Luxury retailers like Cartier, Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton will invest another US$600 million creating unique new spaces, developer says

A US$1 billion, three-year renovation of Hongkong Land’s Landmark-branded properties in Hong Kong’s Central district aims to create an “extraordinary experience” for wealthy shoppers and strengthen the presence of global luxury brands in the city.

Hongkong Land will pour more than US$400 million into the “Tomorrow’s Central” project, which the company said is its biggest single investment in the city in a decade. Retail tenants across the Landmark portfolio will spend an estimated US$600 million more to design and create their own spaces in the upgraded complex, the company said.

The project will overhaul the Landmark properties over a three-year period starting in the third quarter, Hongkong Land said.

“This huge investment will of course help to boost our [gross domestic product] and create employment,” Deputy Financial Secretary Micheal Wong Wai-lun said during a press conference. “It also demonstrates, in a most direct and convincing manner, Hongkong Land’s judgment and confidence in the future of our economy. Let me say that the Hong Kong government shares that judgment and that confidence.”

The renovation will double the retail area occupied by these 10 brands to more than 220,000 sq ft and create a total of 10 unique “maison” (French for “home”) spaces of between two and eight storeys for individual retailers: three each in Landmark Atrium, Landmark Alexandra and Landmark Prince’s, and one in Landmark Chater.

These enlarged spaces will enable the retailers to showcase the widest assortment of products and create highly personalised services for their “very important customers” (VICs), including haute couture, private dining, outdoor terraces and double-height salons, the company said.

The designs will be driven by the brands themselves, “telling their own stories”, and for some of them, their Landmark locations will become their biggest stores in the world, Hongkong Land said.

In addition, a 24,000 sq ft exhibition space of international auction house Sotheby’s is set to open in Landmark Chater in July this year.

The Landmark portfolio will offer a total of 260,000 sq ft of food and beverage spaces after the transformation, the company added.

“We need spaces to create these extraordinary experiences,” said Alexander Li, chief retail officer for commercial property in Hong Kong and Macau at Hongkong Land. “There is a trend of consumers moving towards experiences. It will take some time for [shoppers] to come back, but we can create something to give them a reason to come.”

The VICs – loyal customers who spend more than HK$200,000 (US$25,600) per year – account for 80 per cent of sales at Landmark, the company said. Shoppers from outside Hong Kong only account for 20 per cent of sales.

VICs are accustomed to exclusive privileges, according to Li. “Imagine you have a private room in the middle of Central, which you can walk into at any point, and park your car free every day”, he said, adding that the renovated Landmark will bring their experience to the “next level”.

The Landmark will remain open during the project, as the work will be carried out mainly at night. The lowest two levels of offices in the Prince’s Building and The Landmark-Gloucester Tower, as well as the bar and lobby of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, will be converted, with office tenants relocated.

“As we improve the ecosystem and the retail and lifestyle offers, it also makes Central a more desirable business destination,” Kong said.

“We’ve been developing and taking the Central brand to the Chinese mainland, and the success of the Central ecosystem [in Hong Kong] would be a very important cornerstone to support our growth into the mainland.”

Hongkong Land owns and manages more than 850,000 square metres (9.1 million sq ft) of prime office and luxury retail property in key Asian cities including Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Jakarta.

It has four commercial developments across China, while another 10 projects including a mega project in Shanghai’s West Bund Financial Hub are expected to be launched from 2024 to 2028, according to its recent annual results.

(South China Morning Post)

For more information of Office for Lease at Prince's Building please visit: Office for Lease at Prince's Building

For more information of Office for Lease at  The Landmark Gloucester Tower please visit: Office for Lease at The Landmark Gloucester Tower

For more information of Grade A Office for Lease in Central please visit: Grade A Office for Lease in Central

中環置地廣場 78億翻新

第三季度動工為期3年 打造新地標

置地廣場為中環地標，置地表示，將斥31億為置地廣場進行大翻新，打造多個品牌旗艦店，連同多個名牌商戶，投資額合共達78億元，整項工作今年下半年動工，需時3年。

置地昨日進行發布會，宣布啓動「Tomorrow's CENTRAL」項目。除了集團管理層外，財政司副司長黃偉綸亦有出席。集團表示，與奢侈品牌租戶投資逾約78億元，全面升級香港置地廣場，而置地投資額涉及約31億元。

奢侈品牌參與 鞏固零售地位

怡和集團行政總裁韋梓強表示，以鞏固中環作為零售的國際級地位，集團預計置地廣場的奢侈品牌租戶將額外投資超過47億元，參與品牌包括奢侈品牌卡地亞、CHANEL、Dior及愛馬仕等。工程上，集團將計劃於置地廣場打造10個多層式品牌之家旗艦地標 (Maison destinations)，涉及約22萬平方呎，創本港以至全球獨有的奢侈品零售體驗，同時亦引入新餐飲。翻新工程為期三年，第一期工程將於今年第三季度開始。置地行政總裁史米高指，工程期間商場亦營業，雖然在升級期間租金收入會稍為減少，但預期該項投資可於日後帶來更強勁的租戶銷售和零售收入增長。

對於整體零售市場，置地執行董事江璣若指，本港亦面對不少挑戰包括消費外流，但認為消費者對質素及體驗有要求。至於寫字樓市況上，史米高指，整體市場空置率現約12%，而置地旗下空置率僅約7%，表現已優於大市。

(經濟日報)

AIRSIDE寫字樓出租率70% 平均每呎35至50元

南豐集團旗下啟德AIRSIDE去年9月開幕，寫字樓出租率近70%，南豐香港地產處執行董事許謙讓表示，AIRSIDE獲多個跨國企業承租，共租出近85萬方呎，呎租由35至50元，較九龍東甲廈每方呎25元高約40%至1倍，視乎經濟環境走勢，預計租金仍有上升空間。

友邦承租4全層寫字樓

他說，友邦香港 (AIA) 承租該廈4全層寫字樓共約15萬方呎，料今年底入伙，按租用面積計算，為本年度迄今全港最大手租務。全港5萬方呎或以上甲廈租務，AIRSIDE佔70%。

南豐市務及傳訊部副總經理李樂敏表示，AIRSIDE商場出租率達90%，預計商場暑假人流及營業額按月升20%及15%。

(星島日報)

更多AIRSIDE寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：AIRSIDE寫字樓出租

更多啟德區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：啟德區甲級寫字樓出租

外資代理行：54%商廈租客打算原址續租

有外資代理行發布的香港寫字樓租戶調查報告顯示，香港企業對業務前景持中性至正面態度，較2023年下降7%至71%，逾27%商廈租客希望今年縮小面積。

逾27%希望今年縮小面積

該調查報告指，港寫字樓租戶對業務前景持中性至正面態度比例，較2023年下降7%至71%，首要考慮租金，逾27%希望今年縮小寫字樓面積，然而，超過一半 (54%) 受訪者表示將不變動現時辦公室面積 (打算續租)，略高於去年比例 (53%)。

該行代理表示，面對前景不明朗，香港企業持謹慎態度，普遍節省成本，包括重估寫字樓租金和更有效使用現有空間。67%受訪者認為縮小寫字樓面積減低成本，其次60%受訪者表示業務萎縮。

亦有租客尋求擴張，當中60%認為香港業務機會增加，59%為滿足當前營運需求。保險行業 (50%) 較傾向擴大規模，其次法律服務 (33%) 和銀行及金融行業 (27%)。航運與物流業 (47%) 最有可能減少寫字樓規模。

保險業傾向擴大規模

選址時，該代理强調租金最重要 (88%)，其次交通便利 (71%) 和位置帶來企業形象 (45%)。中環 (金鐘) 和西九租戶最「忠誠」，高達85%受訪者選擇留在原區。

該行另一代理表示，業主應該與現有租户合作，保留佔用率並優化辦公室空間。探索替代收入來源，如利用空置單位舉辦活動，補充傳統租金收入。

(星島日報)

甲廈上月空置率攀至13.5%

隨着市場有全新甲級寫字樓落成，即使租務錄得正吸納量 (即整體新租出樓面多於遷出騰空的樓面)，也未能令空置率回落。有外資代理行昨天發表的香港地產市場報告中指出，5月底整體甲級寫字樓市場空置率升至13.5%，主要原因是有新甲廈落成。

受累兩新項目落成

報告稱，5月竣工的兩個甲廈項目分別為中環長江集團中心二期及觀塘的觀塘道350號「KTR350」，新供應令整體甲級寫字樓市場空置率按月增加0.5個百分點至13.5%，屬連續3個月空置率維持在13%或以上。而新供應同時也推高中環和九龍東的空置率，分別達到12%和18.5%。

該行代理表示，甲級寫字樓租賃市場仍然以保險公司最為活躍。儘管新供應推高甲級寫字樓空置率，新甲廈供應將逐漸被市場消化，因不少租戶趁租金顯著回落，物色商廈提升辦公空間質素。而5月整體甲級寫字樓市場錄得21200方呎淨吸納量，其中一個原因是有新項目落成。

該行另一代理稱，5月整體甲廈市場實際租金按月下跌0.8%，為2022年5月以來連續第25個月滑落。分區市場中，中環租金按月跌1.3%，九龍東租金按月挫0.9%。

(信報)

更多長江集團中心二期寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：長江集團中心二期寫字樓出租

更多中環區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：中環區甲級寫字樓出租

更多KTR350寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：KTR350寫字樓出租

更多觀塘區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：觀塘區甲級寫字樓出租

前太平協和商業地 10億內部轉讓

太平協和位於鰂魚涌海裕街的商業地在兩年前被接管後放售，近日土地註冊處顯示，地皮以10億元易手，新買家為「MARINE RICHES III」，背景未明，不排除屬內部轉讓。

該地皮位於海裕街臨海地段，面積約9.2萬平方呎，原本由太平協和持有，在2022年則被接管招標出售，地皮在補地價後預計商業樓面上限約40萬平方呎，將可興建酒店及辦公室。

(星島日報)