Shanghai has completed preliminary planning for a major project
that will revitalize land on both banks of the Huangpu River.
The project, according to Jiao Yang, a municipal spokesperson,
will include the construction of a world-class entertainment and
shopping area.
"Residents will have more public space for activities and
they'll be able to better enjoy nature," Jiao told journalists at a
news conference on December 17.
She said the city has completed urban planning for the Northern
Bund and the Shiliupu-Dongchang Road areas, as well as for future
ferry stations.
The Waitanyuan area, known as the Bund Headstream, is to be
preserved. She added that several corporate and residential
structures have been successfully relocated, in accordance with the
plan.
Meanwhile, details to renovate key buildings of the Southern
Bund, including the Dongfang Restaurant, a historical building,
have been finalized.
"By the end of the year, we will clear up advertising boards on
top the Dongfang Restaurant in a wish to to restore its previous
style," Jiao said.
Meanwhile, the city will begin construction of an international
passenger shipping service center, to be completed by the end of
2006, according to Jiao. The multi-million-dollar center will
include a number of buildings and a dock.
The new dock will be able to berth three large cruise ships at
one time. The center will extend on a plot covering 160,000 square
meters.
Twin towers will be built in the Northern Bund that will house a
five-star hotel and corporate offices. Large areas of land on both
sides of the Huangpu River are being turned into parks, officials
said.
The revitalization plan, which involves the development of
nearly 74 square kilometers of land, was launched in early 2002,
and is expected to take about another eight years to complete.
Docks, factories and warehouses are being replaced by large
patches of grassland, large-scale cultural and entertaining
facilities and riverfront residential quarters and office
grounds.
The Yangpu Bridge district will feature residential homes and
high-tech offices, while the area between Shiliupu and Dongchang
Road will contain a combination of historically preserved buildings
and modern structures, officials said.
(eastday.com December 18, 2003)