XN000022-1981-11-04 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1981

$191M CONTRACT AWARDED FOR NEW SUPREME COURT BUILDING

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A $191-MILLION CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW SUPREME COURT BUILDING AT QUEENSWAY WAS AWARDED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

THE CONTRACT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST LET BY THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR, WAS FORMALLY SIGNED THIS AFTERNOON BY MR JOHN AITKEN, DIRECTOR OF BUILDING DEVELOPMENT, AND MR JOHN LOO OF NGO KEE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LTD.

MR AITKEN SAID THAT THE WORK WOULD TAKE ABOUT THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE.

*THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING WILL BE 22 STOREYS HIGH, COMPRISING A SIX-STOREY PODIUM AND A 16-STOREY TOWER BLOCK,+ HE SAID.

+THE TOWER BLOCK WILL HOUSE 36 COURTS AND ANCILLARY ACCOMMODATION.

+THE PODIUM, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY LINK UP WITH A PROPOSED GOVERNMENT OFFICE BLOCK ON AN ADJOINING SITE, WILL CONSIST OF REGISTRAR'S CHAMBERS, THE SUPREME COURT LIBRARY, THE SUPREME COURT REGISTRY, DIVORCE AND PROBATE REGISTRIES, GENERAL AND PERSONNEL REGISTRIES, ACCOMMODATION FOR THE BAR ASSOCIATION AND THE LAW SOCIETY AND A HOLDING UNIT FOR THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.+

VEHICULAR ACCESS TO THE BUILDING WILL BE VIA A NEW FLYOVER OVER QUEENSWAY, TENDERS FOR WHICH ARE BEING INVITED BY THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE.

THE FLYOVER WILL CONSIST OF A TWO-LANE ROAD BRIDGE AND SLIP ROADS.

BUILDING DECLARED DANGEROUS

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THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY DECLARED NOS. 28 AND 20, 17TH LANE, SOCIAL AVENUE, SHEUNG YUEN LING (S.D. 2 LOT 606 S.B. AND R.P. AND S.D. 2 LOT 564 S.B.) TO BE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION.

IN A STATEMENT ISSUED THIS MORNING, THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THAT THE TWO-STOREY SUB-STANDARD BUILDING HAD BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED BY FIRE. AS THERE IS A RISK OF COLLAPSE IT IS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO CLOSE AND DEMOLISH THE BUILDING.

A NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR A CLOSURE ORDER IN KOWLOON DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 AM ON DECEMBER 2, 1981 WAS POSTED TODAY.

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