Tall & Urban News

Nakano Sun Plaza, a 48-year old hotel and concert in Tokyo's Nakano ward, will be demolished in 2024 and replaced with a new mixed-use building by 2028. The ¥181 billion (US$1.7 billion) project will include a 235-meter tall mixed-use office and residential tower with a concert hall and hotel on the lower floors. 

Built in 1973, the 20-story building includes a 2,200 seat concert hall on floors 1-4, a wedding chapel, pool, bowling alley, recording studio, a tennis court on the 8th floor, banquiet halls on floors 10-15, a hotel on floors 16-19 and a restaurant on the 20th floor. It was designed by architect Shoji Hayashi (1928-2011), chief architect of Nikken Sekkei. His other works included Ginza's San-ai Dream Center (1962), Palace Side Building (1966), and the IBM Building in Roppongi (1971, demolished).

It was developed by the Employment and Human Resources Development Organization, a semi-governmental organization under the former Ministry of Labour, as a workers' welfare facility. The official building's name was the National Working Youth Hall. In 2004 it was sold to the Machitsukuri Nakano 21 corporation, made up of Nakano Ward, financial institutions and corporate investors, for ¥5.3 billion (US$49 million).

The decision to demolish the bulding was due to its age and growing maintenance costs. Maintenance costs to ensure the long-life of the current building were estimated at ¥3.2 billion (US$30 million). 

For more on this story, go to Japan Property Central.