Page 13 - Sphere No.25 (Aug 2009)

THERE WERE PROBABLY more than a few eyebrows raised
in Hong Kong at the news that Harbour Plaza Hotels and Re-
sorts was to open a new five-star luxury property in North
Point. Facilities and services of that quality are more typically
to be found in Central or Tsim Sha Tsui. Those who know the
history of the hotel group’s parent companies will have been
less surprised, however.
For Hong Kong, as inmost developed cities around the world,
urban renewal is an increasingly important issue. The process is
complex, bringing together economic, physical, social and en-
vironmental agendas to help meet the public’s ever-higher aspi-
rations. The list of examples is long and varied, from Lan Kwai
Fong, the pulsating nightlife area that emerged from a couple of
crumbling streets in downtown Hong Kong, to the huge face lift
that parts of London are receiving as part of preparations for the
2012 Olympic Games. The aim is the same though, to improve
the urban landscape and make a difference to people’s lives.
North Point is a good example. Thanks to good transport
links, recent years have seen the area begin to smarten up, with
a growing number of commercial tenants served by a better
standard of retail outlets and restaurants. The soft opening of
the Harbour Grand Hong Kong on 1 June 2009, marked one
of the biggest milestones in North Point’s history. It also re-
flects a commitment to the area on the part of Cheung Kong
and Hutchison Whampoa. Hongkong Electric, a Hutchison
Whampoa associated company, has a long history with North
Point dating back to the early 20th century, when the present
slightly run down urban area was mostly open countryside.
Harbour Plaza Hotels and Resorts, which manages hotels in
Hong Kong, Mainland China and the Bahamas, opened the
popular four-star Harbour Plaza North Point in 2000.
“When you open a five-star hotel it upgrades the entire area,
and I think North Point will gradually change to somethingmore
upscale. Higher-end restaurants and shops will be attracted be-
cause the hotel is here,” said General Manager Benedict Chow.
TheHarbour GrandHong Kong is not the first landmark build-
ing that helps prompt significant improvement in the neigh-
bourhood. Hutchison Whampoa has well documented
expertise in helping erstwhile industrial areas make the
transition to mixed residential and commercial use.
Hutchison developed the hugely successful
“Garden City” concept for Whampoa Gar-
dens on the site of the former Whampoa
Dockyards, completed in 1991. The