高雄

Industry sources in Kaohsiung have confirmed the latest rumors, saying the proposed hotel brand has been upgraded to Le Méridien, which sits in Marriott’s Premium tier. However, the group that owns the property has so far declined to officially confirm any brand partnership.

Foxconn will invest NT$15.9 billion (US$509.94 million) to build its Kaohsiung headquarters in southern Taiwan. That would include a mixed-use commercial and office building and a residential tower, it said. Construction is scheduled to start in 2027, with completion targeted for 2033.

Civic groups argue that the forested land surrounding the former sugar refinery represents one of northern Kaohsiung’s most significant remaining green spaces, supporting both wildlife habitat and public use. They say large-scale development would not only disrupt the historic setting of the sugar factory but also erase an irreplaceable urban forest.

Every large community should maintain its own risk map, updated annually, identifying: construction hotspots, zones with heavy electrical load, storage or use of flammable materials, floors with significant elderly populations, weak night-shift oversight.