Toranomon 2 Chome Redevelopment Project
On July 15, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government approved the re-development plans for the Toranomon Hospital and National Printing Bureau site in Minato-ku.
The 145.6 billion Yen project will include a 19-storey hospital building and a 179m tall, 36-storey commercial building. The hospital building will be rebuilt from 2015 ~ 2018, with the office tower to be built between 2019 ~ 2022. The entire project is expected to be completed by 2024.
There are a number of major redevelopment projects in the Toranomon area, including the recently completed Toranomon Hills, the future redevelopment of Hotel Okura, the redevelopment of the Toranomon Pastoral Building (Toranomon 4 Chome Project) and the Akasaka 1 Chome Redevelopment.Read more
Ken Corp plans to demolish Yokohama’s oldest warehouse
A local outcry has erupted after it was discovered that Minato-ku based real estate and expat leasing company, Ken Corporation, is considering demolishing the 104-year old Former Mitsui Bussan Yokohama Warehouse in Nihonodori, Yokohama.
The warehouse is one of the earliest structures in Japan to incorporate reinforced concrete in the construction. Built in 1910, the building has three floors as well as a basement and a total floor area of 2,194 sqm. It was designed by Oto Endo (1866-1943), a pioneer in designing RC buildings. He also designed the neighbouring Mitsui Bussan Yokohama Office Building (c1911), the Yokohama No. 2 Joint Government Office Building (c1926) and the Yokohama Teisan Office Building (c1926). The Mitsui Bussan Yokohama Office Building was the first building in Japan to be completely built out of reinforced concrete.Read more
Govt relaxes rules on building demolition voting rights and floor-area-ratios
The Japanese House of Councillors have voted in favour and passed a revision to the apartment redevelopment law which will now allow an apartment building association to sell their building and land with approval from 80% of the apartment owners, rather than the previous requirement of 100%.
In addition, the maximum allowable floor-area-ratio (yosekiritsu) will be relaxed.
These changes will hopefully encourage the redevelopment of ageing and potentially dangerous buildings that do not meet current earthquake-resistant standards.Read more
Toranomon Hills officially open from today
Mori Building’s latest high-rise - Toranomon Hills - is officially open today. At 247m tall, the 52-storey building is Tokyo’s second highest mixed-use building after Tokyo Midtown. An opening ceremony was yesterday, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe giving a speech.
The building contains office space on floor 6 to 35, apartments on floors 37 to 46 and the Andaz Hotel on floors 47 to 52. Of the 172 apartments, 70 were offered for sale (most have already sold) with the remaining apartments offered for rent.
Monthly rents range from 550,000 Yen (5,400 USD) for a 1-bedroom up to 2.92 million Yen (28,500 USD).Read more
Kudan Kaikan (c1934) to be demolished
The government-owned Kudan Kaikan building in Chiyoda-ku may soon be demolished as the Liberal Democratic Party announced a plan to lease the facilities and land to a private developer in return for redeveloping the site.
The property had been used by the Nippon Izokukai (Japan War-Bereaved Families Association) since the 1950s. The other facilities, such as the hotel and restaurants, have been closed since April 2011.Read more
Hotel Okura Tokyo to be redeveloped
Yesterday it was announced that the Hotel Okura Tokyo in Toranomon, Minato-ku, will be redeveloped. The new hotel is expected to be completed in time for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
The current 408-room hotel was completed in 1962 - two years before Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics. The annex building was completed in 1973. It has been a landmark hotel and has hosted numerous foreign dignitaries and VIPs, the most recent being US President Obama who stayed in the hotel during his visit to Tokyo in April.Read more
Future redevelopment in Akasaka 7 Chome
Landowners in Akasaka 7 Chome have formed an association with a view to redeveloping their neighbourhood. Although details are yet to be confirmed, its possible that a developer is already involved in the planning.Read more