Governor asks developers to back Thamrin Walk plan
Governor asks developers to back Thamrin Walk plan
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja called on private
developers yesterday to support the administration's plan to turn
Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta into a pedestrian-friendly street.
Speaking during a ceremony to launch the Plaza Indonesia
expansion project at the south end of the street, Surjadi said
support for the Thamrin Walk project was crucial.
The plan calls for the tearing down of fences between high-
rise buildings and widening sidewalks to between seven and eight
meters in order to make it easier for pedestrians to move around
the area.
"The plan is designed to create a larger green area to act as
the lungs of the city. This calls for integrated development for
the buildings and their surroundings," he said.
An administration-sponsored environmental impact analysis
study of the area called for property owners to provide more
public and social facilities.
"Don't just think about making luxury buildings. Support the
public interest by providing people with better services, such as
bus shelters, sidewalks and worship rooms," he said.
The Thamrin Walk project affects 20 high-rise buildings,
including Plaza Indonesia, along the 1.65-kilometer stretch. The
Russian and Japanese embassies however have been exempted from
the ruling.
Expansion
Plaza Indonesia, which includes the Grand Hyatt Hotel and the
Sogo department store, is being expanded by the owners in an
adjacent plot on Jl. Thamrin which once housed the Australian
embassy.
The developer plans to build an exclusive 48-story apartment
complex called Keraton and a 50-story office tower called Menara
Plaza. The shopping mall will also be expanded as part of the
US$100 million project.
The 19.84 hectare plot will be divided into four areas: 35,000
square meters for the shopping center, 46,500 square meters for
the Keraton apartments, 61,500 square meters for the Menara Plaza
and 55,483 square meters for a parking lot.
The apartment and the office tower are scheduled to be
completed by the first quarter of 2001.
"This ceremony demonstrates our company's commitment to the
expansion program of Plaza Indonesia," said Bambang Trihatmodjo,
the president of PT Plaza Indonesia Realty. "The project has been
carefully planned based on our belief of the company's ability
and Indonesia's strong future economic growth."
Bambang is President Soeharto's second son.
PT Plaza Indonesia was established in 1983 with a solid market
niche, namely the development of integrated, prestigious property
in Jakarta's central business district, in the city's most elite
area.
The founding shareholders were four well-established
conglomerates: Bimantara which is controlled by Bambang,
Ometraco, Sinar Mas and the Danaswara Group. (07)