The 14-storey building in West Kowloon will bring the bank’s staff – currently spread around the city – under one roof and will be used for client meetings

Its ‘excellent location … underscores our confidence in Hong Kong as an international financial centre,’ says chief executive of UBS Hong Kong

UBS and Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) have held a ceremony marking the completion of a new building that will eventually house all the Swiss bank’s staff in Hong Kong.

The 14-storey office tower in West Kowloon will bring the bank’s staff, who are currently spread around the city, under one roof and will also be used to host VIP client meetings. UBS expects to move into the new building by 2026.

It marks an “exciting new chapter” as the company aims to concentrate all its business units in one central operation, said Sergio Ermotti, the group CEO of UBS, at the topping out ceremony on Wednesday. Topping out refers to the placement of the final structural beam at the end of construction.

“Hong Kong is a strategic market for UBS in Asia,” said Ermotti. “For six decades we have demonstrated our commitment to the growth of the city and to our clients.”

Currently the firm has five offices spread across the city, including 10 floors covering 300,000 square feet in Hong Kong’s tallest skyscraper, the 108-storey International Commerce Centre (ICC) in Kowloon. That space was previously occupied by Credit Suisse, before the two banks merged.

UBS will be the first anchor tenant of the mega project under development on top of the West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus, occupying all 14 floors of tower T2B, which is the closest building to the waterfront. The tower, part of a four-tower complex being developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties, will be decked out with a rooftop garden and a private lift for clients.

The name of the building will be decided closer to completion, and as the anchor tenant UBS will have naming and signage rights for the tower.

“The excellent location of UBS’ new office underscores our confidence in Hong Kong as an international financial centre,” said Amy Lo, chairman of UBS global wealth management Asia and chief executive of UBS Hong Kong.

The building, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, will be connected to the West Kowloon waterfront and is within walking distance of the city’s Airport Express line. It is part of a landmark project by SHKP which will span 2.6 million square feet of premium office space and some 600,000 square feet of retail space.

The new Hong Kong office will support the bank’s long-term expansion plans and enhance the well-being and productivity of its colleagues, Lo said.

She hopes the building will serve as a springboard for UBS’ growing business in mainland China, in particular the Greater Bay Area, given its easy access to the high-speed railway. It is approximately 14 mins by train from West Kowloon station to Shenzhen and 46 minutes to Guangzhou.

It will provide over 100,000 square feet of open space, including an observation deck.

Wednesday’s ceremony also saw the exchange of a green lease agreement, which the companies said will ensure the building meets the highest standards of sustainable infrastructure.

The project has already attained some of the highest ratings across major sustainable building certification programmes, including LEED and BEAM plus.

“The structure is set to be one of the most sustainable structures in the world and its completion will surely elevate the status of West Kowloon as a thriving business and cultural hub,” said Raymond Kwok, the chairman and managing director of Sun Hung Kai Properties, during the ceremony.

(South China Morning Post)

For more information of Office for Lease at International Commerce Centre please visit: Office for Lease at International Commerce Centre

For more information of Grade A Office for Lease in Tsim Sha Tsui please visit: Grade A Office for Lease in Tsim Sha Tsui

Developers cash in as market hots up

New home sales continued to shine in the city with one buyer splurging HK$40 million for six flats at Seasons Place in Lohas Park.

The project, developed by Wheelock Properties and MTR Corporation (0066), launched a second round of sales for 282 flats yesterday and around 100 of them were sold within the day.

One home buyer shelled out HK$40.77 million for six units, while another spent HK$26.35 million on four units.

The two-bedroom units were sold out, and three-bedroom ones are nearly sold out, said Ricky Wong Kwong-yiu, executive director of developer Wheelock Properties.

Wong expects Wheelock will hit its annual sales target of HK$10 billion in April.

Seasons Place was over 40 times oversubscribed yesterday after attracting 11,780 checks.

Other developers also put new flats on the market.

In Kowloon, Kerry Properties's (0683) Mont Verra in Beacon Hill will sell two luxury flats by tender on Sunday. Each of the homes spans 8,239 square feet with five bedrooms in addition three rooms for household staff.

And CK Asset (1113) may release the first price list for Blue Coast in Aberdeen today.

The developer also put 25 more flats at Harbourview Horizon in Hung Hom up for rent.

Tenants can enjoy a two-bedroom unit of 600 sq ft for HK$19,000 a month if they move in by June and fork out at least six month's rent in advance.

But despite the rebound in transactions, Hong Kong property prices are still at a relatively low level.

A local property agency sees no sharp rebound in prices despite the removal of all housing curbs one month ago, citing high interest rates, Sino-US tensions and the high inventory of new homes.

Still, prices are expected to rise slightly this year.

An international property agency said "a rebound in the second half of the year" is possible "once interest rates begin to drop."

And Billy Hui Him-yeung, executive director of Nan Fung Development's Hong Kong property division, said local property prices will rise 5 to 10 percent this year if interest rates are cut.

(The Standard)

中資趁勢升級 中環超甲廈錄租務

華晨租The Henderson 金融機構進駐長江集團中心二期

中環兩幢新甲廈均吸引中資機構承租，消息指，恒地 (00012) 旗下The Henderson 6,600平方呎樓面，獲內地大型汽車製造商華晨集團租用；另同區長江集團中心二期逾8,000平方呎樓面，獲一家中資金融機構租用，呎租料約90元。

市場消息指，中環全新甲廈The Henderson錄得新租務成交，涉及物業中高層，一個面積約6,600平方呎單位，成交呎租約120元。

據了解，新租客為華晨汽車集團，該集團辦公室位於中環超甲廈遮打大廈中層。是次搬遷，作出少許樓面上擴充，並稍為升級至全新超甲廈。

The Henderson呎租120

事實上，近期內地汽車品牌紛在港擴充業務，並主要集中於開汽車陳列室，如早前灣仔告士打道一個原由保時捷租用的舖位，面積約1.5萬平方呎，獲廣汽集團以約100萬元租用，作為品牌陳列室，另比亞迪的代理商，去年亦連環租用多個據點，涉及長沙灣、荃灣商舖及工廠。

The Henderson總樓面約46.5萬平方呎，於今年1月落成，而較早前恒地公布業績時，表示大廈出租率已逾5成。對上一宗全層租務，涉及瑞士高級製錶品牌愛彼承租全層，作為其AP House及香港辦公室之用，租務為佳士得拍賣行、金融機構凱雷後，再多一個國際品牌進駐。

此外，同區另一幢全新甲廈長江集團中心二期，亦錄得半層樓面租務，涉及物業中高層，面積約8,500平方呎，以每平方呎約90元租出。

消息稱，新租客為一家中資金融機構，原租用灣仔鷹君中心全層，面積約1.5萬平方呎，是次該機構屬縮減樓面，但同時可提升級數。

長江集團中心二期呎租90

長實 (01113) 旗下和記大廈重建項目，長江集團中心二期今年落成。項目樓高41層，總面積達55萬平方呎，標準辦公室樓層面積約17,300平方呎，項目分為東、西兩座。據了解，該廈暫時獲數宗預租。

事實上，目前整體甲廈市場仍受多項因素影響，新需求仍相對較弱，據一間外資代理行數字，本港1月底整體甲級寫字樓空置率上升至12.9%，而中環空置率亦達10.4%。

(經濟日報)

更多The Henderson寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：The Henderson 寫字樓出租

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

更多遮打大廈寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：遮打大廈寫字樓出租

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

更多鷹君中心寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：鷹君中心寫字樓出租

更多灣仔區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：灣仔區甲級寫字樓出租

尖沙咀新港中心低層 1600萬易手

資料顯示，尖沙咀新港中心一座低層09室，面積約1,424平方呎，以1,600萬元成交，呎價約11,236元。

翻查資料，原業主於1999年，以約456萬元購入單位，持貨25年轉手，獲利約1,144萬元，物業升值約2.5倍。

(經濟日報)

更多新港中心寫字樓出售樓盤資訊請參閱：新港中心寫字樓出售

更多尖沙咀區甲級寫字樓出售樓盤資訊請參閱：尖沙咀區甲級寫字樓出售

銅鑼灣廣旅集團大廈3480萬易手 全層面積3230方呎11年升值66%

近期商廈交投略見起色，銅鑼灣區罕見一宗指標乙廈易主，廣旅集團大廈全層單位，建築面積3230方呎，以3480萬易手，平均呎價10774元，原業主持貨11年，物業升值66%。

銅鑼灣邊寧頓街18號廣旅集團大廈13樓全層，A、B、C及D單位建築面積各950、692、718及870方呎，合共3230方呎，市場消息透露，該全層於今年3月18日以3480萬易手，平均呎價10774元，原業主於2012年12月以2097.6萬購入上址，持貨逾11年帳面獲利1382.4萬，物業升值66%。

平均呎價10774元

據了解，買家為用家，趁淡市購入物業，該單位呎價較2014年市況高峰時，23樓全層單位以4400萬易手，呎價高達1.5萬，現時大幅回落約28%。

該廈放盤向來罕見有，即使近年仍見細單位高價成交，該廈7樓B室，建築面積約692方呎，去年6月以1100萬成交，平均呎價15896元，可見過去一年間，商廈市場急速趨向淡靜，導致部分單位成交價下跌。

較高位回落28%

廣旅集團大廈於1994年落成，屬區內指標乙廈，由於大廈採用獨立冷氣，並非中央冷氣，用家使用時間具彈性，大廈聚集補習社、零售等行業，並非單純作寫字樓。目前該廈呎租約28至32元，以上述單位成交價計算，料回報逾3厘。

裕成商廈全層意向價4600萬

有代理表示，中環域多利皇后街15至16號裕成商業大廈1樓全層，面積約3623方呎，意向價約4600萬，平均呎價約12700元。

物業同時設戶外廣告位，及可掛14呎長廣告招牌，位置正對中環街市和半山自動扶手電梯，極具廣告效益。該層全層樓面分間5個單位，平均面積約378至1202方呎，單位均配備來去水，全層已租出，分別由體能訓練痛症管理、美齒美睫、醫療保健、時裝改衣店及名錶維修中心等行業承租，目前總月租約12.35萬，料回報約3.2厘。

(星島日報)

更多廣旅集團大廈寫字樓出售樓盤資訊請參閱：廣旅集團大廈寫字樓出售

更多銅鑼灣區甲級寫字樓出售樓盤資訊請參閱：銅鑼灣區甲級寫字樓出售

外資代理行：寫字樓租賃按月跌近50%

有外資代理行發布最新香港物業市場報告指，今年2月份寫字樓租賃停滯不前，按月租賃宗數跌近50%，雖然2月底，政府撤銷所有辣稅，然而，暫未惠及寫字樓交投及租賃。

中小型面積租賃主導

該報告指，受市場氣氛疲弱和農曆新年假期影響，2月份，所有主要寫字樓交易量和租金進一步收縮，整體商業氣氛低迷，企業受壓於經濟復甦緩慢縮減規模。有國際律師樓及大型中資金融和房地產公司削減黃金地段寫字樓空間。若不是完全撤出市場，有些企業採取去中心化措施，選擇遷往非核心區。

本月新寫字樓租賃需求有限和零星，以中小型面積寫字樓租賃交易為主，主要來自一些非金融內地科技和創新公司。

春節假期前後，寫字樓市場氣氛疲弱，2月份租賃勢頭逐漸減弱，交易宗數大跌，新出租寫字樓交易宗數按月跌近一半，中小型面積寫字樓主導租賃市場，以電子產品和採購公司為主。

保險業和政府政策驅動的機構是九龍區商廈需求動力，需求主要受新政策刺激，不能持續，預計第一季後開始下跌。

在經濟低迷背景下，零售市場持續疲弱，零售業總銷貨價值按年增長較低，去年1月香港未完全通關，大部分本地居民在農曆年間留港，然而，今年1月很多市民北上購物，數據顯示，香港零售市場尚未走出困境，營商環境非常困難。

吉舖逐漸被填滿

正面來看，零售租賃市場逐步復甦跡象，銅鑼灣和尖沙咀等區吉舖逐漸商填滿。

西安和青島兩個內地城市，3月6日起正式納入「個人遊」城市，過夜旅客數目勢增加，將刺激餐飲業，酒店和航空業，長遠而言，大型活動將為相關行業零售商創造更多機會，吸引更多旅客來港。

(星島日報)

海防道地舖蝕讓放售 意向價1.38億

尖沙咀「名店街」海防道地舖罕見放盤，近日市場錄1宗矚目放售，由資深投資者劉軍持有一個地舖，意向價1.38億，業主於2017年中以3億購入。

投資者劉軍持有

上址為尖沙咀海防道32至33A寶豐大廈地下D舖，建築面積約830方呎，另連閣樓830方呎，業主以1.38億放售，平均呎價約16.6萬，目前由Follow. Me時裝店承租，月租25萬，租約至明年3月底，月租27萬直至2027年3月底，若以放售價計算，目前回報2.2厘，直至2027年3月回報2.34厘。該舖位於2010年3月成交價為1.525億，最新放售價較1４年前成交價低逾9%。

現時該舖業主劉軍，於2017年6月以約3億購入該舖位，平均每呎36.14萬 (不計閣樓)，當時該舖位由藥房承租，月租75萬，回報約3厘；由於近年核心區舖租大倒退，放售價亦較當年購入價急跌。

2017年成交價3億

有本港代理行代理表示，牛頭角牛頭角道152至158號欣榮大樓地下06號舖放售，建築總面積約600方呎，業主連約放售，意向價約1000萬，平均每方呎約1.67萬，該代理指，該物業位處單邊位，斑馬線、紅綠燈即在一側，往來人車流眾多。現在由民生零售店租用，租期至2025年底，新買家回報約3厘。

(星島日報)