Grand Central Plaza, Shopping complex in Sha Tin, Hong Kong.
Grand Central Plaza is a shopping and office complex in Sha Tin with two 16-story office towers linked by a multi-level retail section. The building houses office space and a large IKEA store spread across several floors.
The site was part of New Town Plaza Phase 4 before being named Grand Central Plaza. Sun Hung Kai Properties won the plot in March 1990 with a land-exchange entitlement worth HK$72.48 million, and construction ran from January 1991 to 1995. The building stood empty at first; in October 1997 IKEA opened in the mall, and in 2008 a HK$170 million refurbishment turned the retail podium into HomeSquare, completed in 2010.
The mall was renamed HomeSquare in 2010 after a HK$170 million refurbishment that expanded it to 350,000 sq ft and 115 shops, about 30% of them the brand's only or first concept store in Hong Kong or the New Territories. Its floors are grouped by seven home themes, from furniture to lighting.
Most visitors reach the complex by taking the ramp from Sha Tin station and walking a short stretch of Pai Tau Street pavement. A reserved stub with two escalators on the first storey was built for a footbridge that was never constructed. Inside, a cross-level escalator links the 2nd floor directly to the 5th, where the IKEA store sits.
Plans for a pedestrian bridge to the railway station sparked discussions with residents of nearby Pai Tau Village. This local debate shows how large projects can meet resistance in densely populated neighborhoods.
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