Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Heritage hotels in the heart of Penang


TWO well-known Penang-based companies — Public Packages Holdings Bhd (PPH) and Gan Chai Leng Sdn Bhd — are undertaking the development of three heritage hotel projects with an approximate development cost of around RM75mil at George Town’s central banking district, which will further boost the reputation of inner George Town’s World Heritage Site (WHS) status.
The plans for the three hotels have been submitted to the local authorities for approval.
PPH is undertaking the RM50mil development of the two hotel projects located at Church Street Ghaut, off Beach Street, which is popularly known as the central banking district.
Building blocks: The site of the two hotel projects that PPH plans to undertake at Church Street Ghaut.
The third hotel, a RM25mil heritage hotel project by Gan Chai Leng Sdn Bhd, is located at Victoria Street, off Beach Street.
PPH hotel project manager Tony Koay says the advantage of carrying out infill development work for heritage hotel projects was that one could maximise the interior of the buildings to suit the needs of modern business usage.
“A problem with restoring a heritage building for hotel usage is that the interior of such heritage buildings restricts the utilisation of space.
“We are doing two five-storey boutique hotels, of which one has a total built-up area of 9,451 sq metre (128,000sq ft), 120 rooms, a business centre, and meeting rooms, and 47 car park bays, while the other has a total built-up area of 2,517sq m (26,900sq ft) and 39 rooms,
“The architectural style for both hotels follows the design of late 19th and early 20th century port offices and warehouse buildings in George Town.
Restoration work: An artist’s impression of the PPH hotel project at Church Street Ghaut.
“We are targeting the upmarket tourists,” Tony says.
The cost per sq ft to develop a heritage hotel from scratch is about RM1,000 per sq ft, which is inclusive of finishings, says Tony.
The cost to restore a heritage building is around RM300 to RM400 per sq ft, depending on the quality of finishing use.
Both hotels, scheduled for operations in 2016, are located on a 0.6ha (1.5acre) land, which were previously occupied by godowns in the 19th and early 20th century.
The architectural style for both hotels follows the design of late 19th and early 20th century port offices and warehouse buildings in George Town. We are targeting the upmarket tourists. - TONY KOAY
PPH director Tommy Koay says the group invested in the projects because it saw the potential of heritage hotels in the central banking district after George Town received the WHS in 2008.
“We bought the 0.6ha land 15 years ago and have been waiting for the opportunity to start the right business.
“Last year we spent about RM97,000 to restore a 2,000sq ft heritage building located on the 0.6ha site for use as a vegetarian restaurant, which is now operating as Quay Cafe.
“As the business has received overwhelming response, we decided to proceed with the plan to develop two heritage hotels,” he says.
PPH is a main-board listed company specialising in manufacturing packaging products.
Meanwhile, Arkitek ZAA Sdn Bhd managing director Teoh Min Khean said the five-storey heritage hotel by Gan Chai Leng Sdn Bhd was an infill development project, which would be designed after late 19th and early 20th century colonial institutional buildings.
“The five-storey hotel, which has a built-up area of 4,300sq metre, will have 80 rooms and 148 car park bays.
“The project was in line with Unesco’s heritage guidelines.
“The architectural theme of both projects complements the other heritage buildings in inner George Town.
Inviting: The exterior view of Yeng Keng Hotel at Chulia Street.
“Both projects should help revitalise the tourism belt of inner George Town,” Teoh says.
Gan Chai Leng is one of Penang’s pioneering developers who developed the famous Chai Leng Park in Seberang Prai in the 1950s.
Another heritage boutique hotel-cum-commercial development project at the central banking district that is scheduled for opening in 2013 is the RM285mil Rice Miller Hotel & Residences, now undergoing development at Weld Quay, the heart of the banking district.
The project, a partial infill development and restoration project, comprises a 48-suite hotel, retail space with 17,000 sq ft of lettable area, two five-storey office blocks, and 99 units of city residences.
One of the well-known heritage hotels in George Town that inspired other heritage hotel restoration projects is the Yeng Keng Hotel at Chulia Street, owned by Datuk Ong Gim Huat of Hoo Kim Properties Sdn Bhd.
Splish splash: The pool view of Yeng Keng Hotel at Chulia Street.
Ong spent about RM5mil to restore the 150-year old heritage building into a 20-room heritage boutique hotel in 2009.
The hotel, which started operations in 2010, enjoyed an occupancy rate of about 70% in 2011.
“The renovation of the Penang International Airport, scheduled for completion in September 2012, should help to boost tourist arrivals in Penang and our hotel occupancy rate for this year,” Ong says.
One of the latest restoration heritage hotel projects that opened for business late last year is the Chong Tian Hotel at Rope Walk Road off the famous Campbell Street in inner George Town.
Local entrepreneur Seah Kok Heng says he spent RM3mil in 2008 to acquire three derelict, triple-storey shophouses located at Rope Walk Road.
“I invested about RM10mil to restore the heritage properties and furnish them with antique furniture and porcelains from Tang and Qing dynasties.
“At today’s market value, the hotel with the antiques should be worth around RM20mil.
“Since opening, our monthly occupancy rate is around 50% to 60%. Most of our customers come from Europe, China and Singapore,” he says. - The Star

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Tanjung Bungah Terrace Wanted

Those who wish to sell his or her Terrace in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, please contact us, Penang I Property by clicking here. Thanks in advance.

House Wanted in Tanjung Bungah

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House Wanted in Tanjung Tokong

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Tanjung Tokong Terrace Wanted

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Saturday, May 5, 2012

Bayan Mutiara land sold not according to evaluation by department

GEORGE TOWN (May 2): Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on Wednesday conceded that the sale of the land in Bayan Mutiara was not according to the valuation stipulated by the Valuation and Property Services Department.

He said the 102.56-acre land was sold to Ivory Properties Group Bhd (IPGB) on an open tender basis using the "request for proposal" method for mixed development.

"I admit that the state government did not follow the valuation set by the Valuation Department... whereas the state government had fixed a reserve price of RM200 per sq ft.

"When we sold through open tender in a competitive manner, it was sold at a higher price which was RM240 per sq ft," he said when replying to a question from Datuk Jasmin Mohamed (BN-Sungai Dua) at the State Assembly sitting here.

Jasmin wanted to know in detail the sale of the Bayan Mutiara land pertaining to the method of the sale and for what purpose the land was sold. — Bernama

Friday, May 4, 2012

More cheap homes for state


THE Penang Government has identified a total of 31.16ha of land on the mainland and island for phase two of its affordable housing project.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said details of the project would be released after acquiring a report from the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and other experts.
“Meanwhile, under phase one, 4ha of land in Kampung Jawa in north Seberang Prai has been earmarked for mixed development, while 7.68ha in Ampang Jajar is catered to low-cost housing.
“Other identified plots of land included Bukit Mertajam in central Seberang Prai, Juru Heights, Teluk Kumbar and Lebuh Bakau,” he told a press conference during lunch break at the State Assembly building yesterday.
Lim said the state government was committed towards building more affordable housing in the state.
“Though we are building affordable houses, developers are still required to build 55% of houses that cost below RM500,000 in certain high density areas, including 30% of affordable houses,” he explained.
He said phase three of the affordable housing development would be announced later. - The Star

林冠英宣布第2期房屋计划 7地点占地逾77依格


(槟城3日讯)槟州首长林冠英宣布槟州第2期房屋发展计划,7个地点占地逾77依格,惟他未表示建立多少个可负担房子单位,一切需进行研究后才能获知,他会再另行公布。
有关地段遍布槟威两地,他早前也宣布了落在威南地区的第1期的发展计划,今次宣布第2期,他表示不久的将来将公布第3期计划。他说,有些地段由私人界发展,有些则由槟州发展机构负责。惟,无论如何,房屋发展计划中,必须要有30%的廉价屋单位,另25%必须是50万令吉以下的单位,不过这项条规只限部分高密度的地段上而已。他补充,这是州政府的承诺与发展商的努力,为槟民打造可负担房子。
他说,根据行政议会的决定,首个落在北海甘榜爪哇(Kapong Jawa)9.9依格地段,建议成为综合发展地段,包括公务员宿舍、廉价屋单位及商业单位,由私人发展商建造。此外,威北安邦惹惹(Ampang Jajar)占地19依格,计划建造廉价屋单位、威中大山脚区11.71依格、威中Mukim 12(Juru Height旁)20依格、直落巴巷Mukim 9政府地段6依格、柴埕街(Lebuh Bakau)3.21依格及齐来也路7依格。
威中Mukim 12地段中的临时地契将在2012年杪截止,柴埕街目前共有8所房子、3间货仓、2间庙宇、7间修车厂、2间茶室、1间家私厂及1间仓库,当中15个建筑物是有临时地契,另9个则没有。林冠英是在第一副首长拿督曼梳、第二副首长拉玛沙米及暂管槟州房屋局的行政议员黄汉伟的陪同下,如是指出。-

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Houses in Balik Pulau are expensive, says Umno chief


THE state government has done nothing to improve the living conditions in Balik Pulau, claimed Balik Pulau Umno division chief Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya.
Dr Hilmi alleged that since Pakatan Rakyat took over in 2008, they have not built any low medium-cost houses in Balik Pulau for the people.
“They are lumping all the low medium-cost houses in Batu Kawan instead,” he claimed.
He said that he had been told by some people who wished to buy houses in Balik Pulau that the prices were too expensive.
“They told me that even if they save up in their whole life, they still could not afford to buy a house in Balik Pulau,” he said, adding that the price of a new house in Balik Pulau was about RM700,000.
“They have instead bought houses in Sungai Petani or Kulim and are travelling daily to the island for work,” he claimed.
He said that he was not sure if it was done purposely by the state government.
“The point is, it has happened, and the state government has done nothing to control the prices,” he said after launching the Karnvial Coop Best 2012 Parlimen Balik Pulau at the District Mosque recently.
Malaysia Co-operatives Commission Penang director Gerald Prem Kumar Geoffrey said that co-operatives were an excellent way of reaching out to the people.
“To form a company is a very difficult process. However, forming a co-operative is much easier,” he said, adding that co-operatives had been recognised as a global movement.
He added that the United Nations had also declared this year as the International Year of Co-operatives. - The Star

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Land in Penang Wanted


* Land wanted urgently especially development land in Penang.
Those who wish to sell his or her land in Penang, please contact us, Penang I Property by clicking here to further discuss on the matter. 
* Thanks in advance.