Hong Kong's Urban Renewal Authority guns for 2020 opening for Central Market
Authority plans to retain facade, main stairwells, atrium and stores
The estimated HK$600 million revamp of the former Central Market will focus on conservation, the Urban Renewal Authority yesterday proposed to the government, aiming to reopen the landmark in 2020 at the earliest.
After the facelift, the 76-year-old market, which has been vacant since 2003, is expected to sport a 1,000 square metre open public space on the ground floor made up of the market's atrium and the existing public toilets facing Queen's Road Central, said URA director of planning and design Michael Ma Chiu-chi.
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The open public space is a requirement set by the Town Planning Board, which received the URA's proposal yesterday.
Ma said the authority was planning to retain most of the important features of the building, including its facade, main stairwells, atrium and stores.
"It's going to be a minimalistic proposal, which makes use of the three-storey building we already have and which we will be repairing," he added. He said greenery would be included as part of the design.
But four stairwells along with emergency facilities would be added to meet fire safety standards, he said.
Ma said the main construction work would involve strengthening the deteriorating concrete and reinforcing bars, which he said had become "as thin as toothpicks" because of weathering.