∣Insight Kaohsiung ∣Kaohsiung Bus Company and Ruentex Invest in Urban Renewal Around Kaohsiung Station Zhongshan Road Omotesando Needs Further Effort

The construction of Kaohsiung Station is progressing rapidly, with adjacent commercial and hotel buildings also under development. The Railway Bureau, Ministry of Transportation And Communications, responsible for the project, plans to hand over the buildings to Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) between October 2025 and February 2026, with commercial operations expected to commence in 2027.

The Kaohsiung City Government has set an ambitious target to launch the Omotesando Project in October 2025, designating Kaohsiung Station and Formosa Boulevard Station as key focal points. To enhance connectivity between these two landmarks, the city is focusing on beautifying Zhongshan Road with greenery and promoting urban renewal and the reconstruction of dilapidated buildings. Moreover, efforts are underway to integrate Kaohsiung Station with surrounding commercial zones to invigorate the currently underutilized area.

Several significant urban renewal projects have been confirmed around Kaohsiung Station. A major development on the east side of the station, adjacent to the Kaohsiung Vision Hall, involves an investment by Kaohsiung Bus Company to construct an 18-story office building and a 24-story residential tower, with an estimated total sales value exceeding NT$4.2 billion. Another project, the "Kaohsiung City Sanmin District TRA East Dormitory Renewal Area," spearheaded by Ruentex Group's Taichen Development, will see the construction of 14 commercial, retail, and residential buildings.

Regarding Zhongshan Road, the city government is prioritizing the revitalization of eight aging buildings in front of the station. The Economic Development Bureau is piloting a project to improve the cityscape. In June of last year, the city established a joint service center for urban renewal and the reconstruction of dangerous buildings near Formosa Boulevard Station to stimulate development and redevelopment in the surrounding area.

The city government envisions the eight old buildings in front of the station as a foundation for a cultural renaissance. However, the pilot cityscape improvement project has yet to receive any applications from property owners, mainly due to the low willingness of owners on Zhongshan Road to engage in urban renewal. Several parcels of land owned by the Asset Bureau around Formosa Boulevard are slated for joint development by the city government.

The Economic Development Bureau has allocated a budget of NT$30 million this year to facilitate the hardware transformation of the entire commercial district. The first phase targets the Yuzhu Commercial District, with comprehensive plans covering individual storefronts, road design, sidewalks, and building facades.

Deputy Mayor Lin Chin-rong, renowned for his expertise in urban renewal, plans to utilize special urban renewal regulations to designate strategic areas for redevelopment. This includes defining areas two blocks deep and incorporating all commercial districts, offering incentives such as higher floor area ratios or land value tax reductions.

Local council members have expressed concerns that with all five entrances of Kaohsiung Station located within the main station building and not linked to surrounding commercial areas, the station might become an isolated entity in the city center, failing to attract foot traffic. While the city government is open to negotiations with TRA, bus operators, and the Railway Bureau, the Southern Engineering Branch of the Railway Bureau believes that further expanding underground passages to connect with commercial areas, though technically feasible, would cause significant disruption to traffic and the environment due to the completed station structure and opened roads.

Local commercial districts have also suggested improving traffic flow near the station and providing clear, multilingual directional signs. They hope that attracting renowned brands to the TRA commercial buildings will help draw more visitors and revitalize the area.