Print

Mail

wiki links

AIT surveys new location in Neihu while making plans

The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) yesterday surveyed the size and condition of the Taipei City Drivers Training Center's land in Neihu, where the AIT will be located after the training center's lease expires. The AIT asked that all buildings and walls on the land be demolished before the end of next year, according to an evening Chinese-language newspaper.

The AIT negotiated with the Taipei City Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to secure the training-center land as their new location. The Taipei City Bureau of Urban Development has handled the project as designated by Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-joeu (馬英九), according to the newspaper.

"The Taipei City Drivers Training Center, which is in the possession of the National Property Bureau, will have to move anyway because its lease will expire at the end of next year, " said Wu Ming-teh (吳明德), chief of the Taipei City Drivers Training Center.

"No matter what the AIT asks, we will cooperate fully. No problem with that," he said.

Taipei City councilwoman Lee Yan-chiou (李彥秀) questioned the low rent of the new location, saying it is given to the AIT so cheaply that it is unfair to other non-governmental organizations.

"The rental is only about NT$6 million a year for the AIT. According to the regulations of the National Property Bureau, the rental should be equal to 40 percent of the published appraised value of the land, while the bureau asked the AIT to pay only one percent of the published appraised value," Lee said.

Lee also said that the Urban Development Bureau should disclose the project's content and let the public know what the AIT will build on the land.

"As far as I know, the AIT plans to build a landing apron and a school, which I think should require residents' permission before something is constructed that probably would affect their lives," she said.

"The project is not bad and as far as I know the design blueprint hasn't even been completed," according to Development Bureau spokesman Tuo Chung-hua (脫宗華).
This story has been viewed 1540 times.