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SCMP Reporter

OVERVIEW

Cherry Street, Ferry Street and Canton Road demarcate the old and new sections in West Kowloon. To the east of this border are the established

Tai Kok Tsui, Yau Ma Tei and Jordan - districts characterised by a maze of

criss-crossing streets lined with shops and crammed full of tired commercial and residential buildings. To the west is a 334-hectare reclaimed area for building roads serving Hong Kong International Airport and public and private housing for 100,000 people, complete with community and recreational facilities. This area will feature an art and culture hub, West Kowloon Cultural District, at the southern harbour front of the reclaimed area. Commercial and residential developments in the district are clustered around Olympic, Kowloon and Nam Cheong MTR stations, and they dwarf the older quarters to the east. The International Commerce Centre, or ICC (right), being built above the Kowloon MTR station, will be a 118-storey commercial tower. When completed in 2010, it will be the tallest building in Hong Kong. The building and several other residential towers, hotels and serviced apartments are located on a podium housing a 1 million sqft shopping mall called Elements, to be opened this year. An additional 6 million sqft of residential, office and retail developments on the four sites around the Olympic MTR station provide another centre of living, working and shopping that helps make this part of Kowloon trendy.

TRANSPORT

The Kowloon exit of the Western Harbour Crossing is nearby. It connects to the West Kowloon Highway that links with the highway system leading to Hong Kong International Airport. The area is served by two MTR lines - the Tung Chung line and the Airport Express line. The KCRC is building a station near Union Square as part of the new Kowloon Southern Link, which will link Tsim Sha Tsui station, Nam Cheong station and eventually Lok Ma Chau and Guangzhou. The rail connection will cut travel time from West Kowloon to Shenzhen to about 30 minutes and Guangzhou to one hour. Comprehensive bus and mini bus services to various parts of Hong Kong operate out of the Olympic, Kowloon and Nam Cheong stations.

RECREATION

There are bowling alleys, a golf driving range, cinemas, restaurants and shops in Olympian City One and Two. More driving ranges are available at City Golf Club  (left) near the Kowloon station. There is an ice-skating rink, cinemas, restaurants and shops at Elements shopping mall at Kowloon station. Above the mall is a podium garden landscaped with aromatic plants and a large children's playground. Head east into the heartland of Kowloon packed with dining, shopping and entertainment options along Nathan Road and on the side streets branching off it. Eventually, the proposed West Kowloon Cultural District will provide a rich selection of art and cultural activities for all.

ACCOMMODATION

Expect small to large apartments in high-rise private housing estates, typical of Hong Kong middle class living. Apartments range from 700 to 2,500 sqft. Each development has large signature units on higher floors to cater for the need for luxury dwellings. The developments above Kowloon station, dubbed Union Square, include the Waterfront,  Sorrento,  the Arch  (left and bottom) and the HarbourSide. More serviced apartments and luxury residential units are being planned in two more towers next to the ICC. The HarbourSide and the Arch are commanding higher rent or sale prices per square foot than other residential developments above Kowloon station because they provide the best views of Central across Victoria Harbour. Centaline Property Agency regional sales director Thomas Lee  said the average price of Sorrento and the Waterfront units was HK$7,000 to HK$8,000 per square foot, while those for the Arch and HarbourSide were more than HK$10,000. Rents in this area are from HK$20 to HK$35 per square foot. Residential developments around Olympic MTR station include Island Harbourview,  Central Park,  Harbour Green  and One Silver Sea.  Just one MTR stop from Kowloon station and the property prices are 50 to 100 per cent lower. Most units cost an average of HK$5,000 per square foot, while One Silver Sea,  offering mostly sea view apartments, are HK$10,000 per square foot.

SCHOOLS

The English Schools Foundation (ESF) operates a kindergarten on Tsing Yi Island, with bus services to most areas. ESF's Kowloon Junior School takes students aged five to 11 from this district. The school maintains two campuses on Perth Street near Ho Man Tin and on Rose Street in Yau Yat Chuen, accommodating 900 students. A school is being built on the Perth Street campus to house all students when completed in 2010. For secondary levels, ESF's Island School on Borrett Road  in Mid-Levels takes students from this part of Kowloon. Jockey Club Sarah Roe School in Ho Man Tin provides education for those aged five to 19 with learning difficulties. Apart from qualified teachers, the school has a speech therapist, an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist and a nurse. There are many public schools in Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui.



West Kowloon