where construction is forbidden, said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Man-li (陳曼麗), director of the legislature’s Association for Sustainable Development.

The Zhengjiang building is not a historic structure, and larger-scale solar installations will be erected on the legislature’s other non-historic buildings if the Zhengjiang effort is a success, Chen said.

“We expect that after we have made this first move, the development of solar energy would be smooth. The close proximity of solar power systems to people’s daily life can make people understand more about green energy,” Chen said.

_Video from CNA : http://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/201706050080-1.aspx _


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## hkskyline

Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Jun 15, 2017 
*Councilor criticizes Taipei mall plans*

Taipei City Councilor Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) yesterday criticized the city government’s plan to revitalize an underground mall in the Ximending (西門町) area, saying it has been plagued by slow progress and high costs.

After spending about NT$50 million (US$1.65 million at the corrent exchange rate) in three years to renovate the mall’s facilities, the city has “absolutely nothing” to show for its efforts, Hsu said at a council meeting attended by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).

The mall was built in 2002, when former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was Taipei mayor.

The mall and its 18 shopfronts cost the city about NT$1.7 billion, but no businesses are willing to rent space there, Hsu said.

Instead, the virtually deserted mall is mostly used by Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) for office space, with two sites housing an automated library.
It is widely believed that Ko intended to transform the underperforming underground mall into an anime and manga-themed commercial center, a project he hinted at during his mayoral campaign.

In February, officials said that the city government was considering turning the mall into a “cultural and creative” center.

More : http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/06/15/2003672607


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## hkskyline

June 14, 2017 
*Farglory Group is ‘wrong,’ ‘mean,’ Taipei mayor says*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

“You cannot do something wrong, and still be mean and brag about it,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday, in response to a statement by Farglory Group that said he had slandered the company by hinting that it had illegally constructed residential properties in an industrial district of the city.

Ko made the remarks in response to requests for comment on the statement released on Monday afternoon.

According to the statement, Ko in a televised interview on Friday last week answered a question about dealing with the Taipei Dome project by hinting that Farglory built residential properties in industrial zones in the city’s Neihu District (內湖).

The statement said that none of Farglory’s 56 factory and office buildings in Neihu Technology Park are residential properties, adding that it has never built housing in an industrial district.

Ko maliciously slandered the company in an effort to discredit it, the statement said, calling on the mayor to publicly apologize.

The statement said that if Ko does not issue a public apology within three days, Farglory would take legal action.

The Taipei Department of Urban Development later on Monday issued a statement rebutting Farglory’s claims, saying that one of its residential community development projects had twice received fines for illegal construction in an industrial zone and illegal modification of construction plans.

A total of 25 illegal split-level apartments were found in office buildings built by Farglory Group chairman Chao Teng-hsiung (趙藤雄) in Neihu Technology Park, the department added.

“You say you did not build any residential apartments in Neihu Technology Park, but did you not build residential housing in Neihu’s business area as well as split-level housing?” Ko said.

“I mean, Taiwanese society can differentiate between right and wrong, so you cannot just do something wrong and still be mean and brag about it,” he said, adding that Farglory’s attitude was “really terrible.”


----------



## hkskyline

Taoyuan Airport Railway

桃園機場捷運 by Wei-Te Wong, on Flickr

桃園機場捷運 by Wei-Te Wong, on Flickr

桃園機場捷運 by Wei-Te Wong, on Flickr


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## hkskyline

Jun 24, 2017 
*Housing affordability stays low, despite price fall*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

Housing affordability remains low, especially in Taipei, although home prices dropped modestly, a report issued on Thursday by the Ministry of the Interior’s Construction and Planning Agency showed.

Home prices in the capital constituted 15.18 times the national average household income in the final quarter of last year, easing slightly from three months earlier and a year earlier, the report said.

The figure means a family would have to save all of its income for more than 15 years to be able to buy a house in Taipei, the report said.

Houses elsewhere are more affordable, but still represented a heavy burden, with the affordability index at 12.61 in New Taipei City, indicating that home prices were 12.61 times the average household income, it said.

Home prices nationwide were 9.32 times household income late last year, down from 9.35 the previous quarter.

Despite the drop, unaffordability remains a serious issue, as a reasonable home price-to-income ratio is between 4 and 6, said Linda Chou (周美伶), who teaches land economics at Takming University of Science and Technology.

Higher ratios would translate into heavy debt burdens and deprive home owners of a decent quality of life, Chou said.


----------



## robhood

williamchung7 said:


> Far Eastern Xinyi Shopping Mall
> Xinyi A13 site











taiwan-city forum
白









wangliangshue
taiwan-city forum


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## hkskyline

That site has been sitting empty as a parking lot for way too long. Is it an extension of the existing mall buildings next door?


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## Noodles7

hkskyline said:


> That site has been sitting empty as a parking lot for way too long. Is it an extension of the existing mall buildings next door?


The department store next door is a Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, this new building will be a Far Eastern department store.


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## hkskyline

Noodles7 said:


> The department store next door is a Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, this new building will be a Far Eastern department store.


Oooo .. some healthy competition. I suppose the new store will also be high end?


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## hkskyline

July 25, 2017 
*Taipei reiterates wish for Nangang light rail station*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

Taipei Deputy Mayor Charles Lin (林欽榮) yesterday said the city government supports the construction of a light rail system between Keelung and Taipei, but suggested that the line’s terminal station be located at Taipei’s Nangang (南港) Railway Station.

Lin yesterday met with Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems Commissioner Chang Tzer-hsiung (張澤雄), Department of Transportation Commissioner Chang Jer-yang (張哲揚) and Department of Urban Development Deputy Commissioner Chang Kang-wei (張剛維) to explain the city’s stance.

“To enhance the connections between the greater Taipei area, Keelung and Taoyuan, we think the light rail system is necessary for the overall national land development,” Lin said. “The city government is supportive and willing to assist in accomplishing it.”

He said the city’s East District Gateway Project aims to make Nangang Railway Station a regional multimodal transportation hub that would connect passengers traveling on the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp, the Taiwan Railways Administration and the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems, while also connecting northern and eastern Taiwan.

The ministry has said setting up the light rail system’s terminal station at the Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall would be feasible, but the city government thinks it would be technically difficult, Lin said.


----------



## hkskyline

July 25, 2017 
*Rail terminus at Nangang said to cost extra NT$5bn*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

The special budget for the construction of a light rail system to connect Taipei and Keelung would need an extra NT$5 billion (US$164.7 million) if the government followed the Taipei City Government’s suggestion that the route’s terminal station should be at Nangang MRT Station, rather than the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center MRT Station, the Railway Reconstruction Bureau said yesterday.

Under the government’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, the Keelung light rail project has a budget of NT$8.1 billion.
The proposed extension of the route would entail further construction and land expropriation costs that would increase the budget by an estimated 60 percent.

The bureau planned to make the Nangang Exhibition Center Station the terminus of the light rail system so that passengers could continue their journeys using the MRT’s brown or blue lines, Railway Reconstruction Bureau Acting Director-General Allen Hu (胡湘麟) said.

In addition, light-rail passengers wanting to access Nangang MRT Station could walk about 1km west after exiting Nangang Exhibition Center MRT Station, he said.

The Railway Reconstruction Bureau is considering two possibilities for a Nangang Exhibition Center terminus, he said.

One is to build an above-ground station at Nansi Park (南汐公園), opposite the center; the other is to build an underground station on Nangang Road (南港路), he said.

The bureau favors the above-ground site, as it would allow smooth connection to the existing Taiwan Railways Administration railway route and light-rail passengers arriving at the station could access the Nangang Exhibition Center Station through two MRT exits inside the park, he said.
In addition, that option would not disrupt the traffic near the MRT station, the bureau said.

“However, the Taipei City Government proposed that the light rail system be extended to the Nangang MRT Station by an underground railway line. Therefore, our team has begun researching the possibility of building an underground light rail station,” Hu said.

More : http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/07/25/2003675258


----------



## hkskyline

hkskyline said:


> Thu, Mar 24, 2016
> *Arbitration rules in favor of Farglory in Taipei Dome case*
> Taipei Times _Excerpt_
> 
> 
> Taipei dome from the 2nd floor of Eslite Spectrum by porcupiny, on Flickr
> 
> The Taiwan Construction Arbitration Association yesterday ruled that the Taipei City Government should have granted Farglory Group (遠雄集團) an additional 110 days past the the build-operate-transfer project deadline, after it was denied a construction extension for the Taipei Dome complex.
> 
> Farglory said that the ruling proves that it was not at fault for failing to complete the construction before the date stated in the contract it has with the city government.


Aug 16, 2017 
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
*Ma goes to court for questioning on Dome project*

Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is due in the Taipei District Court today to be questioned about his involvement in the contracting process for the Taipei Dome build-operate-transfer (BOT) project when he was Taipei mayor.

The Taipei City Government in 2004 named Farglory Group and Osaka-based Takenaka Corp as contractors for the project after selective bidding was conducted, saying they were the most qualified applicants.

After Takenaka pulled out of the project in September of that year, Farglory continued to negotiate a contract with the city government, and a BOT contract was signed in 2006.

The contract exempted Farglory from paying royalties on the complex — which according to the approved construction plan was to consist of a baseball stadium, movie theater, department store, hotel and office building — over the 50 year-term of the contract, sparking speculation that Ma and former Taipei Department of Finance commissioner Lee Sush-der (李述德), who presided over the negotiations, could have colluded with Farglory and improperly helped it.

Prosecutors who investigated the case said the waiving of royalties would cost the city about NT$400 million (US$13.2 million at the current exchange rate) per year for the duration of the contract.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) clean government committee in 2015 asked the Ministry of Justice to investigate Ma and Lee, citing a recording that indicated that Lee, during a 2004 meeting, said “top brass” at the city government instructed him to waive the royalties after “the Farglory chairman met with the mayor and reached consensuses.”

The ministry forwarded the case to the ministry’s Special Investigation Division (SID), which passed it on to the court because Ma was Taipei mayor at the time the negotiations took place.

Members of the Songshan Tobacco Factory Tree Protection Union, the leading civic group opposing the Dome project, accused the Ma administration of tipping off Farglory about qualifications for the selective bidding, while only notifying other competitors about the terms a few days before the application window closed.


----------



## hkskyline

Aug 17, 2017 
*Ex-president questioned as defendant in Dome probe*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday appeared in court as a defendant in a corruption probe into the contracting process for the Taipei Dome project, while Farglory Group founder Chao Teng-hsiung (趙藤雄) was also questioned in connection with the case.

After a session lasting more than eight hours, Ma left the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office after 5pm.

“I am confident in my innocence and I can stand up to the test,” Ma said as he left the office.

It is the second case in which Ma has been listed as a defendant and summoned for questioning in a judicial investigation since stepping down from the presidency on May 20 last year.

Prosecutors also summoned former Taipei Department of Finance commissioner Lee Sush-der (李述德), former Farglory Group vice president Tsai Chung-i (蔡宗易) and architect Liu Pei-sen (劉培森), the original designer of the Taipei Dome project.

Chao was escorted back to the detention center after questioning, where he has been held since July 1, while Tsai and Liu were allowed to leave.

Lee was still being questioned at press time last night.

Local media reports said that Taipei prosecutors have gathered key evidence alleging that Ma, in 2004, during his tenure as Taipei mayor, colluded with Chao to improperly favor and benefit Farglory Group (遠雄集團).

The city government in 2004 named Farglory Group and Osaka-based Takenaka Corp as contractors for the project after a selective bidding process, saying they were the most qualified applicants.

After Takenaka pulled out of the project in September of that year, Farglory continued to negotiate a contract with the city government, and a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract was signed in 2006.

The contract exempted Farglory from paying royalties on the complex — which according to the approved construction plan was to consist of a baseball stadium, movie theaters, department store, hotel and office building — over the 50-year term of the contract.

Prosecutors said that the royalty waiver would cost the city about NT$400 million (US$13.17 million at the current exchange rate) per year for the duration of the contract.


----------



## hkskyline

Aug 27, 2017 
*Wulai railway reopens*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_









_Three cars stand on a railway in New Taipei City’s Wulai District yesterday as the service was reopened after two years of reconstruction.
Photo: Chang An-chiao, Taipei Times_

A 90-year-old railway in New Taipei City’s Wulai District (烏來) was reopened yesterday after nearly two years of reconstruction following Typhoon Soudelor.

The train’s three carriages transport passengers 1.5km between Wulai Station and Waterfall Station.

There will be a discounted fare of NT$30 until the end of next month.

The railway is a landmark of the district along with Wulai Waterfall, Lansheng Bridge and Neidong National Forest Recreation Park, Premier Lin Chuan (林全) said at the reopening ceremony, adding that the area has the potential to become an international tourist attraction.

The originally hand-pulled railway was built in 1928 during the Japanese colonial period to transport logs, tea and passengers, Forestry Bureau Director-General Lin Hua-ching (林華慶) said.

“After the highway was completed in 1951, most sections of the railway were demolished except for the 1.5km portion,” he said.

Typhoon Soudelor in August 2015 caused serious damage to the remaining portion of the railway, 120m of which completely collapsed, he said.

“Much of the reconstruction work was done by hand as big machines could not operate on the narrow roads,” he said, adding that the work was finished last month.


----------



## hkskyline

Sept. 20, 2017 
*No getting around EIA rules for Taipei Dome project: city*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

DENIAL : A story by Up Media had alleged that the city would waive an EIA requirement to allow Farglory to resume work on the stalled project

Farglory Land Development Co’s Taipei Dome project must still pass the required environmental impact assessment (EIA) before it can resume construction, the Taipei City Government said yesterday.

News outlet Up Media on Monday evening reported that the city government and Farglory representatives had secretly discussed the project and reached a consensus between July and earlier this month.

The city would reportedly waive a required EIA procedure if Farglory agrees to submit its modified fire and safety assessment reports to the Taipei Department of Urban Development’s Urban Design and Land Use Development Permit Committee for review, Up Media said.

However, the city yesterday issued a press release denying the report.

“If Farglory Land Development Co wants to apply to resume the Taipei Dome project, it must meet the procedures required by EIA regulations, because the project’s modified plan is not the same as the original one that passed the EIA,” it said in the statement.
The Taipei Department of Environmental Protection said Farglory had applied in June to modify the plans of the complex’s vehicle and pedestrian circulation systems, parking spaces, the main body of the stadium and store layout.

According to the Environmental Impact Assessment Enforcement Rules (環評法施行細則), Farglory must submit an assessment of changes to the Environmental Impact Assessment Committee for review, the city said.


----------



## hkskyline

Oct. 26, 2017 
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
*Runway crack to be fixed*
GROUNDED : In an operation that could affect more than 100 flights, the south runway at Taoyuan airport is to close next week to repair a crack in the pavement

The south runway at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is to be closed for 16 hours next week to repair a crack in the pavement, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said yesterday.

The work could affect more than 100 flights, the company said.

TIAC chairman Tseng Dar-jen (曾大仁) made the announcement at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee in Taipei, when lawmakers questioned the airport company about a report by Chinese-language newspaper the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) on cracks found in the airport’s south runway.

The south runway was opened for operation in January 2015 without first passing an inspection, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Cheng Pao-ching (鄭寶清) said.

The pavement cracks might have resulted from a lack of airport oversight and poor construction quality, he added.

DPP Legislator Huang Kuo-shu (黃國書) asked why the cracks appeared after the renovated runway had been in use for only two years.

The runway is scheduled to be closed on Wednesday next week for repairs, Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) said.
However, Tseng said that the company would have to consult with air traffic control officials before setting a date and time.

It must have been contractor error that caused the pavement to crack, Tseng said, adding that the company would hold the contractor accountable.
The airport company in a statement said that the crack was about 9m long and 2mm wide, rather than the 60m in length that was reported by the media.

A flexible type of pavement has been used on the airport’s north and south runways, the company said, adding that the advantage of using this pavement was that repairs only take a maximum of 16 hours.


----------



## hkskyline

*Expansion of Taoyuan Airport's Terminal 2 continues*
Sep. 27, 2017
CNA _Excerpt_

Expansion of Taoyuan Airport's Terminal 2 continues Taipei, Sept. 27 (CNA) A ceremony was held Wednesday to mark the completion of expansion work on the northern wing of Terminal 2 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and the opening of a departure hall on the third floor of the southern wing.

Once the expansion project is fully completed as scheduled in 2018, the passenger capacity of Terminal 2 will rise to 22 million from the original 17 million per year, said Tseng Dar-jen (曾大仁), chairman of Taoyuan International Airport Corp., during the ceremony.

Work on the NT$2.297 billion (US$77.18 million) expansion project will be completed in phases and upon completion, the space in the departure hall will increase by 50 percent, with an additional 56 manned check-in counters installed, Tseng said.

Meanwhile, the safety inspection space in the transit area will be tripled in size and there will also be more space for commercial, recreational and leisure activities, Tseng said, adding that the company plans to set up a bird's-eye rooftop restaurant and other recreational facilities in the future.


----------



## hkskyline

hkskyline said:


> Aug 16, 2017
> Taipei Times _Excerpt_
> *Ma goes to court for questioning on Dome project*
> 
> Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is due in the Taipei District Court today to be questioned about his involvement in the contracting process for the Taipei Dome build-operate-transfer (BOT) project when he was Taipei mayor.
> 
> The Taipei City Government in 2004 named Farglory Group and Osaka-based Takenaka Corp as contractors for the project after selective bidding was conducted, saying they were the most qualified applicants.
> 
> After Takenaka pulled out of the project in September of that year, Farglory continued to negotiate a contract with the city government, and a BOT contract was signed in 2006.
> 
> The contract exempted Farglory from paying royalties on the complex — which according to the approved construction plan was to consist of a baseball stadium, movie theater, department store, hotel and office building — over the 50 year-term of the contract, sparking speculation that Ma and former Taipei Department of Finance commissioner Lee Sush-der (李述德), who presided over the negotiations, could have colluded with Farglory and improperly helped it.
> 
> Prosecutors who investigated the case said the waiving of royalties would cost the city about NT$400 million (US$13.2 million at the current exchange rate) per year for the duration of the contract.
> 
> Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) clean government committee in 2015 asked the Ministry of Justice to investigate Ma and Lee, citing a recording that indicated that Lee, during a 2004 meeting, said “top brass” at the city government instructed him to waive the royalties after “the Farglory chairman met with the mayor and reached consensuses.”
> 
> The ministry forwarded the case to the ministry’s Special Investigation Division (SID), which passed it on to the court because Ma was Taipei mayor at the time the negotiations took place.
> 
> Members of the Songshan Tobacco Factory Tree Protection Union, the leading civic group opposing the Dome project, accused the Ma administration of tipping off Farglory about qualifications for the selective bidding, while only notifying other competitors about the terms a few days before the application window closed.



The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei by Les Koppe, on Flickr


----------



## hkskyline

Taipei 101 (313/365) by Nick, on Flickr


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## hkskyline

Dec 2, 2017
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
*LNG terminal plan changes criticized*
NOT SATISFIED : A Council of Agriculture researcher said that new proposals that should address criticism of CPC’s proposed gas terminal in Taoyuan had no scientific basis

A Ministry of Economic Affairs proposal to reduce the planned area of the third liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal to protect wildlife is laudable, but it should still find a better location for the project, an environmentalist said yesterday, after the ministry on Wednesday said that the plot could be reduced by more than two-thirds.

CPC Corp, Taiwan’s (CPC, 台灣中油) plans to build the terminal off the coast of Datan Borough (大潭) in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音), but environmentalists have been opposed to the project, which they have said would bury nearby algal reefs, as well as the endangered coral Polycyathus chaishanensis.

The development area of the terminal project could be reduced from 65 hectares to 21 hectares, Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) told the Legislative Yuan on Wednesday, adding that CPC would build some of the gas storage tanks in a windbreak forest to avoid affecting the algal reefs.

Instead of building the terminal on wetlands that contain the algal reefs, the utility plans to build it on a new offshore wharf so that it will not obstruct the tide and will not endanger the ecosystem near the shore, CPC vice president J.Z. Fang (方振仁) said that day.

The project has yet to pass a review by an Environmental Protection Administration ad hoc committee.

More : http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/12/02/2003683298


----------



## hkskyline

*Plans for renovating 4th nuclear plant underway*
_Excerpt_

Taipei, Dec. 24 (CNA) The state-owned Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) said recently that it has spent about NT$2.9 billion (US$96.19 million) to maintain the mothballed fourth nuclear power plant over the past three years but is hoping to find a potential buyer next year.

Amid public concerns over the safety of nuclear power, Taiwan in 2014 halted construction of the second reactor of the plant in Longmen, New Taipei, and sealed off the almost-completed facility for a period of three years, which will draw to an end at the end of this year.

With the passage of an amendment to the Electricity Act early this year, which requires all nuclear power operations to be decommissioned by 2025, the chances of the nuclear power plant being reactivated are deemed remote.

Taipower, operator of the nuclear power plant, said it will propose plans by the first half of next year for selling the plant's nuclear-related equipment to a country that still uses nuclear power, and converting the 480-hectare site into a green power facility that could include wind turbines, solar panels, geothermal energy, and marine current energy.

Over the past three years, the measures employed to maintain the service life of the equipment has totaled NT$2.9 billion, Hsin Run (辛潤), a manager of the power plant, told CNA.

The plant has generated interest from potential buyers, with a Japanese-owned electricity-generating company based in the United Kingdom sending experts to visit the facility in August this year, Hsin said.

Taipower Chairman Yang Wei-fu (楊偉甫) said consideration has been given to turning the power plant into a site for renewable energy generators to make best use of the facility, which has cost NT$283.8 billion since the project began in 1980.

Liang Chi-yuan (梁啟源), a professor of economics at the Institute of Economics of Academia Sinica, suggested that the plant's first reactor be kept for future use to ensure stable electricity supply until the development of energy from renewable sources achieves its target share.


----------



## hkskyline

*DPP Taipei mayoral aspirant vows to remove Songshan airport*
_Excerpt_


IMG_0034s by 小宗宗, on Flickr

Taipei, Dec. 17 (CNA) Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yao Wen-chih (姚文智) announced Sunday his intention to run in the Taipei mayoral election next year, pledging that if elected he will remove Taipei Songshan Airport, which he described as a "tumor" impeding the development of the city.

"I will run because I want to turn Songshan airport into a park," Yao said in a speech given to announce his candidacy for the position of Taipei mayor.

Yao was elected as a national legislator from Taipei in 2012 and 2016. A long-term advocate for the relocation of the Songshan airport, he said in Sunday's speech that removing the airport will allow Taipei to regenerate.

The proposed removal would involve up to 3,000 hectares of land, he said, noting that once developed the area could accommodate housing valued at NT$7.1 trillion.

The mayoral aspirant vowed to do away with the airport, located in the heart of downtown Taipei, and develop part of the area into a "Central Park" for Taipei if elected.

If elected in 2018, he would launch an international competition for the design of the park in 2020, close the airport in 2022, and begin construction of the park in 2023, Yao said.

If he failed to follow through on this promise after being elected, Yao joked he would "put up a tent on the runway at Songshan airport and let airplanes run over it."

Incumbent Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who has made clear he intends to seek reelection, said the previous day that he supports the relocation of the airport but reiterated that such a decision is the responsibility of the central government.

Responding to Ko's remarks, Yao said any mayor of Taipei should do everything possible to persuade the central government to change its policy.


----------



## hkskyline

*Taoyuan Airport mulls ways to help passengers save time: spokesman*
_Excerpt_

Jan. 14 (CNA) As Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TTIA) faces ever longer passenger check-ins and security checks due to serious passenger capacity overloading, officials are mulling ways to speed up operations and as part of that planning a self-baggage-check-in mechanism will be introduced at terminal two.

However, the plan will not be implemented until after the completion of expansion work at the end of the year, said on Sunday Lee Jian-kuo (李建國), spokesman for Taoyuan International Airport Corp. (TIAC), TTIA's operator

In addition to introducing additional check-in counters, self-baggage-check-in counters will also be set up next year in terminal two, allowing passengers who have already checked-in to check in their own luggage in an effort to speed up operations and divert passenger traffic from customs clearance, according to Lee.

There is no space for self-baggage-check-in counters at terminal one, while the under-construction third terminal will have a large number of self check-in machines and self-check-in-baggage facilities when completed in 2020 as scheduled.

With regards the speed of security clearance, the limitations are related to aviation police manpower, but whenever there are a large number of passengers, extra manpower will be deployed to use all available security check channels.

Currently, a self-baggage-check-in service is only available at Taoyuan Airport MRT's A1 Taipei Main Station, used by about 30 percent of passengers heading to TTIA, according to the airport's statistics.

As the country's largest airport, TTIA handled up to 45 million passengers in 2017, exceeding its designated passenger handling capacity by about 10 million, which caused serious overloading and crowded conditions on a daily basis, according to the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA).


----------



## hkskyline

*Contractors seek more time for new Taoyuan terminal*
Feb 9, 2018
Taipei Times _Excerpt_

The completion date for Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3 is likely to be postponed as contractors interested in bidding for the project said that the timeframe is too short.

Taoyuan International Airport Corp spokesman Lee Jian-kuo (李建國) on Tuesday said that the company received the complaints when it held a project information session last year.

The company is still accepting comment from the public and contractors, and a reasonable completion date would be set after it reviews all input, Lee said, adding that the period for accepting public suggestions ends on March 1.

The company had aimed to complete construction of Terminal 3 by 2020 and launch trial operations by 2021, it said.

A new timeframe would be determined after a more thorough review, Lee said, adding that the project could be opened for public tender by May.

Construction projects related to the terminal are already underway, including foundations, relocating and revamping the WC taxiway and the construction of a ramp, Lee said, adding that these projects are to continue as scheduled.

The taxiway project is to be completed by the end of this year and there would be 27 new ramps by the end of 2020, Lee said.

The government has listed Terminal 3 as an urgent project.

Civil Aeronautics Administration data showed that the number of air passengers to the airport has increased by 20 million over the past 10 years.


----------



## hkskyline

Mar 22, 2018 
*Bridge work could start this year*
REPEATED DELAYS : The lack of qualified bidders had hindered the project to link Tamsui and Bali districts in New Taipei City, but a contractor has finally been found
Taipei Times _Excerpt_










Construction of the Tamkang Bridge (淡江大橋) could begin this year should the contractor pass a final evaluation next month, the Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) said yesterday.

The bridge project was launched to connect New Taipei City’s Tamsui (淡水) and Bali (八里) districts to ease traffic congestion during peak hours and on holidays.

The project is divided into three parts: a section of road that connects the Port of Taipei and the bridge, the bridge itself, and a section connecting Bali to the bridge.

Construction of the road connecting the port to the bridge was completed in November 2016, while the construction of the section between Bali and the bridge began in September 2016, and is scheduled to be finished by 2020.

The tender for constructing the 920m bridge has been canceled seven times due to a lack of qualified bidders.

The project finally attracted one bidder — Kung Sing Engineering Corp — before the tender offer expired on Tuesday last week.

Kung Sing is one of the nation’s largest construction firms and is a qualified bidder, DGH Deputy Chief Engineer Teng Wen-kuang (鄧文廣) said, adding that it has built two tunnels for the Suhua Highway Improvement Project.

According to the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法), the contractor must pass the final evaluation, which is to be conducted during a meeting in the middle of next month, before it can officially be awarded the contract, Teng said.

“We will ask them to quickly start building the bridge after the contract is signed,” Teng said.

The bridge was designed in 2015 by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2014, the agency said.


----------



## hkskyline

Apr 12, 2018 
*Ko quizzed about Dome’s construction*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_


Taipei Dome by Nick, on Flickr

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was met outside the Taipei City Council yesterday afternoon by several environmental advocates urging the city to terminate the contract with Taipei Dome contractor Farglory Group (遠雄集團).

About a dozen people held a banner that read: “Farglory Group has violated the law and breached the contract, when will Ko-P [Ko’s nickname] terminate the contract?” when Ko arrived.

The Taipei Dome project was halted in 2015.

Although Ko said in 2016 that the city government would temporarily hold off on terminating Farglory’s contract, it seems as if the company has secretly continued construction work, because the dome’s roof looks almost complete, Songshan Tobacco Factory Tree Protection Union convener Arthur Yo (游藝) said.

Ko stopped to accept the protesters’ petition before continuing into the city council, but did not respond to their questions.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei mayoral candidate hopeful Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) and KMT Taipei city councilors Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇), accompanied by Farglory Group spokesman Jacky Yang (楊舜欽), visited the Dome construction site on Tuesday.

The work underway at the site is simply maintenance and repair, which a court ruling gave the company permission to do, Yang said during the visit.

The cost of rust removal, structural repairs, parts replacement and other maintenance done over the past three years is about NT$1.7 billion (US$58.2 million), Yang said.

He said the company has not ruled out the possibility of asking the city government to compensate it for that money.

Meanwhile, several city councilors grilled Ko and Deputy Mayor Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) during the council meeting about Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co general manager Wu Yin-ning’s (吳音寧) qualifications for the job.

Neither Ko nor Chen could give an answer.


----------



## hkskyline

*Building of Taoyuan airport's terminal 3 cannot meet 2020 deadline*
_Excerpt_

April 12 (CNA) Construction of a third terminal at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport will not be completed by its previously scheduled deadline of 2020, Minister of Transportation and Communications Ho Chen Tan (賀陳旦) said Thursday.

Ho Chen told reporters that the original deadline for completing the third terminal by the end of 2020 was overly optimistic, so the timeline for the project has been pushed back.

This, according to the minister, is due to the fact that detailed designs for the terminal were only finished at the end of last year.

In order to carry out the planning and construction of the terminal properly, the deadline will have to be postponed, Ho Chen said.

The news does not come as a surprise, as officials of Taoyuan International Airport Co. said in February that such a delay might occur.

According to the original deadline, the terminal would have opened for test operations in the first six months of 2021.

While Ho Chen said that the extent of the delay will be determined in a month's time at the latest, a company that is interested in obtaining the contract for the work said the project will most likely be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022.


----------



## hkskyline

*Mayor Ko signs documents to build new mosque in Taipei*
_Excerpt_

Taipei, April 28 (CNA) The Taipei City government signed the official documents on Friday for the construction of a new mosque in city, which will be a joint project with the government of Turkey, Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said Saturday.

Speaking at the 58th anniversary ceremony of the Taipei Grand Mosque, Ko said Taipei has decided to build another mosque to accommodate the growing Muslim population in the country.

He said the city government is looking at two sites for the construction of a complex capable of accommodating 50,000 people, but he did not disclose which locations were being considered.

The idea of building a third mosque in Taipei, at a cost of millions of U.S. dollars, was proposed by Turkey in January, according to Ko.

Following his visit Turkey in February for talks with the government on the proposal, Ko said, he will communicate with the relevant government agencies there to work out the details of the project.

Now that he has signed the papers for the construction of the mosque, he said, Turkish officials will visit Taipei to look at potential sites.


----------



## robhood

hkskyline said:


> Seems a lot of international brand hotels are appearing in Banqiao, but it is not a tourist area at this point. Why is that?


^^
maybe because now with the new circular line the airport its more near, but honesly Im not sure


----------



## hkskyline

robhood said:


> ^^
> maybe because now with the new circular line the airport its more near, but honesly Im not sure


That's true. I visited Taipei last month and stayed in the area. It was a quick ride on the Taoyuan MRT, transferring to the circular line and it was a free trial day on that last leg as well.

Given the international hotel brand presence, I was expecting more global firm's offices in the area. Otherwise, it is a long commute into Xinyi for the business travelers.


----------



## robhood

Taipei, The Diamond Towers,three 31-story skyscrapers, including luxury homes, shopping malls and offices










https://www.businesstoday.com.tw/article/category/80404/post/202001210014/政府抓住三關鍵 老屋更新不必再等20年









https://tw.news.yahoo.com/正義國宅都更案-環評過關-預計107年完工-095739207.html









https://www.businesstoday.com.tw/article/category/80404/post/202001210014/政府抓住三關鍵 老屋更新不必再等20年


----------



## hkskyline

* Newly re-opened trail in Taipei provides sanctuary from coronavirus panic *
_Excerpt_
Feb 9, 2020

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A trail on Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei that was closed after accidents involved conflicts between humans and wild cattle was reopened at a time when fear of getting the new coronavirus was confining people to home, providing a good opportunity for people to engage in outdoor activities.

The Qingtiangang Circular Trail on Taipei’s Yangmingshan, an immensely popular destination for outings in Taipei, has reopened after being closed since August 2018 due to accidents in which two visitors were injured by wild cattle, according to the Construction and Planning Agency on Wednesday (Feb. 5).

The agency in a news release said that after the accidents, Yangmingshan National Park temporarily closed the Qingtiangang Circular Trail — which includes the central walking path, the Mt. Zhugao Branch Trail, and the grassland section of the Lengshuikeng-Qingtiangang Trail — in order to make safety improvements.

The central walking path reopened to the public on Sep. 27, 2019, after work was completed on 510 meters of its length, the release said. The Circular Trail, including the Mt. Zhugao Branch Trail and the grassland section of the Lengshuikeng-Qingtiangang Trail, were later reopened on Jan. 16, 2020, with signs posted warning of the moody cattle.

The entire trail system around Qingtiangang is once again fully open to the public, the statement said.

More : https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3873880


----------



## Eurogue

hkskyline said:


> Seems a lot of international brand hotels are appearing in Banqiao, but it is not a tourist area at this point. Why is that?


 It's a "planned area," expected to develop like the one in Xinyi, and a transit center like the Taipei Main Station. Some international technology companies are headquartered in nearby Zhonghe. There are numerous shopping malls around of course but perhaps only a single major tourist attraction in the vicinity, so it's hardly the best place to stay as a tourist, and that's unlikely to change.

Primarily though, it's an example of a well-known hotel brand being used to market residential development. Once the apartments are sold out, the hotel can even fold (although I don't think it'll come to this).

As for the airport transfer, the Circular MRT line doesn't really change much: the connection was already decent with the high-speed rail, at least since the Airport MRT line opened. On the other hand, the newest MRT line definitely makes it easier to access the technology cluster in Zhonghe.


----------



## robhood

Taipei, Sefeng Zhongnam Street 17 floors and 18 floors / underground residential buildings


















https://www.facebook.com/ur.org.tw/
http://www.ur.org.tw/plan/career_view/62


----------



## robhood

Taipei, xinyi district,2 x 30 f


























https://www.facebook.com/ur.org.tw/


----------



## robhood

Taipe,i xinyi district



















https://www.facebook.com/ur.org.tw/


----------



## robhood

Taipei, Xinyi district, 14 F




























https://www.facebook.com/ur.org.tw/


----------



## robhood

Taipei, Dunhua Special Zone Construction floor: SC, 16 floors above ground / 5 floors underground




























http://www.ur.org.tw/mynews/view/23...ZSv1f42ZMSv17yKrJcnFE0SIUxjSbd3uEbX9W-fM-150Y

https://www.facebook.com/ur.org.tw/


----------



## robhood

Taipei, the Dunnan Financial Building, where Cathay Pacific Group's "Family Building" and Eslite Dunnan store are located.
28th floor above ground, 6th floor underground, and a gold-level green building commercial building over 141 meters in height.









https://udn.com/news/story/7323/3800947


----------



## robhood

Taipei, Nangang district, 24F

















http://www.ur.org.tw/plan/career_vi...TqmMOOdD1cZDkeDoSWg2CGk5shbe6UD1TTywQSBKvMEls
https://www.facebook.com/ur.org.tw/


----------



## hkskyline

Circular Line

_MG_4269 by waychen_c, on Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200224-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200224-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200224-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200224-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200224-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200224-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## robhood

Taipei Xinyi District Fubon Xinyi Headquarters 









https://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=7845959&postcount=38


Taipei Xinyi District Fubon Xinyi Headquarters 信義計畫區 富邦信義總部 20200224-1 by William Chung, on Flickr


----------



## robhood

*Taipei | Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project*

*Taipei | Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project
*
























taiwan-city forum
wangliangshue


----------



## hkskyline

* Leofoo Hotel to close on May 31 *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Mar 10, 2020









_Hotel Website_

Leofoo Tourism Group (六福旅遊集團) yesterday said that it would close its 48-year-old Leofoo Hotel (六福客棧) in Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) on May 31 to pave the way for a regeneration project and curb losses caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The group said it previously planned to close the facility at the end of this year, but decided to move up the schedule to cope with a sharp decline in business.

Hotels and restaurants have been hit hard by the outbreak, which has kept people at home to avoid infection.

The hotel’s Chinese Golden Phoenix Restaurant (金鳳廳) would close on March 31 and the guestrooms would follow on May 31, the group said.

The group — which also owns the Courtyard by Marriott Taipei (六福萬怡) in Taipei’s Nangang District (南港) as well as Leofoo Resort (六福莊), Leofoo Village Theme Park (六福村) and other recreational facilities — last year gained the Taipei City Government’s approval to regenerate Leofoo Hotel.

More : http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2020/03/10/2003732378


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## robhood

*New Taipei city, Yu-long City Tower (裕隆城)*
Xindian District, New Taipei City, the buildings are divided into commercial and residential areas, including *three 40-storey* buildings above the ground and* 5 underground floors *in the commercial area, and *46-storey buildings above* the ground and *5 underground floors *in the residential area.








https://fnc.ebc.net.tw/FncNews/house/99948
















https://www.facebook.com/pg/KingLeChangandAssociates/
appledaily.com.tw


----------



## williamchung7

西區門戶計畫 延平南路人行道改善工程 20200315-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

西區門戶計畫 延平南路人行道改善工程 20200315-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

中山堂旁舊屋拆除 20200315-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

中山堂旁舊屋拆除 20200315-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

中山堂旁舊屋拆除 20200315-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## robhood

Taipei | Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei |127.4m | 29 fl | U/C



















https://www.jjpan.com/portfolio/zhonghua-building-urban-renewal/


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei San Xing Duan Public House 信義區三興段社會住宅 20200416-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei San Xing Duan Public House 信義區三興段社會住宅 20200416-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei San Xing Duan Public House 信義區三興段社會住宅 20200416-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20200416-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20200416-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20200416-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20200416-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20200416-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20200416-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## robhood

New Taipei city
Honghui i-Tower t is located between Xinsiyuan Road and Central Road, Xinzhuang District, Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
180.6 meters high, with 39 floors above ground and 3 floors underground.










https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/local/paper/1189315










SkyscraperPage Forum - View Single Post - Taiwan Projects II


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei Diamond Towers 忠孝正義國宅都市更新 20200429 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20200429-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20200429-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway YeaShin Hua Wei 台北西區門戶計畫 亞昕華威 20200430 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200430 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Taipei Post Office Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北郵局修復工程 20200430 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Marriott Hotel 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔萬豪飯店 20200430-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Marriott Hotel 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔萬豪飯店 20200430-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Marriott Hotel 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔萬豪飯店 20200430-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Overseas companies keen to bid for airport project *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
May 4, 2020

Two construction firms from Indonesia and Malaysia have expressed an interest in building Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said yesterday.

It would be the fourth time that the airport operator has put the project up for tender. TIAC failed to find a bidder twice in 2018 and once last year. It is also the first time that international contractors have expressed an interest in bidding on a domestic project.

TIAC said that it plans to choose qualified bidders by August this year, adding that it would unveil the specifications of the project and begin accepting tenders afterward.

The tender process is scheduled be completed before the end of this year, it added.

Because of the scale of the project, construction firms would have to work with other contractors, the company said, adding that it is possible that a domestic construction firm might work with an overseas contractor.

More : Overseas companies keen to bid for airport project - Taipei Times


----------



## williamchung7

Let face it, Taipei City Centre Street View is really ugly when you go into residential area in Taipei downtown.


----------



## Noogai

williamchung7 said:


> Let face it, Taipei City Centre Street View is really ugly when you go into residential area in Taipei downtown.


Ugly compare to where? I think it is ok


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## Eurogue

williamchung7 said:


> Taipei City Centre Street View is really ugly when you go into residential area in Taipei downtown.


 Why ugly? Has its style. Not even that narrow except the part at around 1:05: Google Maps

But that place was easier to pass through than some others because nobody would dare to block it further. Google Street View even has a photo where a small truck gets through it just fine:









So I think the issue is more like vehicles (scooters) parked illegally and/or people using the street as storage space. One of the more difficult places to get through was at 1:53 and that's because of the two scooters parked there:









Other than that, that stretch looks (relatively) wide.


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## williamchung7

Full of illegal structure and illegal expansion make building appearance so ugly, plus it is really unsafe for fire safety issue. Can you tell me how can fire frigate save life efficiently with these illegal structure, mental-bar window and extremely narrow street? It is sad Taiwanese people don't admit it, ignore it and avoid talking it. That is the part of Taiwanese society I really hate.


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateay Taipei Bioinnovation Park 東區門戶計畫南港生技產業聚落BOT 20200512 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20200512-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20200512-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei Nihu Taipei Feng Shin Tan Mei Office Building 內湖區長虹建設潭美段科技辦公大樓新建工程 20200512-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nihu Taipei Feng Shin Tan Mei Office Building 內湖區長虹建設潭美段科技辦公大樓新建工程 20200512-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20200512-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20200512-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20200512-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20200512-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium Renovation 台北天母球場整建 20200512 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## hkskyline

* Councilor calls for preserving colonial-era building *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
May 19, 2020









_Photo courtesy of Wu Pei-yi_

Taipei City Councilor Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) on Saturday urged the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs to designate the Japanese colonial-era Showa Building (昭和樓) a cultural heritage site to protect it from being demolished.

Wu made the remarks after the department on Tuesday last week visited the building to evaluate it for preservation, a standard procedure before a public building that is more than 50 years old is razed.

The Showa Building, on Zhongxiao E Road Sec 2, was a rare kind of office building when it was constructed in 1942, Wu said.

The three-story building was built with reinforced concrete and has European-style windows, ceilings and staircases. It has a pedestrian arcade on the first floor with with 12 stone-like pillars, and intricate diamond patterns are featured on its wooden gate.

More : Councilor calls for preserving colonial-era building - Taipei Times


----------



## williamchung7

斯文里三期公辦都更 20200524 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200524-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場20200524-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## robhood

*Taipei | Gate of Taipei | 319m | 76 fl | 239m | 56 fl | Prep* 








臺北雙子星 Taipei Twin Towers臺北新起點


位於市民大道以南、以重慶北路分為東西兩側 基地，基地東側鄰近交通樞紐之臺北車站及轉運站， 基地西側及南側則與北門、三井倉庫、臺北郵局及鐵道園 區等歷史古蹟群為鄰，可串聯起西區歷史與現代發展之脈 絡，集商務、旅遊、消費、觀光等特色於一體。




www.taipeitwintowers.com





台北雙星官網台北雙子星模擬圖 (捷至20200602) by William Chung, on Flickr

台北雙星官網台北雙子星模擬圖 (捷至20200602)-5 by William Chung, on Flickr


台北雙星官網台北雙子星模擬圖 (捷至20200602)-4 by William Chung, on Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei Huan Nan Market Redevelopment 台北環南市場改建 20200603 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## hkskyline

robhood said:


> *Taipei | Gate of Taipei | 319m | 76 fl | 239m | 56 fl | Prep*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 臺北雙子星 Taipei Twin Towers臺北新起點
> 
> 
> 位於市民大道以南、以重慶北路分為東西兩側 基地，基地東側鄰近交通樞紐之臺北車站及轉運站， 基地西側及南側則與北門、三井倉庫、臺北郵局及鐵道園 區等歷史古蹟群為鄰，可串聯起西區歷史與現代發展之脈 絡，集商務、旅遊、消費、觀光等特色於一體。
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.taipeitwintowers.com


I thought this project was met with some controversy earlier with the developer being branded a national security concern. What's the latest on this?


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Marshalling Yard Redevelopment 東區門戶計畫 南港調車場公辦都更 20200618 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## Josedc

What are Taiwan's main undustries?


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateay Taipei Taiwan Power Central Warehouse Renovation 東區門戶計畫台電倉庫整建 20200618 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20200618 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Marriott Hotel 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔萬豪飯店 20200618 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co., Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20200618 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20200618 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Taipei Bioinnovation Park 東區門戶計畫南港生技產業聚落BOT 20200618 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


----------



## Eurogue

Josedc said:


> What are Taiwan's main undustries?


 Electronics/semiconductors is the most prominent one but there is also steel, chemicals/plastics, textiles, and a bit of many others (like car parts).


----------



## robhood

Josedc said:


> What are Taiwan's main undustries?



*Electronics*, communications and information technology products, petroleum refining, *chemicals*, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals.
Agricultural: Rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish.









Economy of Taiwan - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org





*Top Taiwan Global Brands*









Top Taiwan Global Brands - 2012 (Interbrand) | Ranking The Brands


The Brand Rankings by Category!



www.rankingthebrands.com


----------



## Eurogue

robhood said:


> Top Taiwan Global Brands


 Many companies are OEM/ODM (designing and manufacturing for others), so their brands might not be well-recognized even if their products are all around.

Case in point: TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor) manufactures AMD CPUs (processors), both AMD and nVidia GPUs (graphics chips) and most Android smartphone SoCs (~ processors): Qualcomm Snapdragon, MediaTek, HiSilicon (Huawei) Kirin yet it didn't even make the list.


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## Josedc

Amazing! Thank you, guys


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## williamchung7

Taipei Zhongzheng District Hotel Resonance Taipei 中正區 台北時代寓所 20200621-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongzheng District Hotel Resonance Taipei 中正區 台北時代寓所 20200621-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7




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## hkskyline

hkskyline said:


> Core Pacific


*Worker dies in wreckage of cave-in at construction site* 
_Excerpt_

Taipei, June 21 (CNA) A worker has been found dead after he was excavated from fallen steel bars and concrete blocks late Saturday at a construction site in Taipei where the 19-story Core Pacific City shopping center was being torn down to make way for an office complex.

At around 11 p.m. the body of the worker was dug out, eight hours after the unexpected cave-in occurred on the eighth floor of the building during demolition work, said Wang Cheng-hsiung (王證雄), who heads a fire-fighting squad at the city's Fire Department.

He said the rescue mission began soon after the collapse but their efforts were challenged by big chunks of reinforced concrete.

Given that the worker was found in a crashed small excavator alongside another excavator and a small pick-up van, they suspected that the worker was operating the machine on the ground floor when the cave-in occurred at around 3 p.m., Wang said.

An investigation by police and prosecutors is underway.

More : Worker dies in wreckage of cave-in at construction site - Focus Taiwan


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## hkskyline

* Repairs on Taoyuan airport's north runway to be completed soon * 
_Excerpt_

Taipei, June 4 (CNA) The renovations being carried on the north runway at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport will be completed by the end of August, the airport management said Thursday, but it did not give a date for the reopening of the runway.

The 35-year-old north runway was closed on May 28 ahead of schedule so that the repair work could be carried during the period of slow air travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Taoyuan International Airport Corp.

Under normal circumstances, the work would have been done incrementally, without closing the runway, but a decision was made to take advantage of the slow period and carry out large scale repairs so that the airport could provide better services when regular air travel resumes, the company said.

More : Repairs on Taoyuan airport's north runway to be completed soon - Focus Taiwan


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway YeaShin Hua Wei 台北西區門戶計畫 亞昕華威 20200919 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20200919-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20200919-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20200919-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Information Park Stage 3, Hope Square 台北資訊園區三期 希望廣場 20200919-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Information Park Stage 3, Hope Square 台北資訊園區三期 希望廣場 20200919-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Daan District Bao　Hong Headquarters 寶紘建設企業總部 20200920 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Huaku Sky Garden 台北華固天鑄 20200920 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20200920-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20200920-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20200920-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20200920-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20200920-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20200920-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20200920-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20200920-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20200920-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20200920-8 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei Solaria 西鐵飯店─台北西門 20200927-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei Solaria 西鐵飯店─台北西門 20200927-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

西區門戶計畫 延平南路人行道改善工程 20200927-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

西區門戶計畫 延平南路人行道改善工程 20200927-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

西區門戶計畫 延平南路人行道改善工程 20200927-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

西區門戶計畫 延平南路人行道改善工程 20200927-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Wanhua Fuxing Public House Development 萬華福星社會住宅 20200927 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Wanhua Fuxing Public House Development 萬華福星社會住宅 20200927 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Chenggong Public Market Redevelopment 台北成功市場改建 20200927-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Chenggong Public Market Redevelopment 台北成功市場改建 20200927-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Chenggong Public Market Redevelopment 台北成功市場改建 20200927-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Chenggong Public Market Redevelopment 台北成功市場改建 20200927-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Chenggong Public Market Redevelopment 台北成功市場改建 20200927-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Living Mall Redevelopment 台北京華城都更 20200927-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Living Mall Redevelopment 台北京華城都更 20200927-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Living Mall Redevelopment 台北京華城都更 20200927-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## robhood

Taipei Living Mall Redevelopment 



































京華城將熄燈！18年賠掉130億，沈慶京：開幕那天就知道完蛋了｜數位時代 BusinessNext


京華城揮別曾經轟動全亞洲的光輝歷經18年慘賠130億，確定將於本月30日畫下休止符。威京集團主席－沈慶京嘆開幕當天就知京華城結局。




www.bnext.com.tw





Taipei Living Mall Redevelopment 台北京華城都更 20200927-3 by William Chung, on FlickrTaipei Living Mall Redevelopment 台北京華城都更 20200927-2 by William Chung, on Flickr


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## williamchung7

taiwan-city forum


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District Tao Zhu Yin Yuan 信義計畫區 陶朱隱園 20201001 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Dazhi Business Area 台北大直商圈 20201001-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Dazhi Business Area 台北大直商圈 20201001-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Dazhi Business Area 台北大直商圈 20201001-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Dazhi Business Area 台北大直商圈 20201001-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District 信義計畫區 20201001-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District 信義計畫區 20201001-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

*City leaders mark Taipei’s centennial
CONTINUITY: Former and current mayors of the capital highlighted their shared experiences in working toward improving the public infrastructure in Taipei *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Oct 2, 2020

Current and former mayors of Taipei yesterday attended a special exhibition to celebrate the city’s centennial, saying that today’s successes can be accredited to its hard-working leaders, who have “passed the baton” down throughout the years.

Many familiar faces came to see the exhibition at Shuxin Hall in Nishi Honganji Square in Taipei’s Wanhua District (萬華), titled “Journey of a Century,” including former presidents Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice chairman Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), former KMT chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and others, all of whom have passed through the mayor’s office at some point during their careers.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) hosted of the event, which he touted as a special chance for the ideologically distant mayors to mark a rare milestone together.

Bringing society together is the core philosophy of government, Ko said, adding that although they all hold different views, everyone shares the same land and should live in harmony.

Hsu Shui-teh (許水德), the oldest living former mayor, said that when he held office from 1985 to 1988, the city had serious issues with flooding, traffic and garbage disposal.

Determined to solve these problems, he established the Department of Rapid Transit Systems, moved a landfill to Muzha (木柵) and drafted a plan to build incinerators in Muzha, Neihu District (內湖) and Shilin District (士林), he said.

The city used to flood and the water would shut off practically every other day, but now those problems have been solved, he added.

More : City leaders mark Taipei’s centennial - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20201003-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20201003-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20201003-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20201003-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Ruiguang Public House 內湖瑞光社會住宅 20201003-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Ruiguang Public House 內湖瑞光社會住宅 20201003-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Ruiguang Public House 內湖瑞光社會住宅 20201003-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Ruiguang Public House 內湖瑞光社會住宅 20201003-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Ruiguang Public House 內湖瑞光社會住宅 20201003-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20201003-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20201003-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20201003-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20201003-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20201003-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Taipei to restore historic building in Dadaocheng *
Taipei Times_Excerpt_
Oct 4, 2020










The historic Chen Tien-lai Residence (陳天來故居) — the abandoned former home of a wealthy tea merchant — is finally to be restored by the Taipei City Government after years of property disputes, the city said yesterday.

The three-story mansion in Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area was the home of Chen and his family during the Japanese colonial era, but went unused in the decades that followed due to property disputes among surviving family members.

Concerned about the declining condition of the building, the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs invoked Article 28 of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act (文化資產保存法), which allows the city to take over a historic property if it is deteriorating due to the mismanagement of its owners, the city said.

More : Taipei to restore historic building in Dadaocheng - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Chinatrust Headquarters 東區門戶計畫 中國信託總部 20201003-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Chinatrust Headquarters 東區門戶計畫 中國信託總部 20201003-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Chinatrust Headquarters 東區門戶計畫 中國信託總部 20201003-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Chinatrust Headquarters 東區門戶計畫 中國信託總部 20201003-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Chinatrust Headquarters 東區門戶計畫 中國信託總部 20201003-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Chinatrust Headquarters 東區門戶計畫 中國信託總部 20201003-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Chinatrust Headquarters 東區門戶計畫 中國信託總部 20201003-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Zhong Zheng Bridge Rebuild 台北中正橋改建工程 20201009 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhong Zheng Bridge Rebuild 台北中正橋改建工程 20201009-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhong Zheng Bridge Rebuild 台北中正橋改建工程 20201009-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Taipei Solaria 西鐵飯店─台北西門 20201011 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Taipei Post Office Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北郵局修復工程 20201011 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway No 8 Plaza 西區門戶計畫 交八廣場 20201011 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

*Taipei-Keelung LRRT plan proposed *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Oct 14, 2020

Taipei and New Taipei City yesterday said that they are willing to bear a larger share of the costs to construct a light-rail system connecting Taipei and Keelung, although neither committed to a specific amount.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) met with Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) and Keelung Mayor Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) to discuss the possibility of upgrading a previously proposed system connecting Taipei and Keelung to a rapid transit line.

The four reached five preliminary agreements, which were announced at a news conference.

First, the light-rail system would be upgraded to be a light rail rapid transit (LRRT) system, which would have automatic train operation, they told the news conference.

Second, the system’s terminal in Taipei would be at the the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Hall MRT Station on the Bannan Line (Blue Line), and connect to the Nangang Railway Station via an underground section, they said.

More : Taipei-Keelung LRRT plan proposed - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

斯文里三期公辦都更20201018 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-8 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-9 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-10 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-11 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-12 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-13 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-14 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xin Zhong Shan Park 台北心中山線形公園 20201018-15 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20201024-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20201024-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 20201024-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20201024-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20201024-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20201024-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Taipei Bioinnovation Park 東區門戶計畫南港生技產業聚落BOT 20201024 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20201024-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20201024-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Ruentex Yu Cheng Office Building 東區門戶計畫 潤泰玉成段二小段729地號辦公大樓開發案 20201024-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Ruentex Yu Cheng Office Building 東區門戶計畫 潤泰玉成段二小段729地號辦公大樓開發案 20201024-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

*北市南港轉運站BOT案 新光人壽成最優申請人*[color=var(--dark-grey)][backcolor=rgb(250, 250, 250)][font=&quot;]2020-10-20 19:19 聯合報 / 記者[color=var(--udn-blue)]胡瑞玲／台北即時報導[/font][align=center][font=&quot;][color=var(--text-unactive)]國道客運[/font][/align][/backcolor]







北市南港轉運站興建營運移轉BOT案，確定由新光人壽股份有限公司為最優申請人。圖／北市公運處提供
[align=center][color=var(--light-grey)][backcolor=var(--bg)][/align][align=center][color=var(--light-grey)][backcolor=var(--bg)][/align][align=center][color=var(--light-grey)][backcolor=var(--bg)][/align]
[align=left][color=var(--dark-grey)]北市南港轉運站興建營運移轉BOT案昨日完成甄審作業，經評定由新光人壽股份有限公司為最優申請人，宏匯聯盟為次優申請人，預計於2025年完成啟用，提供國道城際運輸進駐使用。[/align]
[align=left]北市公運處表示，北市自2015年啟動[color=var(--dark-grey)]東區門戶計畫，在南港地區投入多項重大公共建設，包含南港軟體園區、北部流行音樂中心及國家生技園區等，均陸續完工或完成招商，成北台灣近期最具發展力的地區。[/align]
[align=left]因應旅客需求，市府透過BOT引進民間資金新建南港轉運站，規畫地上及地下連通方式結合台鐵、高鐵及捷運，成為北市東區轉運中心。[/align]
[align=left]公運處指出，新光人壽以保險業結合專業第三人國光客運方式提出申請，透過新光集團豐富樓管實績，並甫以國光客運國內多年經營[color=var(--dark-grey)]國道客運及轉運站經驗，為南港地區打造優質轉運設施，並引入商業設施及辦公空間。[/align]
[align=left]此案民間投資逾30億元，將帶動區域發展，吸引更多元產業進駐，預估可創造總產值逾70億元。公運處將與新光人壽接續辦理議約，透過交通設施為東區的發展打下穩健的基石。[/align]







北市南港轉運站興建營運移轉BOT案，預計2025年完工啟用。圖／北市公運處提供







北市南港轉運站興建營運移轉BOT案，確定由新光人壽股份有限公司為最優申請人。圖／北市公運處提供
https://udn.com/news/story/7323/ ... 2_menu_v2_main_cate



Taipei East Gateway Nangang Bus Interchange BOT 東區門戶計畫 南港轉運站BOT 20201024-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Bus Interchange BOT 東區門戶計畫 南港轉運站BOT 20201024-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20201024-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20201024-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20201024-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 3 Redevelopment 信義計畫區世貿三館地上權 20201024-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Xinyi District World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 3 Redevelopment 信義計畫區世貿三館地上權 20201024-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 3 Redevelopment 信義計畫區世貿三館地上權 20201024-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20201024-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20201024-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20201024-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20201024-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20201024-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20201024-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20201024-8 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20201024-9 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nihu Taipei Feng Shin Tan Mei Office Building 內湖區長虹建設潭美段科技辦公大樓新建工程 20201031 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nihu Taipei Feng Shin Tan Mei Office Building 內湖區長虹建設潭美段科技辦公大樓新建工程 20201031-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nihu Taipei Feng Shin Tan Mei Office Building 內湖區長虹建設潭美段科技辦公大樓新建工程 20201031-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nihu Taipei Feng Shin Tan Mei Office Building 內湖區長虹建設潭美段科技辦公大樓新建工程 20201031-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20201101 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Songshan District China Development Financial Headquarters 松山區 中華開發金控總部 20201101 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Songshan District China Development Financial Headquarters 松山區 中華開發金控總部 20201101-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Songshan District China Development Financial Headquarters 松山區 中華開發金控總部 20201101-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Songshan District China Development Financial Headquarters 松山區 中華開發金控總部 20201101-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Railway building wins culture award *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Nov 2, 2020

A Japanese colonial-era building in Taipei that has been repurposed as a museum was among the recipients of this year’s National Cultural Heritage Preservation Awards on Saturday.

The recipients included both tangible and intangible cultural assets, said the ministry, which held the award ceremony at the Cultural Heritage Park in Taichung.

The building, which used to house the railway department of the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan’s Bureau of Transportation, was in 2007 granted national monument status under the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act (文化資產保存法) and was reopened as part of the National Taiwan Museum in July, becoming one of the museum’s four branches.

The site was once the administrative hub of Taiwan’s railways, the ministry said.

The restoration of the site was a rigorous process, and might serve as a model for other restoration and preservation projects, it said.

More : Railway building wins culture award - Taipei Times


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## hkskyline

* Tamsui light rail seaside line to start partial operations Nov. 15 *
_Excerpt_

Taipei, Nov. 4 (CNA) Part of the Danhai Light Rail Transit system in New Taipei City will start operations on Nov. 15 after it received final approval from the transport ministry on Wednesday, New Taipei city government said.

The first section of the Blue Seaside Line near Tamsui River will start carrying passengers at 2 p.m. that day following an opening ceremony at 10 a.m., according to New Taipei Metro Corporation.

Passengers holding electronic tickets will be able to travel for free between the three Blue Seaside Line stations of Taipei University of Marine Technology, Shalun, and Tamsui Fishermen's Wharf during the first month, the company said.

The 2.15-km section will allow passengers to travel between Fishermen's Wharf and Hongshulin, as it will connect with the existing Green Mountain Line via Binhai Shalun Station which runs from Hongshulin MRT Station to Kanding Station through 11 stops.

The rest of the seaside line is 5.71 km in length and is expected to be completed by 2024. It will extend the light rail service from Fisherman's Wharf to Tamsui MRT Station, with six stations along the Tamsui River.

More : Tamsui light rail seaside line to start partial operations Nov. 15 - Focus Taiwan


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## robhood

*Taipei | Gate of Taipei | 360m | 76 fl | 280m | 56 fl*


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https://flic.kr/p/2k4cE3d


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https://flic.kr/p/2k4cE38


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https://flic.kr/p/2k4cE21



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https://flic.kr/p/2k4cE1K


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## williamchung7

It is not the final design actually, there are still a lot of uncertainties to this project. It hasn't passed Heritage Protection Measure Scheme which design to reduce impact of new development in this area.


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## williamchung7

南港區經貿段社會住宅新建工程-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

南港區經貿段社會住宅新建工程-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

Taipei municipal government is allowing Taipei Dome's construction to resume after design changes. Farglory is not satisfied with the planning board's decision to reduce the size of the shopping mall and cinema and is requesting compensation of TWD 219 million from the government. Construction has been delayed for 756 days.

* 大巨蛋停工、退縮遭求償 柯P不同意:任內不急著發使照 *
蘋果新聞 _Excerpt_
Nov 12, 2020

台北市政府核准遠雄大巨蛋通過設計變更並復工，市府及遠雄將啟動零營運權利談判，但市議員林亮君發現，遠雄不滿去年台北市都市設計審議委員會通過商場、影城棟退縮，又新增5處出入口及景觀設施，共退縮503.09平方公尺（152.18坪）空間，已向市府求償2.19億元，另遠雄還提出因都審請求展延工期756天，林認為可歸責遠雄，籲市長柯文哲把關。柯表示，遠雄的請求他不同意，但可透過協調、仲裁及訴訟解決，就請遠雄依程序走；遠雄沒有通過性能審查及權利金談判，別想急著在他任內取得使用執照，若遠雄要拖，就等下一任市長上任再發，「我也不理你啦」。

林亮君下午質詢說，根據遠雄與北市府協商會議紀錄，遠雄估算大巨蛋營運面積縮減，包括商場棟、影城棟退縮350.24平方公尺，商場與影城棟新增5處出入口及地面層景觀設施退縮152.85平方公尺，遠雄認為不可歸責於它，推算減少淨收益2.19億元，若轉換為營運期則為35天；雙方1月、8月進行協商迄今沒結果。

More : 大巨蛋停工、退縮遭求償 柯P不同意:任內不急著發使照


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## williamchung7

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20201121-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20201121-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei San Xing Duan Public House 信義區三興段社會住宅 20201121 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District Songde Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild 台北信義區松德路人行道整建 20201122-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Songde Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild 台北信義區松德路人行道整建 20201122-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Songde Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild 台北信義區松德路人行道整建 20201122-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District Skyline 20201122 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Skyline 20201122-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Skyline 20201122-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Skyline 20201122-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Skyline 20201122-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Skyline 20201122-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Skyline 20201122-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District Skyline 20201122-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

Taipei's 48 year-old Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is expected to undergo landscape renovation and facility upgrade. The renovation will return the site to the architect's original design with greenery avoiding the impact of the neighbouring Taipei Dome. The landscaping renovation is expected to complete by year 112, and the facility upgrade should complete by year 114 (this year is 109 on the Republic of China calendar).

* 台北國父紀念館整修 回歸王大閎設計 *
China Times _Excerpt_
Nov 26, 2020

設立已逾48年的國立國父紀念館，中山文化園區景觀改造工程已於18日正式發包，而後還有大會堂及周邊設施升級工程，新任館長王蘭生表示，改造將回復王大閎建築師的原始設計理念，也透過樹蔭遮避，讓國父紀念館的古蹟建築天際線不受大巨蛋影響。

王蘭生表示，國父紀念館的景觀改造工程，日前完成第一次的文資審查會議，預計工程於明年1月開始動工，前期為中山公園改造，預計民國112年底完工，再接續進行大會堂設施升級工程，總經費16.32億元，將於民國114年底完工。因應改造工程將展開，該館也舉辦了《半世紀剪影—中山公園的回顧與展望》展，內容包括當年建築師王大閎的原始景觀繪圖，以及百件開館以來具代表性的攝影作品。

More : 台北國父紀念館整修 回歸王大閎設計 - 藝文副刊


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20201128 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20201128 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20201128-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway YeaShin Hua Wei 台北西區門戶計畫 亞昕華威 20201128 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20201129 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20201129-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20201129 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Taipei Bioinnovation Park 東區門戶計畫南港生技產業聚落BOT 20201129 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程 20201128 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程 20201128-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程 20201128-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## Dale

I get the impression that Taipei is undertaking massive public realm improvements ?


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20201212-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20201212-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Huan Nan Market Redevelopment 台北環南市場改建 20201212 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Wanhua Fumin Public House Development 萬華福民社會住宅 20201212 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20201212-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20201212-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway YeaShin Hua Wei 台北西區門戶計畫 亞昕華威 20201212 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20201212 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-8 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20201212-9 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Zhongshan District Jin Zhou Public House 中山區錦州社會住宅 20201219-01 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongshan District Jin Zhou Public House 中山區錦州社會住宅 20201219-0 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongshan District Jin Zhou Public House 中山區錦州社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongshan District Jin Zhou Public House 中山區錦州社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongshan District Jin Zhou Public House 中山區錦州社會住宅 20201219-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr
Taipei Zhongshan District Jin Zhou Public House 中山區錦州社會住宅 20201219-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Wenshan District Mu Zha Public House 文山區木柵社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Wenshan District Mu Zha Public House 文山區木柵社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Wenshan District Mu Zha Public House 文山區木柵社會住宅 20201219-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Wenshan District Mu Zha Public House 文山區木柵社會住宅 20201219-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Shilin District Bai Ling Public House 士林區百齡社會住宅 20201219-0 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Shilin District Bai Ling Public House 士林區百齡社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Zhong Nan Public House 南港區中南社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Zhong Nan Public House 南港區中南社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Zhong Nan Public House 南港區中南社會住宅 20201219-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

景豐一區社會住宅新建工程 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Wenshan District Jing Feng Area No.1 Public House 文山區景豐一區社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Wenshan District Jing Feng Area No.1 Public House 文山區景豐一區社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Yu Cheng Public House 南港區玉成社會住宅 20201219-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Yu Cheng Public House 南港區玉成社會住宅 20201219-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Yu Cheng Public House 南港區玉成社會住宅 20201219-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Yu Cheng Public House 南港區玉成社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Yu Cheng Public House 南港區玉成社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Xiao Wan Public House 南港區小灣社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Neihu District Xing Shan Public House 內湖區行善社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Neihu District Xing Shan Public House 內湖區行善社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Jing Mao Public House 南港區經貿社會住宅 20201219-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Jing Mao Public House 南港區經貿社會住宅 20201219-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Jing Mao Public House 南港區經貿社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Nangang District Jing Mao Public House 南港區經貿社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Dong Ming Public House 南港區東明社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Dong Ming Public House 南港區東明社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Dong Ming Public House 南港區東明社會住宅 20201219-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Beitou District Xin Qi Yan Public House 北投區新奇岩社會住宅 20201219-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Beitou District Xin Qi Yan Public House 北投區新奇岩社會住宅 20201219-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Beitou District Xin Qi Yan Public House 北投區新奇岩社會住宅 20201219-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Gongguan Distribution Reservoir Building Complex 公館配水池共構綜合大樓 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Gongguan Distribution Reservoir Building Complex 公館配水池共構綜合大樓 20201226-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr
Taipei Gongguan Distribution Reservoir Building Complex 公館配水池共構綜合大樓 20201226-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Gongguan Distribution Reservoir Building Complex 公館配水池共構綜合大樓 20201226-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District One 360 信義計畫區 One 360 20201226 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## robhood

Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠
































































世界明珠｜台灣建築之光，點亮東區門戶


高鐵第一站，世界第一村，東區門戶正核心，核電廠等級耐震度達七級、抗17級強颱設計，超越信義計畫區豪宅，南港跨世紀建築地標。




globalone.com.tw


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## robhood

Taipei Nanshan Life Insurance A21 Commercial Office Building

It is planned to develop a commercial office building with 3 floors underground and 35 floors above ground



















































#台北南山人壽a21商辦大樓 - Интересное


explore #台北南山人壽a21商辦大樓 at Facebook




www.facebook.com


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20210102-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20210102-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20210102-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway ARK·TPE + Taiwan Power Warehouse 東區門戶計畫 N24台北方舟+ 台電倉庫整修工程 20210102-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway ARK·TPE + Taiwan Power Warehouse 東區門戶計畫 N24台北方舟+ 台電倉庫整修工程 20210102-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway ARK·TPE + Taiwan Power Warehouse 東區門戶計畫 N24台北方舟+ 台電倉庫整修工程 20210102-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway ARK·TPE + Taiwan Power Warehouse 東區門戶計畫 N24台北方舟+ 台電倉庫整修工程 20210102-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210102 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210102-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210102-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Jing Mao Public House 南港區經貿社會住宅 20210102 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Yu Cheng Public House 南港區玉成社會住宅 20210102-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Yu Cheng Public House 南港區玉成社會住宅 20210102-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Ruentex Yu Cheng Office Building 東區門戶計畫 潤泰玉成段二小段729地號辦公大樓開發案 20210102 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210102-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210102-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210102-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Ministry breaks ground on TRA project in Nangang *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_ 
Jan 13, 2021

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday held a groundbreaking ceremony for an urban renewal project in Taipei, which is to transform the Taiwan Railways Administration’s (TRA) old marshalling yard in Nangang District (南港) into a multifunctional development zone.

The yard, which is between the TRA’s Songshan and Nangang stations, is close to the Songshan and Kunyang stations on the Taipei MRT’s Green and Blue lines, as well as the Taipei Music Center.

The project would include the TRA’s new headquarters, a shopping mall covering 89,256m2, four office buildings, a hotel, a movie theater, an apartment complex that can accommodate 500 households and public facilities, the agency said.

More : Ministry breaks ground on TRA project in Nangang - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Eastbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(東向) 20210116-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Eastbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(東向) 20210116-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Eastbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(東向) 20210116-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Eastbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(東向) 20210116-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Eastbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(東向) 20210116-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Westbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(西向) 20210116-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Westbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(西向) 20210116-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Westbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(西向) 20210116-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Westbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(西向) 20210116-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Zhongxiao East Road Pedestrian Path Rebuild (Westbound) 台北忠孝東路人行道整建工程(西向) 20210116-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District 台北信義計畫區 20210116-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District 台北信義計畫區 20210116-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District 台北信義計畫區 20210116-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District 台北信義計畫區 20210116-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District 台北信義計畫區 20210116-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District 台北信義計畫區 20210116-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Xinyi District 台北信義計畫區 20210116-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr
Taipei Xinyi District 台北信義計畫區 20210116-8 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway 西區門戶計畫 20210116-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei West Gateway 西區門戶計畫 20210116-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway 西區門戶計畫 20210116-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway 西區門戶計畫 20210116-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway 西區門戶計畫 20210116-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway 西區門戶計畫 20210116-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway 西區門戶計畫 20210116-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway 西區門戶計畫 20210116-8 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Information Park Stage 3, Hope Square 台北資訊園區三期 希望廣場 20210123-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei Information Park Stage 3, Hope Square 台北資訊園區三期 希望廣場 20210123-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Information Park Stage 3, Hope Square 台北資訊園區三期 希望廣場 20210123-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Information Park Stage 3, Hope Square 台北資訊園區三期 希望廣場 20210123-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Information Park Stage 3, Hope Square 台北資訊園區三期 希望廣場 20210123-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20210123 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway YeaShin Hua Wei 台北西區門戶計畫 亞昕華威 20210123 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20210123 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Railway Department Park 西區門戶計畫鐵道部園區 20210123-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei West Gateway Railway Department Park 西區門戶計畫鐵道部園區 20210123-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Railway Department Park 西區門戶計畫鐵道部園區 20210123-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Railway Department Park 西區門戶計畫鐵道部園區 20210123-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Railway Department Park 西區門戶計畫鐵道部園區 20210123-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Railway Department Park 西區門戶計畫鐵道部園區 20210123-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20210123-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20210123-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Airport operator to open new tender for Terminal 3 * 
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Jan 27, 2021

Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) yesterday said that it would soon open a new public tender for the Terminal 3 construction project after discovering a major conflict of interest involving a bidder.

The airport operator on Monday last week announced that a construction team formed by Samsung C & T and RSEA Engineering Corp had passed a second review, and that it would finalize the tender tomorrow by awarding the contract to the team.

However, when examining the team’s tender documents for the last time, the company found that one of the members of its review committee also served as a consultant for the construction team in contravention of the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法), it said.

Following a consultation with the Public Constructions Commission, the company on Friday last week decided to invalidate the tender and said that it would soon open a new round of public tender for the project after completing administrative procedures.

Many are concerned that the much-anticipated project — which went through multiple rounds of public tenders — could be further delayed due to the latest incident.

More : Airport operator to open new tender for Terminal 3 - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

墜樓靈異事件頻傳！台北知名「猛鬼大廈」西寧國宅翻身 最快2024年原地重建
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2021-01-18 14:52:26聯合新聞網 楊蕙綾
西寧國宅最快將於2024年重建。 記者張世杰／攝影
西寧國宅最快將於2024年重建。 記者張世杰／攝影
台北市萬華區西寧綜合行政大樓（西寧國宅），過去曾發生多起跳樓輕生事件，靈異傳言不脛而走，還被網友列入北市知名猛鬼大廈之一，雖然曾喊改建多年，卻遲遲未有下文。但最新消息指出，台北市政府決定啟動西寧國宅拆除重建案，最快將於2024年動工。
屋齡已39年的西寧國宅，現有承租戶約476戶，大樓建物老舊且外牆磁剝落，北市府曾於2013年進行海砂屋鑑定，認定僅需建議修繕補強，台北市都發局也編列約2億1000萬元預算，為西寧國宅外觀進行拉皮修繕，但遭地方、民代反對，認為既然花大錢改善外觀，為何不評估改建？最後拉皮計畫只好喊卡。

據《中國時報》報導，議員劉耀仁指出，西寧綜合行政大樓使用年限還有16年，每任市長都以使用年限為藉口，不願面對建物安全問題，讓大樓1樓及地下1樓的攤商們生活在恐懼之中。

為此，都發局長黃景茂也透露，經過總體檢發現，西寧國宅有氯離子含量超標、混凝土中性化等問題，即使補強也只能延長大樓的使用年限15年，因此決定拆除重建，最快將於2023年啟動安置，2024年動工，未來新大樓可提供800戶左右，目前詳情仍在討論中。

西寧國宅常發生命案，曾有退休警員指出，有人受不明力量牽引欲跳樓尋短。 本報資料照...
西寧國宅常發生命案，曾有退休警員指出，有人受不明力量牽引欲跳樓尋短。 本報資料照片
據了解，西寧國宅過去有過不少意外及非自然死亡事件傳出，20年內至少有30人在此輕生，曾有退休警員指出，有人受不明力量牽引欲跳樓尋短，當時一名婦人神情恍惚上頂樓意欲跳樓，女警獲報衝上樓制止，婦人驚醒卻說不知為何來到大樓，還表示「下面有人招手叫我跳下去」。
警方說類似事件不只一次，曾有一名年輕女子陪男友買鞋，莫名其妙跑上樓，想爬牆跳下時及時被救下，女子當時也說「有人向我招手」。由於靈異事件頻傳，北市府只好將派出所遷到西寧國宅「鎮壓」。

但詭異事件並無因此消停，有一資深員警指出，明明沒開冷氣，但在寢室睡覺時竟然被冷醒，甚至還有員警睡醒發現頭腳轉了180度，且腳上還有瘀青手印，嚇到不敢在寢室睡覺，最後只好把寢室改為偵訊室使用。

UDN關心你：珍惜生命，自殺不能解決問題，生命一定可以找到出路。 若需諮商或相關協助可撥生命線專線「1995」、張老師服務專線「1980」或衛福部安心專線「1925」。自殺，不能解決難題；求助，才是最好的路。求救請打1995 ( 要救救我 )
墜樓靈異事件頻傳！台北知名「猛鬼大廈」西寧國宅翻身 最快2024年原地重建 | 房地產

Taipei West Gateway Xi Ning Public House Redevelopment 西區門戶計畫西寧國宅都市更新 20210130-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Xi Ning Public House Redevelopment 西區門戶計畫西寧國宅都市更新 20210130-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Xi Ning Public House Redevelopment 西區門戶計畫西寧國宅都市更新 20210130-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Xi Ning Public House Redevelopment 西區門戶計畫西寧國宅都市更新 20210130-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Xi Ning Public House Redevelopment 西區門戶計畫西寧國宅都市更新 20210130-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District Fubon Rosewood Hotel 信義計畫區 富邦瑰麗酒店 20210130 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

斯文里三期公辦都更 20210130 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Wanhua Fuxing Public House Development 萬華福星社會住宅 20210130 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## Eroha

*2021*
Paris-based architecture practice Vincent Callebaut Architectures has revealed latest photographs of its carbon-absorbing vertical forest in Taipei, Taiwan.
Named Tao Zhu Yin Yuan, the 42,705-square-metre twisting tower is nearing completion and the recent photographs show that planting for gardens has started on the tower, while waterfalls construction and interior decoration of public facilities space are underway.
Located in residential area of Taipei XinYi Development District, the tower will have 21 floors and 4 floors basement, with steel structure implemented with earthquake protection system.
For the Tao Zhu Yin Yuan tower, Vincent Callebaut Architectures won an international architectural competition in November 2010.

The tower will be planted with trees, carrying approximately 23,000 trees, shrubs and plants on the ground floor garden, the balconies and terraces of each household.
The annual carbon absorption of the tower will reache around 130 tons with green coverage at 246%, which is nearly 5 times higher than local regulation, making it a colorful urban forest park in all seasons.

Taking the sustainability approach to the center of design, the project has been devoted to promoting carbon‐absorbing architecture, in order to decrease the temperature of the Earth.
The architectural concept is based on eco‐design principles and an energy self-sufficient efforts, whose energy is electric, thermal and also alimentary.

The Tao Zhu Yin Yuan tower "is directly inspired of the structure in double helix of the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), source of life, dynamism and twinning. Every double helix is represented in the project by two housing units forming a full level."

For this project, Vincent Callebaut Architectures is working with Taipei-based firm LKP Design and Wilson & Associates (WA) from Los Angeles for interior design and San Fransisco-based firm SWA for landscape design.
According to the architect, there are 4 main objectives of this twisting shape. Firstly, it needed to perfectly integrated in the North / South pyramidal profile of the Building Volume defined with the urban setbacks required by the Municiplaity of Taipei.

Secondly, to generate a maximum of cascades of suspended open‐air gardens, not part of the F.A.R (floor area ratio). Thus, the planted balconies surface area can exceed the limit of the required 10%.
Thirdly, to offer to each inhabitant exceptional panoramic views on the skyline of Taipei by multiplying the transversal views, especially towards the very close Taipei 101 tower.

Fourthly, to generate from a flexible standardized level a progressive geometry with corbels which provides intimacy and confidentiality to each apartment by avoiding the indiscreet vision axes.
"Structural design found inspiration in the body structure of the skier in the design of the tower. The central core of the tower is the human body. The 5‐meter truss structure above 21F are the two arms," said the architect.

"The megacolumns on the two sides are the ski poles. A suspended structural system and a Vierendeel truss system (a set of beams for every two floors) transfer all the weight via the arms (beams) to the body (central core) and then down to the foundation."
"The result is a one‐of‐a‐kind structural design that combines the science of mechanics and the art of aesthetics."

The Tao Zhu Yin Yuan tower has also high toughness and is highly earthquake resisting, ensuring the sturdiness of the building. Effectively, the tower integrates also a nuclear plant‐grade seismic concept.

*








Vincent Callebaut releases latest photographs for his carbon-absorbing vertical forest in Taipei


World Architecture Community News - Vincent Callebaut releases latest photographs for his carbon-absorbing vertical forest in Taipei




worldarchitecture.org






















































*


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## williamchung7

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210210-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210210-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210210-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210210-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Sun Yat-sen hall renovation begins *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Feb 25, 2021


Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall by Peter Brent, on Flickr

The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義) yesterday held a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of a NT$1.6 billion (US$56.53 million) renovation project.

The project, which is to include upgrades to the site’s building and landscape, would be the largest renovation the memorial has undergone since its completion in 1972, Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te (李永得) said.

The main highlight of the project would be an attempt to recreate the essence of late architect Wang Da-hong’s (王大閎) original design, Lee said.

More : Sun Yat-sen hall renovation begins - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20210227 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Taipei Rear Station Area Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北後站綠化工程 20210227-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei West Gateway Taipei Rear Station Area Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北後站綠化工程 20210227-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20210227 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District One 360 信義計畫區 One 360 20210307 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210313-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210313-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210313-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Taipei Bioinnovation Park 東區門戶計畫南港生技產業聚落BOT 20210313 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Heart of Nangang 東區門戶計畫南港之心 20210313 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

台北第一果菜及魚類批發市場改建工程 Taipei The First Fruit and Vegetable , Fish Wholesale Markets Rebuild 20210313 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Huan Nan Market Redevelopment 台北環南市場改建 20210313 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20210313 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Bus Interchange BOT 東區門戶計畫 南港轉運站BOT 20210313 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Zhong Nan Public House 南港區中南社會住宅 20210424-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Zhong Nan Public House 南港區中南社會住宅 20210424-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang District Zhong Nan Public House 南港區中南社會住宅 20210424-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Xiao Wan Public House 南港區小灣社會住宅 20210424-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei Nangang District Xiao Wan Public House 南港區小灣社會住宅 20210424-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei San Xing Duan Public House 信義區三興段社會住宅 20210424 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20210424-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20210424-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Liu Zhang Li Public House Plot A and B 信義區六張犁A區、B區公共住宅 20210424-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210424-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210424-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210424-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20210424-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Pop Music Centre 台北流行音樂中心 20210424 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Esun Bank 2nd Headquarters 台北玉山銀行第二企業總部大樓 20210424-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Esun Bank 2nd Headquarters 台北玉山銀行第二企業總部大樓 20210424-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Taipei Bioinnovation Park 東區門戶計畫南港生技產業聚落BOT 20210424 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Beitou and Shilin Technology Park 台北北投士林科技園區20210501-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Beitou and Shilin Technology Park 台北北投士林科技園區20210501-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Beitou and Shilin Technology Park 台北北投士林科技園區20210501-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Beitou and Shilin Technology Park 台北北投士林科技園區20210501-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Beitou and Shilin Technology Park 台北北投士林科技園區20210501-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-8 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-9 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Performing Arts Centre 臺北表演藝術中心 20210501-10 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210508-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210508-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20210508-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20210508-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Dome 臺北大巨蛋 20210516-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Dome 臺北大巨蛋 20210516-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Dome 臺北大巨蛋 20210516-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Rapid urban renewal an ugly thing*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_ 
May 7, 2021

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said that Taipei is ugly, that it can no longer compare with the most advanced cities in China and, therefore, it is time for the city to speed up its urban renewal.

Would urban renewal solve the ugliness problem? Urban renewal in Taiwan is only about replacing old buildings with new ones or applying to build new skyscrapers, but it is not certain that these buildings would be better.

As for the ugliness, old structures are sometimes prettier than new ones: Zhongshan Bridge, which was dismantled in 2002, is just one example. What is missing is a landscape law, but a proposed bill has little to say about regulating the aesthetics of buildings.

Beginning in 1930, the UK restricted the height of buildings around historical sites to allow them to be seen from every direction. As a result, the height of buildings around St Paul’s Cathedral in London was restricted so that they would not destroy the skyline. Rome, in its master plan from 1970, restricted the location, materials, size and lighting of advertising, billboards and shop windows.

To protect certain sites, private property rights might be restricted, and anyone altering or destroying such properties would be required to restore them to their original condition at their own expense. Although this is constitutionally controversial and there have been many protests against it, judicial precedent focuses on restricting private rights to preserve certain sites, and authorities think this is only natural.

More : Rapid urban renewal an ugly thing - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210619-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210619-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210619-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20210619-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Mitsui Garden Hotel 西區門戶計畫 三井忠孝中山店 20210711-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Mitsui Garden Hotel 西區門戶計畫 三井忠孝中山店 20210711-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Mitsui Garden Hotel 西區門戶計畫 三井忠孝中山店 20210711-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20210711-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20210711-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20210711-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20210711 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Taipei Post Office Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北郵局修復工程 20210711-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Taipei Post Office Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北郵局修復工程 20210711-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Taipei Post Office Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北郵局修復工程 20210711-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Taipei Post Office Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北郵局修復工程 20210711-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Taipei Post Office Refurishment 西區門戶計畫 台北郵局修復工程 20210711-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20210711-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20210711-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Ruentex Yu Cheng Office Building 東區門戶計畫 潤泰玉成段二小段729地號辦公大樓開發案 20220122 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Yu Cheng Public House 南港區玉成社會住宅 20220122 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang District Jing Mao Public House 南港區經貿社會住宅 20220122 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20220122 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20220122-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## ddxv

@william always posting the best updates, absolutely love it! Hope I can take you out for a beer sometime 🍻


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## williamchung7

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220204-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220204-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220204-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220204-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## MarciuSky2

*Taipei Performing Arts Center to open doors for trial run in March.


















Taipei Performing Arts Center to open doors for trial run in March - Focus Taiwan


Taipei, Jan. 11 (CNA) The much-anticipated Taipei Performing Arts Center will soon open its doors for a trial run period from March to May to test all three of its auditoriums, a top city official said Tuesday.




focustaiwan.tw




*


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20220227-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20220227-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Fu Siang Jing Wang 台北西區門戶計畫 富享京王 20220227-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20220227-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20220227-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20220227-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway YeaShin Hua Wei 台北西區門戶計畫 亞昕華威 20220227 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Diamond Towers 忠孝正義國宅都市更新 20220227 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Yuanta Commercial Bank Headquarters 元大銀行總部 20220227 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* LNG terminal application passes impact assessment *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Mar 3, 2022 

A proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal project in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) yesterday passed its environmental impact assessment at the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA).

CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC), which would build and operate the terminal, expects that it would in June 2025 begin providing gas to the Datan power plant.

The refiner said that the site was selected to enable speedy delivery to the power plant. 

A referendum on Dec. 18 last year urged the relocation of the project, as it might affect algal reefs, but failed to pass.

CPC said it had taken its potential environmental effect into account and would build the terminal farther offshore, adding that it would not pursue earlier plans to reclaim 21 hectares of land to build a harbor and turning basin.

More : LNG terminal application passes impact assessment - Taipei Times


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## hkskyline

* Farglory, InterContinental to open new Taipei hotel *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Mar 5, 2022 

Farglory Group (遠雄集團) is partnering with the InterContinental Hotels Group PLC to launch a new hotel next to the Taipei Dome under the British hospitality conglomerate’s brand, helping the name make a comeback in Taipei after 22 years, local media said.

However, InterContinental is to cease management of Hotel Indigo Hsinchu Science Park (新竹英迪格) next month, after the group ended its management of Imperial Hotel Taipei (台北華國大飯店) in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reports said.

The new property would be InterContinental’s fourth in Taipei after Kimpton Da An Hotel (金普頓大安酒店), Regent Taipei (台北晶華酒店) and Hotel Indigo Taipei North (英迪格).

More : Farglory, InterContinental to open new Taipei hotel - Taipei Times


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## hkskyline

* Financial Times headlines Taiwan's new landmark *
_Excerpt_
Mar 7, 2022 










TAIPEI (Taiwan News)— Taiwan’s new landmark “Taipei Performing Arts Center” (TPAC) was selected by Financial Times as a promising art place to redefine the future.

Located in the nation’s capital, the new theater is well known in prestigious foreign media, such as CNN, The Guardian, and Time Magazine. This year, it was headlined in Financial Times in February before its trial run began in March.

Standing out from architectural structures in Asia and Europe, the Financial Times selected three venues that are redefining the future for 2022 and TPAC is one of them, with the title: “art space of the future.” Designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), the transformable building contains three theaters, with the most eye-catching one the magic Globe which can host an audience of 1,500.

More : Financial Times headlines Taiwan's new landmark | Taiwan News | 2022-03-07 17:31:00


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## hkskyline

* Agency denies claims it is stalling dome review *
Taipei Times_Excerpt_
Mar 11, 2022 

The Construction and Planning Agency yesterday denied that it deliberately stalled a review for the Taipei Dome project, adding that it would work with the Taipei City Government to expedite the review as long as the city can guarantee that the stadium is safe to use.

The NT$37 billion (US$1.3 billion) stadium is scheduled to be completed this year after construction that has lasted for nearly a decade.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on Wednesday said that the agency was purposely delaying its review of the stadium and making it difficult for the city to secure approval, adding that the Democratic Progressive Party government did not want to give Ko credit for completing the project during his term.

Ko said that he was elected mayor to resolve controversies over the project and did not consider the stadium one of his accomplishments, but added that the stadium’s contractor, Farglory Group, delivered a much better design than the one that was presented to his predecessor.

“We had insisted that Farglory change the design of the stadium’s B1 floor if it intended to make it a shelter, where people can go in emergency situations,” he said. “We have given the modified B1 floor plan to the agency. It should review it as quickly as possible, rather than deliberately stall it.”

More : Agency denies claims it is stalling dome review - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei Chenggong Public Market Redevelopment 台北成功市場改建 20220307-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Chenggong Public Market Redevelopment 台北成功市場改建 20220307-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Chenggong Public Market Redevelopment 台北成功市場改建 20220307-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20220307 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

[font=微軟正黑體, 蘋果儷黑體, Arial, sans-serif, Verdana][size=12.7999px][img=799,0]https://expansion.tfam.museum/UploadImg/20211214000312.jpg[/img]Schematic Design of TFAM and Art Park, Existing and New Buildings (Source: Taipei Art Park Phase I Report — Designated Technical Service of Advance Planning & Design)
[size=0.9375][size=0.9375]*Initiative*[align=left]Taipei Fine Arts Museum develops, studies, reaches out and collects modern and contemporary art in Taiwan. In response to the global trends in arts over the past two decades and the role of public museums in the capital city, its expansion had been eagerly expected by the art society.[/align][align=left]38 years after its inauguration, the spaces for exhibitions, collections, educational programs and public service in TFAM became insufficient. Permanent exhibitions for classic Taiwanese art or exhibition, performance & screening of new genre arts cannot be accommodated with the best presentation. Setting out from the mission to comb through the history of Taiwanese art, this project is to solidify the foundation for the future growth of Taiwanese art.[/align] *Goals and FunctionsA platform of contemporary art for international exchange*[align=left]The new building provides venues for contemporary art that applies new media, new technology, live arts, as well as research and outreach among other interdisciplinary/hybrid types of arts. It will be an incubator of innovative arts as well as a hub of art education for future generations.[/align]*The capital city needs permanent venues to represent the development of Taiwanese art*[align=left]TFAM possesses very rich and precious collections of artworks and archives from the recent past, in charge of one of the largest collection of artworks presented in “Taiten” (Taiwan Art Exhibition) and “Futen” (Taiwan Viceroy Art Exhibition) organized by the Japanese colonial government. TFAM main building will be committed to researching and representing Taiwan’s art history from diverse perspectives, as well as promoting cultural heritage education.[/align]*Northern area of Taipei City needs an art park*[align=left]The site was on Chung Shan N. Rd., former venue of the Taipei International Flora Expo. TFAM’s expansion will adopt earth-sheltered architecture, leaving the park and greenery open. The idea of a “museum in the woods” is to bring art into the domains of nature and create a green space that serves as an art venue, a public forum, and a recreational place for the public.[/align][/size]
[/size]

[/size]
[size=12.7999px][img=376,0]https://expansion.tfam.museum/UploadImg/20211214000502.jpg[/img]Developmental Projects Within Semi-Diameter 10KM Around The Site (Source: Report of Taipei Art Park—Environmental Impact Analysis of TMAM’s Expansion)
[img=376,0]https://expansion.tfam.museum/UploadImg/20211214000506.jpg[/img]Map of the Site and Its Surroundings (Source: Report of Taipei Art Park—Environmental Impact Analysis of TFAM’s Expansion)

[size=0.9375]*Current Progress*[align=left]Archaeological Evaluation was completed in 2019, Environmental Impact Assessment was completed in Feb, 2020. Advanced Planning was completed in Apr, 2020, and Competition for the Project Management and Construction Supervisory Service was decided in Aug, 2020. The Request for Service of the Turnkey Construction Competition will be open to the public by the end of 2021.[/align]*Site Description*[align=left]The site is at the south of the existing museum building, the former venue of the Flora Expo. The new building will be two floors underground and one floor above ground. The TFAM’s art complex consists of the existing building, new building and the new collections vault The goal of the master plan is to integrate architecture into the natural landscape. The ground floor yields to park and greenery by creating the major structure underground, providing the public multiple choices of visiting and experiencing the spaces.[/align]*Data Sheet*
Location: South of the TFAM, West of the Military Police Command, North of the Mintzu E. Rd., East of the Chung Shan N. Rd., within the block of the park for the previous Flora Expo.
Buildings on the site (remained): WDH House Theater, Inclusive Playground, Crystal Lovers’ Bridge
Site Area: 333,183m2 (Park) 101,287m2 (Art Park)
Building Area: 6,061.17m2
Total Floor Area: 44,576m2
Story: One story above ground, two stories underground
Projected Budget: 5,234,041,000 (Including project management, supervision, turnkey construction, construction management, and public artworks)
Turnkey Construction, Management and Supervision Competition Winner: PROCEED Engineering Co., Ltd. & Ekuo Architects
[/size]

[/size][/font]



Taipei Art Park TAIPEI FINE ARTS MUSEUM Expansion 臺北藝術園區 臺北市立美術館擴建工程 20220403-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Art Park TAIPEI FINE ARTS MUSEUM Expansion 臺北藝術園區 臺北市立美術館擴建工程 20220403-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

*Taipei Symphony Orchestra to premiere 'Taipei' at new arts center *
_Excerpt_

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) A symphony piece commissioned in 2015 for the new Taipei Performing Arts Center will premiere in August during the venue's official opening season, according to Taipei Symphony Orchestra.

The piece, titled "Taipei," was composed by Chien Nan-chang (錢南章), and will be performed on Aug. 7 by Taipei Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Chien Wen-pin (簡文彬), the orchestra said in a statement Thursday.

...

The Taipei Performing Arts Center, which began construction in 2012, opened in March for a trial run, after years of unexpected delays on the project.

More : Taipei Symphony Orchestra to premiere 'Taipei' at new arts center - Focus Taiwan


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## robhood

New Taipei City
Banqiao|Fuhua Le Méridien|Commercial 145.2 meters living 172 meters|living 46 floors commercial 31 floors|under construction




















https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH31t6QzcpHwe5hPxq5f7aw/community


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## robhood

New Taipei City
|Zhonghe District | Huayue Building | 199.5 meters | 43 floors 































https://forumosauploads-12829.kxcdn.com/original/3X/b/4/b4e90f6cbcdeb364158033ff9ad788d808437afd.jpeg













https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH31t6QzcpHwe5hPxq5f7aw/community


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## robhood

Taipei

Development of surface rights of T16 in Beitou Shilin Science and Technology Park
The planning and design simulation diagram of Jin Compal headquarters of Jinbao Group.
264 meters | 55 floors

























https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH31t6QzcpHwe5hPxq5f7aw/community


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## MarciuSky2

*OMA’s Taipei Performing Arts Center Opens.































































OMA’s Taipei Performing Arts Center Opens


Taipei Performing Arts Center designed by OMA and jointly led by Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten has opened to the public.




www.archdaily.com




*


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## williamchung7

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-6 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-7 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-8 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-9 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-10 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-11 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-12 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-13 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-14 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-15 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-16 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-17 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-18 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-19 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-21 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-22 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-23 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-24 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-25 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-26 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-27 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-28 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-29 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-30 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-31 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-32 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-33 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Kuang Tzu Po Ai Public House Development Project 廣慈博愛園區社會住宅 20220821-34 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

*DPP’s Chen shares Taipei Dome ideas *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Aug 18, 2022

The Taipei Dome would mainly be used for sports events after authorities have ensured its safety, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said yesterday, as he announced that if he is elected on Nov. 26, he would make public part of the correspondence between the Taipei City Government and the Dome’s contractor to clarify the decades-long controversy over the project.

DPP Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄), Chen’s election campaign spokesman, said the Taipei Dome has been under construction for more than 20 years, under the supervision of three mayors, but there are still many unsolved issues concerning traffic, fire safety and usage rules, among others.

“The only thing that we are sure of is that construction has been ongoing, and currently 96.63 percent of the sports venue’s construction and 96.23 percent of the affiliated facilities’ construction have been completed, but there are still many problems with the Taipei Dome construction project,” Chuang said.

More : DPP’s Chen shares Taipei Dome ideas - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei Xinyi District One 360 信義計畫區 One 360 20220821 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20220821-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20220821-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Daan District Dunnan Financial Building Redevelopment 大安區 敦南金融大樓都市更新 20220821-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Daan District Bao Hong Headquarters 寶紘建設企業總部 20220821-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei Daan District Bao Hong Headquarters 寶紘建設企業總部 20220821-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Gov't defends plan for water tunnel from Wulai to Taoyuan *
_Excerpt_

Taipei, Aug. 28 (CNA) The Water Resources Agency (WRA) defended proposals for a 17.3-kilometer-long tunnel from Nanshi Creek (南勢溪) in New Taipei's Wulai District to Shihmen Reseivor in Taoyuan Sunday amid concerns over the project's environmental and social costs.

In a statement, the WRA, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, said the project was currently undergoing an environmental impact assessment and that construction would not go ahead without the approval of local residents in Wulai.

The WRA's comments come after environmental groups and members of Wulai's Indigenous community expressed opposition to the project in a report published by the Chinese-language United Daily News.

More : Gov't defends plan for water tunnel from Wulai to Taoyuan - Focus Taiwan


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 C4 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20220912-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 C4 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20220912-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 C4 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20220912-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Taiwan Fertilizer Co , Ltd C2 C3 C4 東區門戶計畫 南港台肥 C2 C3 C4 20220912-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20220913-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20220913-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20220912-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nangang Depot Public House Development 南港機廠社會住宅 20220912-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Ruentex Yu Cheng Office Building 東區門戶計畫 潤泰玉成段二小段729地號辦公大樓開發案 20220912-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Ruentex Yu Cheng Office Building 東區門戶計畫 潤泰玉成段二小段729地號辦公大樓開發案 20220912-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Marshalling Yard Redevelopment 東區門戶計畫 南港調車場公辦都更 20220912 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Connecting Core Platform 東區門戶計畫 南港連通核心平台 20220913-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Connecting Core Platform 東區門戶計畫 南港連通核心平台 20220913-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Connecting Core Platform 東區門戶計畫 南港連通核心平台 20220913-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Connecting Core Platform 東區門戶計畫 南港連通核心平台 20220913-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## robhood

Taipei City
World Trade Center III | 232.6 meters | 42 floors | Planning 































行政院環境保護署「環評書件查詢系統」：書件摘要







eiadoc.epa.gov.tw







https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH31t6QzcpHwe5hPxq5f7aw/community


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20220912-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr



Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20220912-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## robhood

Taipei city

Nangang Economic and Trade Park and Academia Sinica, aerial views


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## robhood

New Taipei City

Rezoning Right Bank area


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## robhood

Taipei city

The second phase of Taipei Forest Technology Park (the extension of Fuguo Road west of Chengde Road)


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Goldsun Group Headquaters 東區門戶計畫 國產集團企業總部 20221008-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Taipei, New Taipei mayors break ground on first metro section in Shulin *
_Excerpt_ 

New Taipei, Oct. 14 (CNA) Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) broke ground on the construction of the first metro line section in New Taipei's Shulin District on Friday.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the 6.6-kilometer section in Shulin marked the beginning of the second phase of the construction of Taipei Metro's Light Green Line, currently being built between Taipei and New Taipei, according to the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems.

The Light Green Line, also known as the Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin Line, will connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station in Taipei and Huilong Station in New Taipei's Xinzhuang District, and expand the Taipei Metro network to Shulin for the first time, according to the department.

More : Taipei, New Taipei mayors break ground on first metro section in Shulin - Focus Taiwan


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## robhood

Taipei City
Baofeng Long Dunnan Financial Building | 155.7 meters | 32 floors |













https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH31t6QzcpHwe5hPxq5f7aw/community


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## hkskyline

hkskyline said:


> *Core Pacific City sells lossmaking mall to affiliate *
> REGENERATION: Buyer CPDC plans to tear down Living Mall next year and build a complex with four smart, environmentally friendly office buildings
> 26 September 2019
> Taipei Times _Excerpt_
> 
> 
> Living mall taipei by Master Shifu, on Flickr
> 
> Core Pacific City Co, operator of the unprofitable Living Mall in Taipei's Songshan District, yesterday sold the property to an affiliated company in an auction after three previous attempts failed to draw any bidders.
> 
> China Petrochemical Development Corp (CPDC) acquired the mall for NT$37.2 billion (US$1.2 billion) through its development unit, the company said.
> 
> Both Core Pacific City Co and CPDC are major units of the Core Pacific Group, which also owns civil engineering, construction, financial and entertainment businesses.
> 
> The mall covers 4,986 ping (16,483m2), with 62,000 ping of floor space across 12 stories above ground and eight underground floors.
> 
> The group has since December last year sought to find buyers for the retail complex at an asking price of NT$38 billion and later lowered the amount to NT$34.2 billion.
> 
> The group took out a syndicated loan of NT$12 billion two decades ago to finance the construction of the L-shaped commercial complex and the debt is due to mature later this year.
> 
> The group made a similar transaction years ago by having subsidiary BES Engineering Corp acquire land in the citys prime Xinyi District and develop a high-profile residential building, Taozhu Garden, which is about to enter the property market.
> 
> CPDC plans to tear down Living Mall next year and construct a top-class commercial zone featuring four new 19-floor office buildings, company vice president and spokesperson Chen Ying-chun told a media gathering.
> 
> The company expects to sell the new office buildings at NT$1.2 million or above per ping during the presale period, Chen said, adding that the company aims to look for potential buyers next year.
> 
> The four office buildings would be smart and environmentally friendly, and would be able to accommodate 10,000 people, the company said.
> 
> More : Core Pacific City sells lossmaking mall to affiliate - Taipei Times


* Dingyue marks start of work for Taipei project *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Oct 20, 2022

Dingyue Development Corp (鼎越開發), an affiliate of China Petrochemical Development Corp (中石化), yesterday held a groundbreaking ceremony for a mixed-use complex at the former site of a shopping mall in Taipei operated by Core Pacific City Co (京華城).

The Core Pacific Plaza (京華廣場) in Songshan District (松山) would feature four upscale office buildings with 19 floors above ground and seven basement floors on about 5,000 ping (16,500m2) of land, the developer said.

The 12-story Living Mall ceased operations on Nov. 28, 2019, after 18 years in business.

More : Dingyue marks start of work for Taipei project - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20221016-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei Nan Men Market Rebuild 台北南門市場改建 20221016-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Taipei Bioinnovation Park 東區門戶計畫南港生技產業聚落BOT 20221023 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway Nangang Tunnel 東區門戶計畫 南港隧道工程 20221023 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Longyan Nangang Head Office 東區門戶計畫 龍巖南港辦公大樓-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Longyan Nangang Head Office 東區門戶計畫 龍巖南港辦公大樓-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Longyan Nangang Head Office 東區門戶計畫 龍巖南港辦公大樓-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Longyan Nangang Head Office 東區門戶計畫 龍巖南港辦公大樓 20221023 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20221023-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei East Gateway The Global One 東區門戶計畫世界明珠 20221023-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20221016 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## robhood

Taipei city

The “Heart of Nangang” public office renovation project is located in the center of Nangang Software Park, National Biotechnology Center, Northern Pop Music Center, National Convention Center and Nangang Exhibition Hall

A shopping mall will be set up on the 1st to 2nd floors above the ground and connected to the International Convention and Exhibition Center by a three-dimensional corridor, *and a 32-story office building will be built on the southwest side. On the northeast side of the building, three 37-storey residential buildings will be constructed,* and the buildings will be designed with steel reinforced and steel reinforced concrete structures, providing a variety of use spaces such as transfer stations, international convention and exhibition centers, shopping malls, offices and residences


Taipei East Gateway Heart of Nangang 東區門戶計畫南港之心-1 by William Chung, on Flickr

Taipei East Gateway Heart of Nangang 東區門戶計畫南港之心-2 by William Chung, on Flickr



https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIsa-2xON1H_p5bREXCN6HA/community


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## robhood

Taipei city
Known as the largest MRT project in history, the C1D1 Gemini Joint Development Building of Taipei Main Station, of which the two towers C1 and D1 of the "Taipei Gemini" have obtained construction licenses. Recently, two property management consultants and investment consultants The contract was won by Colliers International; it is reported that the whole case will be born before the county mayor election at the earliest and early next year at the earliest, after the official start of construction.





高力獲台北雙子星物管、招商合約 - 工商時報


有史上規模最大捷運聯開案之稱、台北車站C1D1雙子星聯合開發大樓，其中「台北雙子星」C1和D1兩大棟塔樓，已取得建照，最近物業管理顧問、招商顧問兩合約被高力國際得標；據悉，全案最快將在縣市長選舉前、最慢明年初，正式開工後，有機會在五年後誕生。




ctee.com.tw


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## hkskyline

* New plan for air force command art museum *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Nov 18, 2022

The Ministry of Culture and the Taipei City Government yesterday agreed on a revised plan for the former Air Force Command Headquarters, which would see its northern end turned into a “national museum” to house seminal Taiwanese artwork.

The Taipei Urban Planning Commission said it “in principle” accepts the ministry’s proposal, which is expected to enter formal deliberations by the end of this year at the earliest.

The land currently houses the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab, or C-LAB.

The city government and ministry had been locked in a debate over initial ministry plans, which split use between public use and private development, such as hotels.

Under the new plan, 2.5 hectares at the northern end near Jiangguo S Road would be used for public cultural use, while 4.65 hectares on the southern end near Renai Road would be for historical preservation.

More : New plan for air force command art museum - Taipei Times


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## hkskyline

* Interior ministry urges fire drills at Taipei Dome*
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Nov 11, 2022

The Taipei City Government should take lessons from last month’s deadly Halloween crush in Seoul and simulate a fire escape drill at the Taipei Dome before it is opened to the public, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday.

The ministry’s statement came after Next Apple News reported that the dome might not be completed in January as promised by the city government, as the city has yet to receive a certificate of approval for the stadium’s fire escape system from the ministry’s National Fire Agency.

The dome’s contractor Farglory Group needs the certificate to complete the remaining 3 percent of the project, the report said, adding that the remaining construction would take at least four months to finish.

More : Interior ministry urges fire drills at Taipei Dome - Taipei Times


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## williamchung7

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20221118-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20221118-3 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20221118-4 by William Chung, 於 Flickr

Taipei West Gateway Huang Hsiang Office Building 台北西區門戶計畫 皇翔商務大樓 20221118-5 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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## hkskyline

* Water supply key to TSMC plant *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_
Nov 22, 2022

Recent reports have said that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) is planning to establish an advanced chip manufacturing plant in Taoyuan that would specialize in the 2-nanometer process. TSMC, known as Taiwan’s “silicon shield,” is a heavyweight enterprise in the nation’s economy.

Regardless, attention should be paid to the great amount of water and power TSMC consumes. The Datan Power Plant is expected to supply the planned Taoyuan plant with power, but plans for its water supply are still hanging in the air.

It is well known that Taoyuan relies heavily on the Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫) for its supply, but the reservoir’s capacity is relatively small.

More : Water supply key to TSMC plant - Taipei Times


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## hkskyline

These are official photos from Tsai Ying-wen's visit to *Keelung*'s newly-built intercity transport station. 

Relevant news article in Chinese : 總統視察基隆城際轉運站 整合國道公路客運及市公車動線 | 聯合新聞網

Costing 700 million New Taiwan Dollars, this facility will be completed by the end of the month. Construction began in 2018 and it will be used by intercity highway buses and urban buses and incorporates the old railway station.

11.17 總統視察「基隆城際轉運站」 by 總統府, on Flickr

11.17 總統視察「基隆城際轉運站」 by 總統府, on Flickr

11.17 總統視察「基隆城際轉運站」 by 總統府, on Flickr

11.17 總統視察「基隆城際轉運站」 by 總統府, on Flickr

11.17 總統視察「基隆城際轉運站」 by 總統府, on Flickr

11.17 總統視察「基隆城際轉運站」 by 總統府, on Flickr

11.17 總統視察「基隆城際轉運站」 by 總統府, on Flickr


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## williamchung7

Taipei Huan Nan Market Redevelopment 台北環南市場改建 20221127-1 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


Taipei Huan Nan Market Redevelopment 台北環南市場改建 20221127-2 by William Chung, 於 Flickr


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