Omotesando public housing site to be redeveloped

Aoyama Kitamachi Apaato 3

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced plans to redevelop the Aoyama Kitamachi Apaato, a city-operated public housing complex located near Omotesando Station and just behind Aoyama Dori Street.

The four hectare site currently contains 25 residential blocks built between 1957 and 1968. This project was said to be the first post-war city housing in Tokyo. Apartments ranged in size from 32 ~ 52 sqm. The 4 and 5 storey buildings have no elevators and some of the buildings did not have bathrooms (bathroom units were added to the balconies later).Read more

by Zoe Ward

2020 Olympics Athletes Village Plans Revealed

Tokyo Harumi Athletes Village Plan

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced the model plan for the 2020 Summer Olympics Athletes’ Village in Harumi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.

There are plans for 22 residential buildings ranging from 14 ~ 17 stories. After the games, the apartments will be sold off as either rental apartment or condominiums. Two 50-storey high-rise apartment towers will also be built after the games, along with a school and retail facilities. A total of 6,000 apartments will be supplied.Read more

by Zoe Ward

New apartment prices in Tokyo up 10.3%

According to the Real Estate Economic Institute, 3,337 brand new apartments were released for sale in greater Tokyo in November, up 6.8% from the previous month but down 33.3% from last year. This is the 10th month in a row to see a year-on-year decline. It is also lower than the Institute’s forecast of 4,000 apartments. This is the lowest level for November since 2008 and is thought to be due to developers postponing sales in major projects until the new year.

2,617 apartments were sold, making the contract rate 78.4%, up 15.1 points from the previous month but down 1.2 points from last year.

The average new apartment price was 52,240,000 Yen, up 14.6% from the previous month and up 5.2% from last year. The average price per square meter was 737,000 Yen, up 15.5% from the previous month and up 6.2% from last year.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Tokyu Plaza Shibuya to be redeveloped

Tokyu Plaza Shibuya 1

The Tokyu Plaza Shibuya building to the west of Shibuya Station will be demolished in 2015 and replaced with a larger mixed and retail development.

The 9-storey multi-tenant retail building, which was originally called the Shibuya Tokyu Building, opened in 1965. In celebration of its 50 year history, a number of stores will be holding special sales from January to March 2015, while some of the restaurants which have been in operation since the building opened will prepare special menu items. A temporary gallery with photos of the Shibuya area over the past five decades is also scheduled to open from the end of January.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Same-day sellout in The Parkhouse Higashi Ginza

The Parkhouse Higashi Ginza 1

All 28 apartments offered during the first round of sales in Mitsubishi Jisho Residence’s The Parkhouse Higashi Ginza sold out on the same day.

The 13-storey apartment building is located a 1 minute walk from Shintomicho Station and is 700 meters from Ginza’s Chuo Dori Street. Apartments range in size from 70 ~ 81 sqm (753 ~ 872 sqft) and are all 3-bedrooms. Prices ranged from 74 ~ 108 million Yen (640,000 ~ 920,000 USD), with an average price of around 1,240,000 Yen/sqm.

The sales office received 1,587 inquiries and had 276 groups visit the showroom. Each apartment received an average of 1.9 purchase applications, with the most popular apartment receiving 5 applications. The lucky buyers were selected via a lottery-type system.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Mitsui starts work on Nihonbashi 2 Chome Redevelopment

Nihonbashi redevelopment 3

On November 13, Mitsui Fudosan announced that they have started construction on the Nihonbashi 2 Chome District Redevelopment Project. This redevelopment forms an important part of the second stage of the Nihonbashi Revitalisation Plan.

The 2.6 hectare site includes the historic Nihonbashi Takashimaya Department Store. The important cultural property was built in 1933 and will be retained as part of the new development. The rooftop terrace and gardens will be upgraded and expanded to cover a 6,000 sqm space with footbridges connecting the rooftop to the neighboring office buildings.Read more

by Zoe Ward

New apartment prices down 10% in Tokyo

According to the Real Estate Economic Institute, 3,125 brand new apartments were released for sale in greater Tokyo in October, down 6.3% from the previous month and down 10.9% from last year. This is the 9th month in a row to see a year-on-year decline in supply.

The drop in supply is due primarily to an expected drop in demand following the increase in consumption tax in April 2014, as well as rising construction costs which are limiting the viability of many projects for developers. Sales for apartments priced under 40 million Yen have become particularly slow in recent months.

With recent data showing the second consecutive quarter of negative GDP growth in Japan, it seems highly probable that the next planned increase in the consumption tax rate will be delayed. A spokesperson from the Institute believes a delay in the next tax rise will provide a very positive benefit for the market.

1,978 apartments were sold, making the contract rate 63.3%, down 8.3 points from the previous month and down 16.3 points from last year. This is the lowest contract rate seen since February 2009 when it reached 61.7%. This is also the second month in a row where the rate has dropped below the 70% level which is considered to be the line between a positive and negative market conditions.Read more

by Zoe Ward