By KHT Staff. Images via News.Next.Apple/KH City Govt.
KAOHSIUNG — Redevelopment of the former Kaohsiung City Council (舊市議會) site broke ground Monday, launching a public urban renewal project that will preserve the historic council building while adding a new financial office tower.
The project is backed by Taiwan Life Insurance (台灣人壽), which will invest more than NT$7 billion, the Kaohsiung City Government said.
Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said the site is near the MRT O4 joint development project and sits in the core of Jhongjheng Road’s (中正路) financial corridor. He said the project is expected to connect with the planned Asian Asset Management Center cluster and become part of Kaohsiung’s financial and commercial hub.
Chen said the city wants the site to attract asset management firms and financial services companies, while giving local businesses better access to financial resources.
Jhongjheng Road was once known as Kaohsiung’s “financial street,” Chen said. The city hopes the redevelopment, together with nearby projects, will help revive the old city center and strengthen demand for A-grade office space.
The former council building was completed in 1966 and served as an important site for Kaohsiung’s local politics before the 2010 city-county merger. After the merger, the city council moved to its current location in Fongshan District (鳳山).
The old council building was registered as a historic building in 2020. The redevelopment will retain major architectural elements, including the building’s dome imagery, cantilevered corridors, and horizontal and vertical window bands, the city said.
The site covers about 7,016 square meters. The new financial innovation tower will have a development floor area of about 87,195 square meters.
Taiwan Life Chairman Hsu Shu-po (許舒博) said the new building will have 26 floors above ground and four basement levels. He said the design will connect the old and new structures and incorporate low-carbon, smart-building, and sustainability features.
The front historic building will be restored separately, with restoration costs covered by the project implementer and work handled by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (文化局).
City Council Speaker Kang Yu-cheng (康裕成) said the old council chamber recorded major debates in Kaohsiung’s postwar political history, including discussions over projects such as the MRT and light rail systems.
