A total of 32 transactions were recorded in the 10 major housing estates during the four-day Christmas holiday, a record high since 2010, according to a property agency.

The agency also recorded 17 transactions over the weekend in the 10 major housing estates, a 183 percent jump from the previous weekend.

Many buyers have turned positive on the outlook for the local property sector and accelerated their pace entering the market on the hope that China will reopen its border, an agent said.

The agent added that the expected slowdown in interest rate hikes in the US is also boosting market sentiment.

Property prices are expected to bottom out and rebound 15 percent next year after the reopening with the mainland, the agent said.

In the primary market, Henderson Land Development (0012) said The Quinn Square Mile in Tai Kok Tsui will launch the sale of 10 flats on Thursday, with the cheapest one priced at HK$6.12 million after discounts.

The price per square foot after discounts ranges from HK$22,924 to HK$25,501, it said.

This came as another agency said it expected to record a net loss for this year compared with a net profit of HK$100 million in 2021.

The consolidated net loss as of November totaled HK$480 million, it said in a filing yesterday.

The expected loss was mainly due to a significant decline of 40 percent in the transaction volume of residential property sales in Hong Kong, which could be the lowest since 1996, the firm said, citing negative factors including Covid-related restrictions, interest rate hikes, and a slowdown in the launch of new properties on the market.

The firm added that the loss was also caused by limited rental concessions granted by landlords and its Covid-hit business in the mainland.

The agent believes the local property market will remain volatile next year, "but if Hong Kong achieves full reopening with the mainland and sees a peak in the interest rate hike with economic recovery and improved investor sentiment, home prices could see a 5 percent rebound for the whole year. "

(The Standard)

Hysan earmarks US$256 million for ‘Lee Gardens Rejuvenation’ in Causeway Bay, turn it into ‘home of luxury’

The new Caroline Hill Road development will expand Hysan’s office portfolio by 30 per cent in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay

Top luxury brands like Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Hermes and Louis Vuitton plan to open 10,000 sq ft plus flagship stores in Lee Gardens

Hysan Development, Causeway Bay’s largest landlord, has set aside HK$2 billion (US$256.2 million) to upgrade its Lee Garden portfolio in the prime Hong Kong shopping district and turn it into a one-stop luxury shopping destination.

The proposed “Lee Gardens Rejuvenation” includes the development of the Caroline Hill Road land parcel, Hysan executives said in a briefing last Thursday.

The revamp will turn Lee Gardens into the “home of luxury”, said Ricky Lui, executive director and chief operating officer at Hysan. A number of top international brands such as Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Hermes and Louis Vuitton plan to expand in Lee Gardens, with flagship stores in excess of 10,000 sq ft.

The new Caroline Hill Road development will expand Hysan’s Lee Gardens portfolio by 30 per cent, the company said. The plan includes new covered walkways and footbridges, offering pedestrians a weatherproof walk to and from Causeway Bay MTR station and the Lee Gardens area comprising Hysan Place, Lee Garden One, Two, Three, Five, Six as well as the Caroline Hill Road project.

“People nowadays will only go to the biggest shop, with the best experience and the one with the most variety when prices of the goods are the same in different shops,” Lui said.

He said a unique experience is important to attract and create the motivation for visitors to come as the tourism landscape has changed, adding that for tourists coming from the mainland, big brands and food are no longer enough as the same experience is available in cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen.

“[Tourists] need a deeper level of travel rather than a superficial one.”

A planned underpass linking the car parks in all phases of Lee Gardens will further improve the traffic flow in the area, according to Hysan. The whole revamp will divide the Lee Garden area into three zones catering to high spenders with drivers, young families with cars, visitors and general shoppers, according to the company.

Hysan plans to complete the upgrade to its HK$90 billion commercial portfolio in phases by 2026, with the revamp starting in October. The first project – a 7,000 sq ft urban park on the fourth floor of Hysan Place – will open in January. It includes a 4,000 sq ft dedicated skateboard park, the first on Hong Kong Island.

Hysan reported slightly lower profit and sales for the first half, as the city’s toughest Covid-19 restrictions during the height of the fifth wave of the pandemic slammed the retail segment.

Despite a sharp decline in tourists because of the coronavirus pandemic, Lee Gardens has seen strong local consumption as big brands in the area were doing well, Lui said.

“We’ve seen how Lee Gardens is strongly connected to Hong Kong’s market,” Lui said, adding that these brands wanted to further strengthen ties between local consumption and their businesses.

After nearly three years of Covid-19 curbs casting a shadow on Hong Kong’s economy, things are beginning to look up. Retail sales in October rose 3.9 per cent year on year in value terms to HK$31.9 billion. And with the government practically dismantling Covid restrictions, the city’s economy is set to receive a boost from the anticipated influx of tourists. Rising inflation globally and tightening interest rates, however, still pose a threat to domestic consumption.

Hysan has 4.5 million sq ft of office, retail and residential tenants space mainly in Causeway Bay’s Lee Gardens area, according to its website.

When the Caroline Hill project is ready, Hysan’s office portfolio will be about one-third larger than its retail space, Lui said.

He added the pandemic has altered the office landscape, leading to changes in office use and requirements amid the work-from-home trend and companies cutting down on costs.

In August 2021, Hysan formed a joint venture with the Swiss flexible office giant IWG to exclusively operate all IWG brands in Hong Kong and throughout the Greater Bay Area, including the group’s flagship Hysan Place and Lee Garden Three under the “Spaces” and “Signature” brands.

“Nowadays, flex has become a feature of offices,” Lui said. “If you don’t have a very strong co-working element today, it’s like a shopping mall without restaurants.”

Co-working spaces in Lee Gardens accounted for more than 10 per cent of the overall office tenants, he said, adding that it reflects the changing work environment.

(South China Morning Post)

For more information of Office for Lease in Hysan Place please visit: Office for Lease in Hysan Place

For more information of Office for Lease in Lee Garden please visit: Office for Lease in Lee Garden

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

觀塘6商業項目蓄勢待發 樓面近650萬呎

觀塘近年發展成新的商業區，未來有不少大型商業項目落成，涉及約650萬平方呎樓面，當中新地 (00016) 旗下巧明街綜合商業項目「The Millennity」，將會提供約115萬平方呎樓面。

The Millennity 率先登場 規模如apm

觀塘目前有 The Millennity、市建局觀塘市中心第4、5區重建，以及伯恩光學楊建文家族旗下業發工業大廈合共3個規模較大的重建項目，再連同有待政府推出的觀塘行動區等3個商業地，未來單是這6個項目已經提供接近650萬平方呎商業樓面。

最先登場屬於已經落成的 The Millennity，項目由新地與系內載通國際 (00062)  合作發展，由2座大樓組成，各提供20層高甲級寫字樓，總樓面約65萬平方呎，基座為10層高大型商場，佔地約50萬平方呎，規模與apm相若。項目地庫4層停車場共設有近400個車位，當中配備電動汽車充電系統。

積金局已預租8萬呎樓面

The Millennity 前身為九巴車廠，由九巴於2009年以約9.8億元將其轉售予母公司載通，翌年新地以約4.9億元購入一半權益，至2016年8月新地再斥約43.05億元為項目完成補地價，當時每呎補地價約3,743元。項目位置鄰近港鐵觀塘站及牛頭角站，亦有行人天橋接駁至創紀之城6期。據指公營機構積金局早前已經預租 The Millennity 約8萬平方呎樓面，呎租料約30元。

The Millennity 過往被視為新地觀塘商業王國「創紀之城 (Millennium City)」的第8期，新地早在上世紀80、90年代開始，已經在觀塘將商廈、車廠打造成商廈群，最早完成的觀塘道388號創紀之城1期，前身亦為九巴車廠，早在1998年已經落成，由2幢30層高商廈組成，總樓面約123萬平方呎。

及後，由2000年開始陸續有創紀之城2期至第7期落成 (不設第4期)，當中規模最大為比鄰港鐵觀塘站的創紀之城5期，總樓面面積約134萬平方呎，包括約74萬平方呎的商廈及基座60萬平方呎商場組成，商場部分命名為「apm」。

(經濟日報)

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

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觀塘市中心第4及5區 下月截標

市建局將於下月中就觀塘市中心第4及5發展區項目截標，項目規模達216.6萬平方呎，市場預測總投資額達200億元以上，故此市建局在招標門檻及支付地價方便提供彈性。

用途地價具彈性

觀塘市中心第4及5區最高可建樓面約216.6萬平方呎，採用「浮動規劃參數安排」，容許發展商彈性分配商業、辦公室、酒店設施樓面面積，酒店最多34.44萬平方呎、不設下限，而商場樓面不少於約70萬平方呎。

據了解，招標條款只要求發展商建議「前期費用」，亦即是競投地價決勝負，未見有分紅要求，模式跟2017年10月上環嘉咸街C地盤商業項目相同，並規定發展商建成後須保留約11萬平方呎樓面，以及50個辦公室車位予市建局。

值得留意的是，市建局規定入標財團除了有合資格的發展經驗外，資產淨值或市值亦不能低於251億元，而合資財團的話，則需要每個成員按照各自出資比例計算的市值不低於要求。

同時，市建局亦容許發展商分4期共約2年時間支付標價金額。簽約時即付首期5,000萬元，第2期，在簽約21日後支付共標價40%；在簽約12個月及24個月後各付30%。

(經濟日報)

賣地收益869億急跌52% 政府全年售出13幅土地

賣地收益是政府主要收入來源之一，今年本港受疫情及加息因素影響，樓價持續回軟，連帶地價收益隨市況回落。今年政府先後售出13幅賣地表地皮，惟年內並未有百億地王出現，連同「一鐵一局」及私人項目補地價等收入，估計為庫房進帳約869.89億，較去年急跌約52%。

今年政府先後成功售出13幅土地，包括8幅住宅地、3幅商業地，以及工業地及物流地各1幅，對比去年全年售出11幅地皮，多出2幅。單計賣地表住宅、商業及工業等地皮，賣地收入已達287.05億，若連同「一鐵一局」項目及補地價等收入，估計政府全年土地收入約869.89億，對比去年全年約1830億，勁減960.11億，跌幅高達52.5%。

未有「百億地王」誕生

回顧年內雖然未有「百億地王」誕生，但出現本港賣地表地呎價最高紀錄，今年2月由爪哇奪標的淺水灣南灣道豪宅地，中標價逾11.88億，每方呎樓面地價達62352元，呎價打破本港賣地史紀錄，一舉登上呎價最貴地王寶座，爪哇早前宣布引入漢國置業共同發展。

淺水灣地每呎6.2萬破頂

今年最貴價地皮為長實於12月底以87.03億投得的啟德2A區4號、5 (B) 號及10號合併用地，以可建總樓面約141.8萬方呎計，每方呎樓面地價約6138元，呎價重返8年前。「第二貴」地皮為葵涌美青路與貨櫃碼頭南路交界的物流地，今年7月以52.56999999億批出，以可建總樓面約148.54萬方呎計，每方呎樓面地價約3539元。

除政府賣地表地皮外，「一鐵一局」的發展項目亦成為發展商爭奪目標，年內「一鐵一局」批出6個項目。今年港鐵推出3個項目招標，成功批出2個項目，最矚目為去年曾流標的港鐵東涌牽引配電站物業發展項目，華懋於7月成功奪得項目發展權，該項目補地價金額約35.475億，即每呎補價約3776元。

4月批出的將軍澳百勝角通風樓物業項目，由新世界奪得項目發展權；該項目補地價金額約達11.0137億，以可建總樓面約29.06萬方呎計，每方呎補價約3789元。

尚餘一個為小蠔灣第一期項目，於今年12月接收33份意向書，同月推出招標，明年2月8日截標。據了解，項目不設補地價條款，須支付「一口價」固定金額為12億；發展商須就分紅比例向港鐵自行提出建議以決定勝負，而且分紅比例並不設限制。值得留意的是，小蠔灣項目可建總樓面約926.24萬方呎，包括約889.1萬方呎作私宅用途及37.1萬方呎作商業用途。該項目上月以86.03億完成補地價。據港鐵公布，項目以市值 (即計入鐵路沿綫元素) 須向政府「一筆過」補地價，並扣減建造新的小蠔灣站、重置車廠、物業備置工程等發展成本，據港鐵早前公布以截至2020年年底的價格預期費用合共約360億。

市建局批出4項目發展權

至於市建局方面，年內批出4個項目發展權，金額達107.85億，當中以「小區模式」發展的土瓜灣項目有2個，包括第三個以「小區模式」發展的土瓜灣鴻福街、啟明街及榮光街四個重建項目的合併發展，由長實於3月以59.96億奪得，每方呎樓面地價約11382元。

該局第四個以「小區」發展的榮光街/崇安街項目，於10月由信和夥招商局置地以23.88億投得，每方呎樓面地價約8571元。另外，該局同年8月亦批出西營盤崇慶里/桂香街發展項目，並由遠東發展以12.4億奪得，每方呎樓面地價約13085元。

觀塘市中心項目是市建局歷來規模最大的單一重建項目，該項目為最後一個發展區域，位於新盤凱滙對出，毗鄰港鐵觀塘站，地盤面積為27.55萬方呎，可建總樓面約216.59萬方呎。

(星島日報)

銅鑼灣利園區「升級」涉資20億 希慎興業呂幹威：長遠有助資產增值

「銅鑼灣大地主」希慎夥拍華懋，去年奪取加路連山道商業地王，希慎興業首席營運總監呂幹威表示，配合新地標落成，集團斥資逾20億，為整個利園區作升級改造，除了行人通道系統、連接各車場的地下隧道外，更引入大量可持續發展元素，長遠有助資產增值。

呂幹威表示，隨着商業地王興建，「利園版圖」由現時逾383萬方呎，拓展至逾493萬方呎，增幅達29%，銅鑼灣亦隨之變天，有蓋行人通道連接希慎廣場及利園二期，新天橋網絡貫通利園三期、利園五期及利園六期，行人可輕易由港鐵站直抵加路連山道全新大樓，步程10分鐘以內。

配合地標項目落成

他續說，事實上，早於投地前，集團向政府提議，指任何財團投得土地，皆期望新項目有通道接駁港鐵站，故兩年前已落實計畫。現時，更斥資逾20億為整個利園區升級改造。「旗下資產淨值逾850億，計畫有助長遠增值，只要年收入增加1%，便高達8.5億！」

他形容，百年歷史的利園區，佔地廣闊，細看顧客足迹，可將之分為「三個區域」，希慎廣場顧客乘搭公共交通工具而來，利園一期所在一帶，聚集奢侈品店鋪，豪客有司機接送，利園六期及周邊受中產家庭熱捧，駕車到來光顧食肆及家具店。

「三個區域」定位清晰

過往集團多番重建舊廈，連繫整個區域的大規模升級改造，則前所未有，日後，「三個區域」更加清晰吸引，希慎廣場將成為「潮流帶領者」(The Trendsetter)，利園1、2、3、5及6期成為奢侈品旗艦大本營 (Home of Luxury Flagships)，加路連山新項目所在地，將發展綠化地帶 (The Green Centric)，儼如「後花園」。

升級改造始於今年10月，從希慎廣場4樓Urban Park入手，面積約7000方呎，當中4000方呎，將成為港島區首個商場內的滑板公園，下月啟用；希慎廣場4樓2家大型食肆將遷走，換上5至6家精緻餐廳，零售樓層引入不同主題及趣味商戶。

希慎廣場設滑板公園

呂幹威續說，日後，整個利園區成為特備活動及體驗的專屬區域，Cartier、Chanel、Dior、Hermes、Louis Vuitton將在區內擴充，開設逾萬呎旗艦店。

(星島日報)

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