Office building to be torn down after 2 years
This would set a record for one of the shortest lived office buildings in Japan. Only two years after completion, a high-rise office building near Osaka's Umeda area is now facing a threat of demolition.
Midosuji Front Tower is located in alongside Midosuji Avenue in Sonezakishinchi 1 Chome in Kita-ku. The 20 story building was completed in June 2010 and has a total floor area of 18,000 sqm (193,680 sqft). It was intended to be let out to tenants but the construction barricades around the building have never been removed and it has never been occupied.
In 2003, Toyo Real Estate bought the 1700 sqm site. After approaching Mitsubishi Jisho, the two companies set up a special purpose company in 2007 to develop the site. Both parties would contribute funds to the project while the remaining majority was to be financed. The SPC entered into an agreement with Kajima Corporation to construct the building at a cost of 5 billion Yen. When completed, the building was expected to bring in an annual rent of between 800 million ~ 1 billion Yen.Read more
Residents told they are 'on their own' in a major earthquake
Residents of The Tokyo Towers - a 58-storey condominium complex in Chuo-ku's Kachidoki bayside area - attended an information session on disaster preparedness held by the building's management committee in October. Following the Tohoku earthquake, the committee have been looking at revising their disaster manual.
Mr. Motose, who is in charge of disaster management in the committee, informed residents that they may be without electricity and elevators in the event of a major earthquake, and should prepared to have enough supplies to last a month.
Residents were also told of possible ways the building could be affected in an earthquake. Read more
Sales in Park Court Chiyoda Fujimi The Tower start today
Mitsui Fudosan Residential begin sales of apartments in Park Court Chiyoda Fujimi The Tower today. The 40-storey building will be completed by the end of March, 2014, and apartments will be ready to move into by the following July.Read more
Able to offer improved rental apartment service for foreign students
Japanese rental agency, Able, have introduced a new service for foreign students that will assist them in finding an apartment to move into as soon as they arrive in the country.
Up until now, foreign students have had to stay in temporary accommodation, such as student dormitories, until they receive their alien registration card. It was only when they had received the card that they could rent an apartment privately. This resulted in the student waiting several weeks before moving into more permanent accommodation.Read more
47-yr old ryokan converted to sharehouse in Tokyo
Real estate company R Bank have converted an old Japanese inn (ryokan) into a character-filled female-only sharehouse in Tokyo's Katsushika ward. Called 'Tokyo Kita Wave', the property was renovated from a 47 year old post-war inn, and is their 30th sharehouse.Read more