SHKP Quarterly

Sitting above Airport Express Hong Kong Station, IFC was built to international specifications with state-of-the-art facilities, while providing an unrivalled view of Victoria Harbour, which drew multinational financial institutions, in particular. IFC has been popular among multinational financial institutions, registering high occupancy and generating favourable rental income over the years. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority acquired several high floors of Two IFC as its head office. Investing in ICC atop Kowloon Station - 2000 Despite the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, the Group continued its developments in the city in a vote of confidence in Hong Kong’s future. In September 2000, the Group won the tender for the development of Airport Express Kowloon Station Packages 5-7 ICC, which was the largest single project associated with Kowloon Station. The project boasted a gross floor area of 5.5 million square feet among three towers. From the planning and design stages to the construction of ICC, Hong Kong’s economy experienced invisible waves, including the aftermath of the dot-com bubble burst and the SARS outbreak in early 2003. The ICC integrated complex was fully completed in 2010, comprising grade-A offices, a premium shopping mall, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, the Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck and fine dining restaurants on Level 101. The Cullinan luxury residences, the W Hong Kong hotel and HarbourView Place serviced suites are situated in the other two blocks of the development. The ICC tower rises 490 metres above sea level, making it the city’s tallest building. The skyscraper and the 420-metre Two IFC on the opposite shore form Hong Kong’s premier landmark – the Victoria Harbour Gateway. During the development of ICC, the project team also visited similar projects in other international major cities to ensure that its project design and specifications would meet the business needs of international corporations and financial institutions. After considering the office market supply and the project’s floor plates, the Group set international financial institutions as its target tenants. Thanks to the efforts of the leasing team, three international investment banks, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse, decided to relocate their Hong Kong headquarters from Central to West Kowloon, a place which was still in a development stage at the time, with the facilities yet to be formed. The Group’s ICC office tower set a precedent for major international investment banks moving their headquarters outside Central, resulting in West Kowloon emerging as one of the most important business districts in the city. Building homes with heart, building landmarks for Hong Kong IFC and ICC have played a vital role for the Group, as well as for West Kowloon’s development since 2000. IFC’s premium location, high specifications and excellent facilities have attracted multinational financial institutions, broadening the Group’s customer base. Subsequently, the full completion of ICC made it an extension of Central, which marked the Group’s skill set enhancement in building integrated developments. The team gained a deeper understanding of the business needs of international financial institutions, providing a valuable reference for building integrated complexes later on the mainland. In addition, IFC and ICC have enhanced the Group’s property investment portfolio. Contributions from property sales and rental income are becoming more balanced, which have helped the Group weather the challenges during political and economic crises. Situated in well-connected locations, IFC and ICC serve users’ business and lifestyle needs within the integrated development, while enhancing economic activity in the area, creating vibrant community. They also showcase the quality of SHKP developments to consumers, helping SHKP build its premium brand. Following the commissioning of the High Speed Rail Hong Kong West Kowloon Station in 2018, West Kowloon Station has formed a transportation hub of four railway lines, offering convenient access throughout Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and major mainland cities, along with excellent global connections. The strategic location of West Kowloon Station has now become more prominent. Upon completion, the future landmark project atop the High Speed Rail Hong Kong West Kowloon Station is expected to create significant synergy with the neighbouring ICC, further driving West Kowloon’s evolution into a crucial commercial core of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, while contributing to Hong Kong’s sustainable future. IFC, Central 中環國際金融中心 5