The initial phase of a ring-shaped skywalk to connect malls in Xujiahui area is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.
A plaza under renovation in front of the century-old Xujiahui Cathedral — itself undergoing restoration — will be finished next year, the district government said yesterday.
The first phase of the pedestrian skywalk will connect the renovated West Asia Hotel, now renamed T20 Building, along with the city's popular digital markets, Metro City and Pacific Digital City.
The next phase will further link the Orient Shopping Center, Grand Gateway 66 and the Pacific Department Store to form a ring, the Xuhui government said.
The skywalk is a part of the major face lift of Xujiahui commercial zone — renowned for its shopping and electronic malls. The zone will be redeveloped with cultural and entertainment venues taking center stage.
The renovation on the plaza will be completed by October 2018 to include a larger space for various public events and an underground parking area to try to resolve parking difficulties in the downtown area.
Xujiahui Cathedral, one of the city's most iconic buildings, is undergoing a major renovation to restore its historic look. Formerly known as Saint Ignatius Cathedral, the building was once the largest cathedral in the Far East.
It was designed by a British architect and built by French businessmen. Construction began in 1906 and it was completed in October 1910.
The restored cathedral will become a core landmark with a batch of historic venues in surrounding areas including a planetarium, library and the tomb of Xu Guangqi, a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) scientist and official after whom Xujiahui is named.
The Xujiahui commercial zone was established in 1992 as one of eight commercial centers in the city. Business soared between 1999 and 2008 thanks largely to the malls and Metro Line 1, but sales at the traditional malls have been falling since 2009 due to online rivalry.
As a highlight of the face-lift campaign, the former three-star West Asia Hotel built in 1995 has been redeveloped into an upmarket complex renamed as T20. Renovation work has been completed on the building, which is scheduled to reopen in October.
Designed by renowned French architect Jacques Ferrier, who also designed the popular France Pavilion at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai, the former 31-meter-tall structure was wrapped in steel and extended to became a 70-meter-tall fashionable building.
