New Pudong riverfront five-year improvement plan released
Pudong has envisioned a vibrant riverfront view where cable cars glide above our heads and cruise ships sail on the Huangpu River, whisking people to the parks, cultural heritages and commercial complexes on its banks, according to Pudong's 14th Five-Year Plan for riverside development along the Huangpu River.
"We will provide the best riverside areas to the public," said Ge Haihu, deputy director of Pudong's riverside development office. "We will liven up the area and turn it into a world-class meeting place."
Under the plan, in the coming five years, Pudong will open up 7.3 kilometers of Huangpu riverside space to the public, in addition to the current 22-kilometer section between the Yangpu and Xupu bridges. "We plan to open up more areas to the south of Xupu Bridge and to the north of Yangpu Bridge," Ge added.
In addition, 4.7 million square meters of green areas and public spaces, 278,000 square meters of public infrastructure and 3.21 million square meters of commercial structures will be built. Nearly 150,000 square meters of historic industrial heritage sites will complete renovation as well.
In order to increase traffic convenience and bring enjoyment to visitors, Pudong plans to build cruise terminals at Minsheng Road, the former Expo site, the Qiantan area and other sites. Also, it is considering building cable car lines above the river.
According to Ge, a cluster of old factories, including the Yaohua Glass Factory and No. 8 Xiepu Road at the Minsheng Wharf will be revitalized.
They will retain their historical flavor to showcase the city's distinctive past as well as have new capabilities as to meet today's modern demands. Notably, runway shows, new product releases and other trendy interactive events will be held there to stimulate the business environment, he said.
The riverfront areas between the Yaohua community and the former site of the 2010 World Expo will be built to play an important role in international cultural communications, as the areas feature the Expo Culture Park, the Shanghai Grand Opera House and the Shanghai Juss International Equestrian Center, Ge said.
Chen Zhu, vice general manager of the park's construction company, said it will be the largest green area in downtown Shanghai when it is completed by the end of 2023.
Covering about 2 square kilometers, it will feature a Chinese-style garden where traditional operas and art performances will be staged and an indoor garden located in a renovated factory. These attractions will create "natural landscape" in the concrete jungle by building hills and streams, rising up to a height of 48 meters, she said.
Sun Yu, deputy director of Pudong's culture, sports and tourism bureau, said culture is a city's soul. "As local GDP has made progress, now we are focusing more on meeting people's cultural demands," he said.
