Should the highest bidder redevelop Hong Kong General Post Office site in Central?
Consultants say it should be down to community and political will to choose design that would transform waterfront
A group of real estate experts and architects in Hong Kong have called on the government to have a better vision and plan for the site of the General Post Office in Central, which will be sold and developed into a commercial complex.
On Wednesday at a forum organised by non-profit land use research group Urban Land Institute, panellists said authorities could work with developers to find the best way to make use of the space for public recreation and connectivity.
This would be a departure from tradition where the highest bidder gets the site, then minimises public space in its design to make the most profit.
“This is assuming that the government is clear in its vision and the kind of public space it wants, including the type of [land use],” said Tom Murphy, a senior resident fellow of the institute who is also the former mayor of Pittsburgh, US.
“[According to how the government] defines the site, this would determine what developers and architects will respond to,” he said.