By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — The Kaohsiung City Government (高雄市政府) wants to fill several large plots of empty land near the Kaohsiung American School and the Guomao public housing complex.
Officials traveled to Taipei on Friday to promote a NT$14.6 billion urban renewal project there, as the city looks for private investment on a site tied to research, student housing, and northern Kaohsiung’s semiconductor growth.
Deputy Mayor Lin Chin-rong (林欽榮) led the briefing, Taiwan News reported, citing CNA.
The project centers on land connected to the Inter-University Research and Education Park for Key National Fields (國家重點領域校際研教園區), where universities have begun setting up programs aimed at building a stronger local talent pipeline.
City officials are presenting the project as more than a real estate redevelopment. The plan is meant to turn part of Zuoying into an industry-academia hub, linking housing, university programs, public facilities, and transport access.
The site is within walking distance of Zuoying Station and a short drive from the HSR, Taiwan Railways, and Kaohsiung Metro transfer area at Zuoying, giving it one of the strongest transport locations in the city.
The city said about 30% of the design work has been completed for key facilities, including a second hall and a multifunctional activity center. Design rules also require preserving the visual corridor of the historic Fengyi Gate (鳳儀門), part of the Old Zuoying City (左營舊城) area.
Lin said the project fits into Mayor Chen Chi-mai’s (陳其邁) wider urban renewal push. Since August 2020, Kaohsiung has launched 24 urban renewal projects worth NT$283.2 billion, he said.
He also linked the project to TSMC’s arrival in northern Kaohsiung, saying the growth of the semiconductor sector is creating demand not only for engineers, but also for service jobs, housing, and support industries.
The project was tendered on June 1, with bids due by 5 p.m. on Sept. 30. Tender requirements include providing 80 public parking spaces, according to the Urban Development Bureau (都市發展局).
