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Shekou’s transformation continues, new ferry terminal being built

Posted: 12/6/2013 7:00 am

If you haven’t been to Shekou and Seaworld Square lately, you’re in for a surprise. Much of the construction around the square has been completed, and a whole new complex has opened to the west of the big boat.

The complex resembles Sanlitun Village (for those familiar with Beijing), and will even come with Shenzhen’s very first Element Fresh. The Tavern, a popular bar from Guangzhou, is one of the first spots to have opened, and was already full on our last visit.

The Hilton Hotel Shekou has opened, and there’s a new 100-floor office tower in the area. That’s right, this isn’t your grandpa’s Shekou. To complete the overhaul, a new ferry terminal is in the works. It will open within three years, and be built right where the current one is. Shenzhen Daily talked to some passengers who lamented the crumbling facility:

Shekou’s ferry terminal is more than 30 years old. People have complained about the two-story terminal’s limited space, lack of an escalator, inconvenient links to transportation and insufficient food services.

An unidentified passenger who uses Shekou ferry services frequently said the terminal’s waiting hall is routinely filled to overflowing on weekends. Sometimes it’s hard to find a place to stand and people have to wait in the public square outside the terminal’s entrance, the passenger said.

The question now is this: if the new ferry terminal will be built where the current one is, what happens in the meantime? That hasn’t been answered yet, although some speculate an interim terminal might be used. If not, get set to navigate around construction for the next few years.

For all of the ferry terminal’s faults, it’s still a nice open, breezy, and quaint building that stands in stark contrast to the tourist-filled Shun Tak Centre in Hong Kong. It’s been part of many a warm welcome back to the Mainland.

Haohao

Shekou to undergo major transformation

Posted: 02/28/2011 11:29 am

Seaworld Square in Shekou is a bar and restaurant oasis for many in Shenzhen. But as anyone who’s been there recently can attest, construction can be seen everywhere. Not only in the square itself, where a number of bars have been closed, or around the newly-opened metro station, but also near the now-aging Nanhai Hotel. To put it simply, the area is going through a major face lift which will see some high end eateries and hotels opening up in the next couple of years.

The Shenzhen Standard provides some details:

The Marine World Hotel located next to Nanhai Hotel is said to cost 800 million yuan to construction and will cover 56,000 square meters. The hotel will have 320 rooms and managed by Hilton Hotels, this will be their first seaside hotel in Shenzhen when its completed in 2013. Building of the Marine World Hotel will be the first phase of the overall Marine World upgrading project.

China Merchants Group, is a major developer of the Shekou area, will spend and additional 60 billion yuan in the nest five to eight years to fully upgrade facilities in the Shekou area. The Marine World urban compound, Taizi Bay terminals for passenger cruisers and Shekou Network Valley are among the key ares also said to undergo upgrading. Aside from the hotel project, commercial ares located around the Minghua ship will also undergo construction and renovation that will turn the area into an international food street for exotic food and other specialties.

The square has aged a bit from its heyday a few years ago. The giant flood in 2007 certainly didn’t help. Nonetheless, the area retains its quaint charm and community feel. The question is, will the influx of new high-end establishments change the area’s vibe? And if so, will it be better or worse?

Haohao
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