A lire :
1 an de travail dans Second Life pour Cisco System
Justin Rattner (CTO) d’Intel : Second Life, Qwack, chirurgie virtuelle
Sun Microsystems fait son show dans second life
La Seine Saint Denis dans Second Life et au MIPIM 2008

Numarul mare de participanti, circa 29.500(dintre care rusii erau cata frunza si iarba), cu 12% mai mult fata de anul trecut, arata ca investitiile imobiliare raman cele mai sigure metode de a face profit si ca de cele mai multe ori salveaza economia unei tari, asa cum declara Adrian Bold, arhitectul-sef al Capitalei.

Raman totusi cateva probleme care ar putea strica planurile investitorilor:

1. Preturile terenurilor au crescut enorm in ultimii ani. Majoritatea proiectelor dezvoltate acum sunt construite pe terenuri cumparate in urma cu trei ani, iar singurele variante rentabile pentru a dezvolta proiecte mari sunt fostele hale industriale sau terenuri situate la 20-30 de kilometri de Bucuresti.

2. Unele proiecte - mai ales cele de birouri- au fost dezvoltate fara a avea un nivel calitativ ridicat si  vor pierde chiriasi in detrimentul celor care se construiesc in prezent.

3.Bancile au devenit mai restrictive in acordarea de credite si solicita garantii solide- si lista poate continua

 Insa, una peste alta, sa ne bucuram ca Bucurestiul a avut pentru prima oara un stand la MIPIM si ca a atras ca un magnet investitorii interesati sa intre sau sa-si extinda investitiile pe piata locala.

The credit crunch has so far failed to dent demand for office space in Singapore or derail its bid to become Asia's leading financial centre, a senior member of the city-state's Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) told Reuters.

Speaking at the annual MIPIM trade fair in Cannes on Tuesday, Choy Chan Pong, head of land administration at the URA, said that Singapore had not felt the threat of vast financial sector redundancies and its construction boom continued.

'We have not seen any evidence of a decline in demand for office space, and for now most financial institutions in Asia are still hiring,' he said.

The URA said earlier this week that it planned to double the size of Singapore's Marina Bay financial district to 2.82 million square metres - or twice the size of London's Canary Wharf financial district - as international financial sector occupiers continued to seek presence in the city.

The authority had set aside 101 hectares of green parkland directly adjacent to the Marina Bay financial district that would serve as 'lungs' for the city, and which would never be sold for office schemes, at any price.

'We have had offers from several Middle Eastern developers and investors to buy the land we have allocated for the Marina Gardens but we will never sell it,' Mr Choy said. 'It stops Singapore from becoming a concrete jungle. It is priceless.'

Standard Chartered Bank and DBS Bank have agreed to take a total of 111,500 square metres of space at the Marina Bay Financial Centre, a 438,000 square metre office and residential project being developed by Keppel Land, Cheung Kong Holdings/ Hutchison Whampoa and Hongkong Land.

According to data from global property broker Cushman & Wakefield last month, Singapore prime office rents climbed 78 per cent in local currency terms in 2007 but Mr Choy quelled fears that this surge in rental costs had begun to price some occupiers out of the market, and towards rival markets of Tokyo and Hong Kong.

'You have to remember this rental increase was from a very low base. Singapore is still cheaper than Hong Kong . . . and Tokyo is almost full,' Mr Choy said.

Hong Kong is the second most expensive office market in the world, behind London, with annual office rents averaging US$239 per square foot. Tokyo is in third place with annual office rents at US$210 per square foot. Singapore is in seventh place.

Its annual office rents average US$130 per square foot.

'We do not expect financial institutions will have to choose one market over another, so we have no concerns about growth of China or Japan,' Mr Choy said.

'Realistically, banks know they have to be in all three cities because we serve different markets, and if banks want access to India or South East Asia, they need to be in Singapore.'

Source : Business Times - 13 Mar 2008

The credit crunch has so far failed to dent demand for office space in Singapore or derail its bid to become Asia's leading financial centre, a senior member of the city-state's Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) told Reuters.

Speaking at the annual MIPIM trade fair in Cannes on Tuesday, Choy Chan Pong, head of land administration at the URA, said that Singapore had not felt the threat of vast financial sector redundancies and its construction boom continued.

'We have not seen any evidence of a decline in demand for office space, and for now most financial institutions in Asia are still hiring,' he said.

The URA said earlier this week that it planned to double the size of Singapore's Marina Bay financial district to 2.82 million square metres - or twice the size of London's Canary Wharf financial district - as international financial sector occupiers continued to seek presence in the city.

The authority had set aside 101 hectares of green parkland directly adjacent to the Marina Bay financial district that would serve as 'lungs' for the city, and which would never be sold for office schemes, at any price.

'We have had offers from several Middle Eastern developers and investors to buy the land we have allocated for the Marina Gardens but we will never sell it,' Mr Choy said. 'It stops Singapore from becoming a concrete jungle. It is priceless.'

Standard Chartered Bank and DBS Bank have agreed to take a total of 111,500 square metres of space at the Marina Bay Financial Centre, a 438,000 square metre office and residential project being developed by Keppel Land, Cheung Kong Holdings/ Hutchison Whampoa and Hongkong Land.

According to data from global property broker Cushman & Wakefield last month, Singapore prime office rents climbed 78 per cent in local currency terms in 2007 but Mr Choy quelled fears that this surge in rental costs had begun to price some occupiers out of the market, and towards rival markets of Tokyo and Hong Kong.

'You have to remember this rental increase was from a very low base. Singapore is still cheaper than Hong Kong . . . and Tokyo is almost full,' Mr Choy said.

Hong Kong is the second most expensive office market in the world, behind London, with annual office rents averaging US$239 per square foot. Tokyo is in third place with annual office rents at US$210 per square foot. Singapore is in seventh place.

Its annual office rents average US$130 per square foot.

'We do not expect financial institutions will have to choose one market over another, so we have no concerns about growth of China or Japan,' Mr Choy said.

'Realistically, banks know they have to be in all three cities because we serve different markets, and if banks want access to India or South East Asia, they need to be in Singapore.'

Source : Business Times - 13 Mar 2008

"Le Mipim, en tant qu'événement annuel majeur du secteur immobilier, est idéal pour promouvoir notre action et attirer l'attention internationale sur le travail réalisé par la Global Housing Foundation, a déclaré son président, Tim Wilkens. En 2008, nous nous sommes engagés, avec nos partenaires, à construire près de 26.000 demeures en Amérique centrale. Maintenant, nous étendons l'initiative à l'Amérique latine, à l'Afrique et à l'Europe de l'est, où nous espérons pouvoir proposer des logements abordables à plusieurs centaines de milliers de personnes d'ici la fin 2008 et en 2009."

L'ONG met en place une initiative de financement par "micro-hypothèque", à hauteur de 250 millions de dollars. Cette initiative bénéficie notamment du soutien de la société Merrill Lynch et du programme des Nations Unies pour les établissements humains (UN-HABITAT). Elle est également promue par la Fédération internationale des professions immobilières (FIABCI). L'objectif de ce fonds est de faciliter la contraction d'un prêt pour les quelques 350 millions d'habitants de bidonvilles qui disposent d'un travail ou d'une source de revenus régulière, quoique faible. Grâce à cette micro-hypothèque contractée auprès de la GHF et remboursable sur le long terme, toute personne en situation précaire devrait accéder à un logement de qualité à prix modéré.

Parmi ces visiteurs, près de 6.600 représenteront des investisseurs internationaux - la catégorie la plus courtisée - aux premiers rangs desquels les grandes banques et compagnies d'assurances britanniques et allemandes.
Côté exposants, ils seront environ 2.600 : promoteurs, investisseurs, utilisateurs, conseils en immobilier, villes et collectivités locales... A noter cette année la présence de Vinci Construction, qui témoigne de l'intérêt du major du BTP pour l'amont de la filière construction.

Quelques 85 pays seront présents. Parmi les mieux représentés, la Grande Bretagne (plus de 1.700 exposants), suivie de la France (plus de 1.200) et l'Allemagne (plus de 700). La Russie continue d'envoyer un fort contingent avec 500 exposants (+13% par rapport à l'année dernière). Nouveaux venus cette année, des pays plus inattendus comme l'Albanie, l'Iran, le Panama, le Pérou, le Nicaragua, la Malaisie ou le Liechtenstein.

Comme l'année dernière, le thème du développement durable sera mis en avant avec une série de conférences pendant la journée "green" du 12 mars et la présentation de projets à haute performance environnementale comme la future tour Incity à Lyon dotée d'éoliennes en son sommet. Des projets d’éco-villes, d’éco-quartiers et de nouveaux modèles urbains seront présentés, dont celui de la ville pilote «Sunny valley», qui doit accueillir 115.000 personnes sur 1.200 hectares à l’horizon 2024 dans l’Oural.

Le secteur de l'immobilier touristique, en pleine croissance, sera aussi bien représenté avec un zoom sur les destinations du futur que sont le Moyen-Orient ou la Russie. Parmi les sociétés enregistrées pour cette édition, on note une hausse de 29% des groupes hôteliers, et un quart des sociétés d’investissement assistant au Mipim cette année déclarent investir dans le secteur de l’hôtellerie et du tourisme. Le Mipim s’est donc adapté à cette tendance en créant des «hotel chat groups» qui aborderont les problématiques spécifiques aux professionnels de l’industrie hôtelière. De même, la journée du jeudi 13 mars sera entièrement dédiée à ce thème. Les débats s’intéresseront notamment à l’élargissement des portefeuilles des groupes immobiliers en Europe, où certains pays sont encore sous-exploités : c’est le cas de l’Allemagne et de l’Espagne.

Les professionnels aborderont également les nouvelles destinations appelées à se développer dans les années à venir. En effet, selon l’Organisation mondiale du tourisme, l’Asie, le Moyen-Orient et l’Afrique affichent actuellement une progression de 5% dans ce domaine, contre une moyenne mondiale de 4,1%. Une tendance illustrée en Afrique par l’objectif de l’Ile Maurice d’attirer deux millions de touristes d’ici 2015 : cette ambition nécessitera la construction de 25.000 chambres. Les organisateurs du Mipim citent aussi la Russie, qui «connait un regain de croissance depuis 2000, à tel point que Moscou doit doubler sa capacité hôtelière d’ici 2010», et redynamiser le réseau hôtelier déjà existant.

Dans la catégorie villes, les principales métropoles européennes, Londres, Paris, Berlin, Madrid… seront toujours présentes dévoilant leurs grands projets urbains tandis que les villes scandinaves -Oslo, Copenhague, Stockholm, ou Malmö- bénéficieront pour la première fois d'un stand dédié. Enfin l'architecte Norman Foster viendra parler de la "Russia Tower" en construction à Moscou et son confrère hollandais Winy Maas de sa vision de la ville du futur.

Cette 19e édition sera marquée par l’essor des projets immobiliers mixtes, c’est-à-dire les quartiers d’affaires ouverts au commerce, au logement et aux activités culturelles. « Cette mixité, qui s’inscrit dans une approche globale de l’aménagement urbain, permet de répondre aux nouveaux modes de vie qui concentrent de multiples services dans un même site», explique la directrice du Mipim, Nadine Castagna.

Temps fort de la semaine, les Mipim awards seront décernés jeudi à des «projets architecturaux les plus significatifs à travers le monde», dans cinq catégories : centres d’affaires, immeubles de bureaux rénovés, immeubles d’habitation, hotels et complexes touristiques et constructions écologiques. Cette dernière catégorie est nouvelle, et vise à «valoriser le respect des critères de haute qualité environnementale».

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said yesterday that it will market a major site in this ‘new growth area’ at a renowned annual global property event in Cannes, from today till Friday. The 2.74ha site for office, hotel and other uses could fetch up to $1.4 billion, a property analyst estimates.

A URA-led team of local agencies and companies such as the Housing Board, Singapore Tourism Board and property developer City Developments (CDL) will exhibit and showcase property investment opportunities at the fair - the Marche International des Professionnels de L’Immobilier.

The Government last year unveiled plans to rejuvenate the hotchpotch Ophir-Rochor area with its mix of commercial buildings and old shophouses.

This is part of a masterplan to double the size of Singapore’s financial district to that of Hong Kong at about 2.82 million sq m of office space, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said in Parliament last month.

The Ophir-Rochor corridor will complement the financial district at Marina Bay and Raffles Place, surrounded by a vibrant arts and entertainment scene, said the URA.

The site, between Rochor and Ophir roads and surrounding Parkview Square, will go on sale in June, and is expected to yield 495 hotel rooms and 139,740 sq m of commercial space.

The URA said the site will have a minimum requirement for office and hotel use, and is the second to be released in the district.

Last September, a CDL-led consortium that included Middle East investors won the tender for a 3.5ha site at $1.689 billion to build an eco-friendly mixed-use project - South Beach - designed by world- renowned British architect Norman Foster and his partners.

Property analysts say the upcoming site is likely to garner international interest.

Savills Singapore’s director, Mr Ku Swee Yong, said the site is the ‘best piece this year’ - likely to get at least five bids. He estimates the land cost, based on certain assumptions, to be up to $1.4 billion, or $700 to $800 per sq ft per plot ratio.

Chesterton International head of research and consultancy Colin Tan said the property fair will keep Singapore’s property scene on the global radar, but he expressed concerns about big projects adding to the current strain on resources.

The URA has been participating in the French fair since 2002. It is one of the world’s largest real estate exhibitions, attracting about 26,000 delegates from 74 countries each year.

Source : Straits Times - 11 Mar 2008

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said yesterday that it will market a major site in this ‘new growth area’ at a renowned annual global property event in Cannes, from today till Friday. The 2.74ha site for office, hotel and other uses could fetch up to $1.4 billion, a property analyst estimates.

A URA-led team of local agencies and companies such as the Housing Board, Singapore Tourism Board and property developer City Developments (CDL) will exhibit and showcase property investment opportunities at the fair - the Marche International des Professionnels de L’Immobilier.

The Government last year unveiled plans to rejuvenate the hotchpotch Ophir-Rochor area with its mix of commercial buildings and old shophouses.

This is part of a masterplan to double the size of Singapore’s financial district to that of Hong Kong at about 2.82 million sq m of office space, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said in Parliament last month.

The Ophir-Rochor corridor will complement the financial district at Marina Bay and Raffles Place, surrounded by a vibrant arts and entertainment scene, said the URA.

The site, between Rochor and Ophir roads and surrounding Parkview Square, will go on sale in June, and is expected to yield 495 hotel rooms and 139,740 sq m of commercial space.

The URA said the site will have a minimum requirement for office and hotel use, and is the second to be released in the district.

Last September, a CDL-led consortium that included Middle East investors won the tender for a 3.5ha site at $1.689 billion to build an eco-friendly mixed-use project - South Beach - designed by world- renowned British architect Norman Foster and his partners.

Property analysts say the upcoming site is likely to garner international interest.

Savills Singapore’s director, Mr Ku Swee Yong, said the site is the ‘best piece this year’ - likely to get at least five bids. He estimates the land cost, based on certain assumptions, to be up to $1.4 billion, or $700 to $800 per sq ft per plot ratio.

Chesterton International head of research and consultancy Colin Tan said the property fair will keep Singapore’s property scene on the global radar, but he expressed concerns about big projects adding to the current strain on resources.

The URA has been participating in the French fair since 2002. It is one of the world’s largest real estate exhibitions, attracting about 26,000 delegates from 74 countries each year.

Source : Straits Times - 11 Mar 2008

The site will be launched for sale under the Confirmed List of the Government Land Sales Programme in June.

In a statement yesterday, URA said the 2.74-hectare parcel is at Rochor Road/Ophir Road, adjacent to Parkview Square.

It also said the developer will have to include a minimum amount of office and hotel space to cater to the growth of Singapore’s financial and business services sector and tourism.

Depending on market demand, URA will release more redevelopment sites in the Ophir-Rochor area over the next five to 10 years. URA will be exhibiting plans for development of the Ophir-Rochor corridor at MIPIM Cannes.

A team led by URA, and comprising public sector agencies and private companies, will showcase investment opportunities, including key recent and upcoming developments, at the Singapore Pavilion.

‘With some of the most prominent upcoming developments and strategic sale sites that Singapore has to offer in Marina Bay and Ophir-Rochor, I am confident we will continue to attract international investors,’ said URA’s director of land administration Choy Chan Pong.

Besides plans for the Ophir-Rochor corridor, URA will exhibit plans for the extension of the existing financial district at Marina Bay.

As part of the plan to rejuvenate and grow the existing Central Business District, URA has released more plans for the Ophir-Rochor corridor to complement the Marina Bay area, featuring mixed-use developments with offices, hotels, residential and other complementary facilities in a park-like environment.

It is expected to be developed over the next 10 to 15 years.

Source : Business Times - 11 Mar 2008

The site will be launched for sale under the Confirmed List of the Government Land Sales Programme in June.

In a statement yesterday, URA said the 2.74-hectare parcel is at Rochor Road/Ophir Road, adjacent to Parkview Square.

It also said the developer will have to include a minimum amount of office and hotel space to cater to the growth of Singapore’s financial and business services sector and tourism.

Depending on market demand, URA will release more redevelopment sites in the Ophir-Rochor area over the next five to 10 years. URA will be exhibiting plans for development of the Ophir-Rochor corridor at MIPIM Cannes.

A team led by URA, and comprising public sector agencies and private companies, will showcase investment opportunities, including key recent and upcoming developments, at the Singapore Pavilion.

‘With some of the most prominent upcoming developments and strategic sale sites that Singapore has to offer in Marina Bay and Ophir-Rochor, I am confident we will continue to attract international investors,’ said URA’s director of land administration Choy Chan Pong.

Besides plans for the Ophir-Rochor corridor, URA will exhibit plans for the extension of the existing financial district at Marina Bay.

As part of the plan to rejuvenate and grow the existing Central Business District, URA has released more plans for the Ophir-Rochor corridor to complement the Marina Bay area, featuring mixed-use developments with offices, hotels, residential and other complementary facilities in a park-like environment.

It is expected to be developed over the next 10 to 15 years.

Source : Business Times - 11 Mar 2008

And a landmark development has been planned for this new office district.

The Ophir Rochor district has been slated to be a new growth extension from the Marina Bay area.

An artist's impression of Ophir Rochor district.

The first plot next to Parkview Square will be released for sale in June as part of the government land sales programme.

Analysts expect the 2.74-hectare site to provide some 1.6 million square feet of space for a range of uses.

Mr Donald Han, Managing Director of Cushman & Wakefield (Singapore), said: "The proportion will be something like close to 500 rooms for hotel. That's probably suitable for a 4-star hotel, potentially even 5-star, and if you look into the office component, it would be slightly in access of 1.3 or maybe 1.4 million gross floor area."

Industry watchers expect the development to be completed in two to three years, with rentals going at about half of that in prime financial districts, at between 8 and 10 dollars per square foot.

The URA will be marketing the Ophir Rochor site at an international real estate exhibition in Cannes on March 11-14.

Analysts say the opening up of the Rochor Ophir corridor will become a catalyst for more sites to be developed in the area.

They also expect to see some collective sales in the near future, as older buildings in the vicinity get a makeover, to keep up with the times.

Mr Han added: "If you look at Rochor Road, Beach Road, it's quite a mix bag of new and old. Particularly the old ones, there are a lot of strata title developments where there is really not much incentives among owners wanting to upgrade.

"The fact that there is now a landmark development coming in, land values will be recognised at the end of the day and when there is an increase in terms of land value, there will be an increase in desire to redevelop."

The URA will continue to release more land in the Ophir Rochor area

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 10 Mar 2008

And a landmark development has been planned for this new office district.

The Ophir Rochor district has been slated to be a new growth extension from the Marina Bay area.

An artist's impression of Ophir Rochor district.

The first plot next to Parkview Square will be released for sale in June as part of the government land sales programme.

Analysts expect the 2.74-hectare site to provide some 1.6 million square feet of space for a range of uses.

Mr Donald Han, Managing Director of Cushman & Wakefield (Singapore), said: "The proportion will be something like close to 500 rooms for hotel. That's probably suitable for a 4-star hotel, potentially even 5-star, and if you look into the office component, it would be slightly in access of 1.3 or maybe 1.4 million gross floor area."

Industry watchers expect the development to be completed in two to three years, with rentals going at about half of that in prime financial districts, at between 8 and 10 dollars per square foot.

The URA will be marketing the Ophir Rochor site at an international real estate exhibition in Cannes on March 11-14.

Analysts say the opening up of the Rochor Ophir corridor will become a catalyst for more sites to be developed in the area.

They also expect to see some collective sales in the near future, as older buildings in the vicinity get a makeover, to keep up with the times.

Mr Han added: "If you look at Rochor Road, Beach Road, it's quite a mix bag of new and old. Particularly the old ones, there are a lot of strata title developments where there is really not much incentives among owners wanting to upgrade.

"The fact that there is now a landmark development coming in, land values will be recognised at the end of the day and when there is an increase in terms of land value, there will be an increase in desire to redevelop."

The URA will continue to release more land in the Ophir Rochor area

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 10 Mar 2008

A PRIME land parcel enveloping Parkview Square in Bugis may soon draw more top developers to Singapore, just as the Beach Road and Marina View parcels did last year.

The 2.74 ha site, along Rochor and Ophir Roads, will comprise office and hotel space, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which is pitching it to an international audience in France over the next three days.

The site could be worth $1.2 to $1.48 billion, according to property analysts.

Marketing it at a premier property event - the annual Marche International des Professionals de L’Immobilier in Cannes - is “good branding and also a move to see if there are large investment funds interested in developing Singapore’s streetscape”, said Mr Ku Swee Yong of Savills Singapore.

The land parcel, which will be up for sale in June, is the first in the new Ophir-Rochor corridor to be launched under the Government’s land sale programme.

Plans were earlier announced for this vibrant growth area - comprising financial and business institutions, hotels and residential facilities in a park-like setting - that will complement the financial district at Marina Bay and Raffles Place.

More land parcels in the Ophir-Rochor area will be released for development over the next five to 10 years “in tandem with market demand”, said the URA.

About 40 per cent of the first development could be commercial space, while 60 per cent of it could be devoted to hotel and retail space, said Mr Ku, Savills’ director of marketing and business development.

It may consist of a 500-room hotel on par with the nearby Intercontinental, with retail outlets on the lower levels and 1.2 million to 1.4 million sq ft of office or commercial space, said Mr Donald Han, managing director of Cushman and Wakefield.

Mr Han deemed it as attractive as last year’s Beach Road site, which was clinched for $1.69 billion by a three-nation consortium led by City Developments.

While South Beach at Beach Road is “more prestigious” as it straddles Suntec City and Raffles City, the Ophir-Rochor site is “equally attractive” for being on the fringe of the Central Business District, its good waterfront views and proximity to Bugis MRT, he said.

Marketing it at the present time would also give new investors time to do due diligence of the Singapore market before the parcel is launched for sale, he said.

URA has been marketing prime sites more aggressively to international players for the past three to four years, said a spokesperson.

Last year, major investors like Dubai’s Istithmar Group, the United States-based El-Ad Group and Macquarie Global Property Advisors (MGPA) ventured into Singapore’s land tender market. Istithmar and El-Ad were part of South Beach’s winning consortium, while MGPA, partly owned by Australia’s Macquarie Group, clinched the Marina View plots.

Mr Ku said that he would like to see more developments in Singapore by renowned companies from Japan and Europe to “give a better international flavour to our landscape”.

Source : Today - 11 Mar 2008

A PRIME land parcel enveloping Parkview Square in Bugis may soon draw more top developers to Singapore, just as the Beach Road and Marina View parcels did last year.

The 2.74 ha site, along Rochor and Ophir Roads, will comprise office and hotel space, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which is pitching it to an international audience in France over the next three days.

The site could be worth $1.2 to $1.48 billion, according to property analysts.

Marketing it at a premier property event - the annual Marche International des Professionals de L’Immobilier in Cannes - is “good branding and also a move to see if there are large investment funds interested in developing Singapore’s streetscape”, said Mr Ku Swee Yong of Savills Singapore.

The land parcel, which will be up for sale in June, is the first in the new Ophir-Rochor corridor to be launched under the Government’s land sale programme.

Plans were earlier announced for this vibrant growth area - comprising financial and business institutions, hotels and residential facilities in a park-like setting - that will complement the financial district at Marina Bay and Raffles Place.

More land parcels in the Ophir-Rochor area will be released for development over the next five to 10 years “in tandem with market demand”, said the URA.

About 40 per cent of the first development could be commercial space, while 60 per cent of it could be devoted to hotel and retail space, said Mr Ku, Savills’ director of marketing and business development.

It may consist of a 500-room hotel on par with the nearby Intercontinental, with retail outlets on the lower levels and 1.2 million to 1.4 million sq ft of office or commercial space, said Mr Donald Han, managing director of Cushman and Wakefield.

Mr Han deemed it as attractive as last year’s Beach Road site, which was clinched for $1.69 billion by a three-nation consortium led by City Developments.

While South Beach at Beach Road is “more prestigious” as it straddles Suntec City and Raffles City, the Ophir-Rochor site is “equally attractive” for being on the fringe of the Central Business District, its good waterfront views and proximity to Bugis MRT, he said.

Marketing it at the present time would also give new investors time to do due diligence of the Singapore market before the parcel is launched for sale, he said.

URA has been marketing prime sites more aggressively to international players for the past three to four years, said a spokesperson.

Last year, major investors like Dubai’s Istithmar Group, the United States-based El-Ad Group and Macquarie Global Property Advisors (MGPA) ventured into Singapore’s land tender market. Istithmar and El-Ad were part of South Beach’s winning consortium, while MGPA, partly owned by Australia’s Macquarie Group, clinched the Marina View plots.

Mr Ku said that he would like to see more developments in Singapore by renowned companies from Japan and Europe to “give a better international flavour to our landscape”.

Source : Today - 11 Mar 2008

The project is expected to be developed over the next ten to 15 years as part of plans to rejuvenate the Central Business District.

It will feature a mix of offices, hotels and other complementary facilities in a park-like environment.

The first land parcel in the new Ophir-Rochor corridor will be launched for sale in June via the Confirmed List of the Government Land Sales Programme.

This 2.74 hectare site is adjacent to Parkview Square and is located at Rochor Road / Ophir Road.

It will include a requirement to develop a minimum quantum for office and hotel use.

This will help boost the tourism industry and cater to the growth of Singapore's financial and business services sector.

URA said that this Ophir-Rochor corridor will be "the catalyst for future development and growth in the area".

Plans for development of the Ophir-Rochor corridor and sale site will be exhibited and promoted at the Singapore Pavilion during the "Marche International des Professionals de L'Immobilier" (MIPIM) between 11 and 14 March 2008.

MIPIM is a premier international property event in Cannes.

The Singapore Pavilion will see a mix of public-private companies led by URA.

This is part of URA's continuing efforts to attract foreign investors to property development and investment opportunities in Singapore.

Singapore's real estate investment opportunities in Ophir-Rochor and Marina Bay will be jointly promoted at MIPIM Cannes.

The Singapore Pavilion will also promote Singapore's key recent and upcoming developments. -CNA/vm

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 10 Mar 2008

The project is expected to be developed over the next ten to 15 years as part of plans to rejuvenate the Central Business District.

It will feature a mix of offices, hotels and other complementary facilities in a park-like environment.

The first land parcel in the new Ophir-Rochor corridor will be launched for sale in June via the Confirmed List of the Government Land Sales Programme.

This 2.74 hectare site is adjacent to Parkview Square and is located at Rochor Road / Ophir Road.

It will include a requirement to develop a minimum quantum for office and hotel use.

This will help boost the tourism industry and cater to the growth of Singapore's financial and business services sector.

URA said that this Ophir-Rochor corridor will be "the catalyst for future development and growth in the area".

Plans for development of the Ophir-Rochor corridor and sale site will be exhibited and promoted at the Singapore Pavilion during the "Marche International des Professionals de L'Immobilier" (MIPIM) between 11 and 14 March 2008.

MIPIM is a premier international property event in Cannes.

The Singapore Pavilion will see a mix of public-private companies led by URA.

This is part of URA's continuing efforts to attract foreign investors to property development and investment opportunities in Singapore.

Singapore's real estate investment opportunities in Ophir-Rochor and Marina Bay will be jointly promoted at MIPIM Cannes.

The Singapore Pavilion will also promote Singapore's key recent and upcoming developments. -CNA/vm

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 10 Mar 2008

Cannes, France (i-Newswire.com) March 9, 2008 — MIPIM, hailed as the largest market showcase for global property, will host an unprecedented number of developers, brokers, and housing industry service providers. Attendance is up 26% from last year, and 46% from 2006, with more American participants than ever; increases likely due to the harsh impact of the US mortgage crisis, and the need of many developers and sales groups to seek buyers abroad.

This year, a record number of American developers and service providers will be represented, some with longstanding stature in global real estate; others desperate to find foreign buyers for struggling US developments.

"The increase in American attendees at MIPIM, which are still an extreme minority, is informative: it shows US-based developers are engaging the one yet-untapped market for luxury buyers," says Dr. Paul du Quenoy, Senior Advisor at Criterion Global, a Russian market expert and a recipient of multiple Fulbright Fellowships.

Criterion Global, whose services include media and marketing, as well as helping domestic projects syndicate sales through foreign brokers, is one of an emerging group of real estate consultants expert in marketing real estate on a global scale. "The faltering American economy is being felt abroad, and its telling that the US has had to reach overseas for buyers: the whole situation is an undeniable testament to the globalized nature of Property 2.0" says du Quenoy.

Enticing foreign buyers calls for new marketing measures; particularly for luxury developments in New York City, Miami, and Vegas, where developers are re-educating themselves on how to target their audience.

"This is the first time developers have truly had to view their work as a global enterprise, particularly in markets hit by the credit crunch. All day long I hear people asking me how to bring foreign buyers to their project. The media and marketing strategies have changed significantly. We're targeting wealthier Americans capable of with cash, and foreign buyers whose stronger currency gets them 30, 40, or 50% discounts off some of the most high-end properties in the US." says David Halperin, who says online advertising is an integral part of international property marketing.

"It's imperative. Online ads are the most cost-effective way to cover international markets, and by far the most accountable. We're devoted tremendous resources to expanding our interactive department, from a technology and HR perspective, and the expertise shows in the campaigns."

MIPIM functions as a global marketplace by providing a unique opportunity for industry decision-makers to meet, showcase their projects, and develop long-term relationships. It takes place this year on March 11-14th, at the Palais Des Festivals in Cannes, France and organizers expect to host 28,000 investors, developers, and end-users from 82 countries.

La dernière version de Second Life (1.19.1) intègre quelques fonctionnalités dont le fameux « web on a prim », à savoir une page d’Internet consultable dans second life sur un objet définis. A part une annonce laconique sur le blog second life, repris dans le forum, Linden lab reste discret. En effet nous sommes encore loin d’une vraie transposition permettant à plusieurs de consulter Internet ensemble et à distance. Après quelques tests sur l’île de la Seine Saint Denis ( Comex 93), on constate qu’il n’est pas question de pouvoir naviguer (ceci serait encore en cours de développement). On peut alors penser à l’économie d’importation de textures mais il faut configurer le canal média donc parcelliser du terrain et dédier pour chaque éléments quelques mètres carrés.

L’exemple ici avec l’intégration du site de la Foncière Paris France qui est à l’origine du bâtiment Mediacom 3 qui sera présenté au MIPIM et dans Second Life. Le fil d’actualité en haut à droite se diffuse comme sur la page originel.

Si le clic et la navigation marchaient, ce panneau pour indiquer les tutoriaux au débutant serait un gain de temps et plus souple en terme de consultation pour le résident. A suivre

Seine Saint Denis dans Second Life

http://www.comex93.org/

La participation de la région de Moscou au salon MIPIM (Marché international des professionnels de l'immobilier), qui aura lieu du 11 au 14 mars prochain en France, encouragera la croissance des investissements, a-t-il espéré.

"C'est la troisième fois que nous participerons à cette exposition qui nous est très utile, car elle permet de mieux renseigner les investisseurs sur la région de Moscou", a constaté M. Parkhomenko.

"Il y a deux ans, notre pavillon occupait 70 mètres carrés. Cette fois, il en occupera 370", s'est-il réjoui.

La région de Moscou a créé un climat d'investissement "favorable" ce qui attire de nombreuses entreprises étrangères, a résumé le responsable russe.

Mipim, the Marche international des professionnels de l’immobilier, is a real estate and city development fair that also honours innovative and outstanding buildings.

Over 100 projects from 15 different countries across the Asia-Pacific region were submitted to the Mipim Asia Awards.

‘The quality of the final projects is a testimony to the high standards in Asian real estate today,’ commented Robert Lie, president of the jury and chairman of ING Real Estate Investment Management Asia (Hong Kong).

Ho Bee on Wednesday won in the Residential Developments category with its Sentosa development, The Berth by the Cove, by architects Axis Architects Planners.

This is the first award for The Berth, and Ho Bee general manager of marketing and business development Chong Hock Chang added that it is also ‘the first true waterfront housing in Singapore’.

He said: ‘The development is designed such that you either face the vast South China Sea or the enchanting waterways within the Cove. Further, it is also the first of its kind to have its own berthing facilities.’

On the efforts of Axis Architects, Mr Chong said: ‘They may be a local architect but the team has proven themselves to be able to compete against the best in the region by helping us bag this prestigious award.’

Banyan Tree Holdings won in the Hotels and Tourism Resorts category with its Banyan Tree Lijiang in China by Architrave Design & Planning.

Banyan Tree managing director (Design Services) Ho Kwoncjan explained that each Banyan Tree Resort is designed to blend into its natural surroundings, using indigenous materials as far as possible and reflecting the landscape and architecture of the destination.

‘Whether redesigning rustic Tibetan farmhouses as lodges, or visualising a resort within an intimate village setting, we promote the uniqueness of indigenous cultures,’ he said.

Source : Business Times - 30 Nov 2007