Hong Kong SkyPlaza gets off the ground

Print Article E-Mail Article

Hong Kong's Airport Authority has begun the development of the first stage of its new commercial complex after asking international developers to submit expressions of interest by June 20 to build and manage the facility.

Called SkyPlaza, the 1.08m sq ft (100,371sq m) project will be built opposite the airport rail express station and will form the gateway to the 57-hectare SkyCity commercial district at the northeast corner of the airport island first announced last October (TRW 30/10/01).

The lower floors of the building will include a 322,800sq ft (30,000sq m) retail centre with shops, cafes, an Imax 3D cinema and an aviation museum.

A podium will be built to connect with the rail station, tour group check-in facilities and a bigger bus station. There will be four eight-storey office blocks above the podium.

One of the buildings has been earmarked as the Airport Authority's new corporate headquarters. Another key tenant will be the Hong Kong World Trade Centre, which will provide a range of business services. The complex will also feature Hong Kong's second exhibition centre. Airlines and airport-related companies are expected to occupy the remaining space.

Airport Authority commercial director Hans Bakker said it would be a "facility designed for multiple purposes".