Glodok Plaza to be rebuilt
JAKARTA (JP): Almost a year and a half after last year's devastating riots, construction work will begin on the gutted Glodok Plaza electronics and computer shopping complex at downtown Kota in West Jakarta, an executive said on Monday.
Johannes Suriadjaya, the vice director of Multi Plaza Properties, which owns the Plaza, said he was optimistic that the renamed Plaza Glodok would be a popular shopping destination. He said that with its planned food courts, video arcades, restaurants and clothes shops, the plaza would cater to a variety of family needs.
"After Glodok Plaza was burned down last year, there was no shopping complex which catered specifically for electronic goods and computers, although several other shopping centers provided space to accommodate our former tenants," Johannes said.
He said construction of the eight-story building, slated for completion in 2001, would cost about Rp 120 billion (US$15 million). "All of the expenses will be covered by compensation from the building insurance, worth $13.6 million."
Johannes said that for security reasons the new shopping complex would be protected by a high fence, with three separate entrance gates for shoppers.
Constructed in 1986, the 39,000-square-meter Glodok Plaza was the former home for 348 traders, who occupied 500 kiosks.
Most of the traders currently occupy kiosks at other shopping complexes, such as the Gajah Mada Plaza in Central Jakarta and complexes in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta.
Other traders are occupying 105 temporary kiosks provided by PT Multi Plaza Properties, which are located on the building's charred site.
Johannes said about 70 percent of the plaza's former tenants had confirmed that they would return to the new Plaza Glodok, which will provide 500 kiosks.
Johannes said the management had yet to determine the kiosk rental charges.
The hectic Glodok area, also known as the city's Chinatown, was Jakarta's premier electronic and computer trading center. Another electronic market in the area, which was owned by the city administration, and was also burned down in last year's unrest, will be rebuilt in December. (ind)