City to renovate Senen complex<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The winner of the design competition for the overhaul of Senen
\nmarket is no doubt feeling let down as the city administration
\nannounced on Monday it would use its own design.<\/p>\n
The cost of the renovation project has been calculated at Rp 3
\ntrillion (US$306.2 million).<\/p>\n
\"The new design will be made public in November as it is now
\nawaiting the approval of the City Spatial Agency,\" president
\ndirector of city market operator PD Pasar Jaya, Prabowo Soenirman
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said Senen market shareholders had not been involved in
\npicking a design in the competition organized by the Central
\nJakarta administration in 2003.<\/p>\n
Six blocks of the Senen traditional market are owned by Pasar
\nJaya, PT Pembangunan Jaya and PT Jaya Property.<\/p>\n
\"We have established a new consortium to renovate the Senen
\nmarket called PT Senen City Development ... We are expecting to
\nstart construction work in April next year,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The three city companies signed a memorandum of understanding
\non March 16 for the project.<\/p>\n
He said the project would be finished in two years.<\/p>\n
\"The main objective is to revitalize the market, which was
\nonce very popular as a center of trade in the capital,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The design for the market takes into consideration existing
\nbuildings in the area, such as the train station and bus
\nterminal, and the future construction of apartments, office
\nbuildings and sports facilities.<\/p>\n
Senen is one of the oldest traditional markets in the city.
\nThe country's founding president Sukarno ordered the renovation
\nof the market in 1961.<\/p>\n
The market, however, is now more known for its overcrowded bus
\nterminal and street vendors, who occupy the sidewalks and the
\nsides of the road in the area, as well as the high incidence of
\ncrime.<\/p>\n
\"We found that the area has also been used by local thugs to
\nrun illegal business, like gambling activities as well selling
\npirated and porn video compact discs,\" Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso's administration launched early this month a campaign
\nto evict sidewalk vendors in the Senen market area. Last week
\nfour people were injured when public order officers clashed with
\nstreet vendors there.<\/p>\n
\"Personally, I will allow the presence of sidewalk vendors as
\nlong as they take up the existing space available for them. Of
\ncourse, we will evict them should they start occupying road
\nshoulder,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
The administration also plans to upgrade other big markets,
\nlike Tanah Abang and Jatinegara.<\/p>\n
A city planner who works at Tarumanagara University, Suryono
\nHerlambang, expressed concern over the administration's approach
\nto city planning.<\/p>\n
\"I have the strong impression that the administration has no
\ncomprehensive plan for its revitalization projects as it is clear
\nthat every project it embarks on is opposed by the people,\" he
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He urged the administration to encourage public participation
\nin the planning as well as the implementation of the renovation
\nprojects.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-to-renovate-senen-complex-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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