Western Hanoi reaches to sky

Despite turbulent economic conditions,  new skyscrapers are redefining Hanoi’s western skyline and others are in the works.

The Discovery Complex at  No.302 Cau Giay street, Cau Giay district,  has announced that the foundation of the high-rise complex would be soon completed and  apartments in the project will officially be put on sale and marketing this fourth quarter by Savills Vietnam, according to Tran Duc Minh, chairman of Cau Giay Investment Commercial and Service JSC - the project developer.

Guy Major, sales director of Savills Vietnam, refused to revealed the official prices for apartments in the project, but they are  expected to be competitive with prices of units in Indochina Plaza Hanoi, which is also on the same route.  

Covering a 10,000 square metres site, Discovery Complex comprises a 54-storey apartment building and a 43-storey office tower for lease, linked together by an eight-floor retail podium and five basements.

After completion, the complex will provide 45,000 sqm of office for lease area; 500 high-end apartments; 38,000 sqm of retail space; and parking space for 1,250 cars and nearly 4,000 motorbikes.  Plans also call for a station in front of the project for the planned mass transit elevated railway, which is expected to reach many key locations in Hanoi.  

About two kilometers  from Discovery Complex, the 65-story Lotte Centre Hanoi building is slated for opening in 2014.

Developed by Lotte Coralis, the $400 million tower will be the third tallest in Vietnam in 2014 behind the 72-storey Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City’s Bitexco Financial Tower, which has 68 floors. The design for Lotte Centre, located at the corner of Lieu Giai and Dao Tan streets, calls for  more than 42,200 sqm retail space; 300 hotel rooms; 63,500sqm office space; 40,000 sqm serviced apartments and 1,130 parking lots.

Meanwhile,  VietinBank is working to finish the foundation of its 68-storey VietinBank Tower at Ciputra International City in Hanoi’s West Lake district. According to the design revealed  during its ground-breaking ceremony, the $300 million VietinBank Tower will be a 68-storey grade A office tower and connected to a 48-storey luxury hotel and condominium building by seven floors for supermarkets, commercial areas and restaurants.

VietinBank chairman Pham Huy Hung told VIR that the project’s construction progress is very good. Initial plans called the complex to be in operation in 2014, but Hung said he is not sure it will meet that timeline.

While work proceeds on these projects amid the economic difficulties, several other skyscraper projects for now are little more than drawings on paper. These include the $1 billion Diamond Rice Flower hotel complex envisioned for Hanoi’s Tu Liem district by the Kinh Bac City Development Share Holdings Corporation, and PVC’s planned 79-storey PVN Tower, located at Me Tri ward, Tu Liem district.