Japan's very first high-rise public housing condominium

Miyamasuzaka Building Shibuya 1

Miyamasuzaka Building / Apartment

  • Built in 1953 (58 years old)
  • As seen in 2002 horror film "Dark Water"
  • Apartments sold for between 600,000 ~ 1,000,000 Yen when brand newRead more

by Zoe Ward

Harajuku Danchi Reconstruction Plans

Nippon Steel City Produce and Mitsui are redeveloping the Harajuku Danchi apartments alongside Gaien Nishidori in Shibuya-ku's Jingumae 3 Chome neighborhood.

The original 6 buildings were completed in 1957. The buildings were considered modern for their time and were a landmark for the area. Due to aging and deterioration, reconstruction plans were made and the apartments were vacated in 2010.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Miyashita-cho Apartment site redevelopment tenders open to public

miyashita-cho-apartment-site

Tokyo City announced plans to redevelop 3 sites with a total size of 2.6 hectares just minutes from Shibuya Station. The 3 city-owned blocks of land include the 0.5 hectare site of the former Miyashita-cho Apartment block (Shibuya 1-23), a former school hall site of 0.4 hectares next to Mitake Park (Shibuya 1-18) and the 1.7 hectare site of the former Aoyama Hospital behind the UN University Bldg (Jingumae 5-53). Tenders will be open to the public from Summer, 2011.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Reconstruction vs. long-life maintenance. What is the fate of your apartment?

The condominium market is facing a dilemma - to rebuild or to maintain.

The Japanese Government has enacted laws promoting both long-life construction methods and reconstruction. While there is the Basic Act for Housing and the Law on Promoting the Spread of Long-term Housing to ensure and improve stable housing and to promote the construction long-lasting buildings, there are also laws such as the Apartment Reconstruction Facilitation Law to enable and support building reconstruction.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Nomura to rebuild two apartments in Shirokanedai

Nomura Real Estate Development announced that they have the tender to re-build two adjacent condominium apartments in Shirokanedai, Minato-ku.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Aoyama Obayashi Building (aka Hanae Mori Building)

Hanae Mori Omotesando 1

The Aoyama Obayashi Building, commonly known as the Hanae Mori Building, is currently undergoing reconstruction. Demolition of the former building started in July, 2010 and is expected to be complete by February, 2011. Construction of the new building is scheduled to begin in April, 2011.

The former building was designed by Kenzo Tange and was completed in 1977.  Tange also designed the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka which is slated for demolition in 2011.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Shibuya's Mitake Building/Mansion Reconstruction Project to start in early 2011

shibuya-new-mitake-bldgAn aging residential/commercial building just minutes from Shibuya Station is about to be torn down and replaced with a 17 storey condominium. The current building was built in 1959 by the Tokyo Metropolitan Housing Supply Corporation. Due to its age (it is now over 50 years old) and deterioration, it was considered at risk from earthquakes.

Initial discussions to rebuild began in 1999. The planning and administration company, UG Toshi Kenchiku and Nippon Steel City Produce, were selected to head the project in 2004. The new building will be mixed use with commercial and retail on the first 3 floors, and residential units on floors 4 to 17. Nippon Steel City Produce has acquired the reserved floorspace which will be sold as residential units from Summer, 2011.Read more

by Zoe Ward