Almost all office spaces in the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper continue to be leased out despite disruptions to the global economy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company that owns the building said.
While some tenants have moved out because of the pandemic’s economic effects, several others, including financial and technology firms, have moved in, Taipei Financial Center Corp (TFCC, 台北金融大樓) chief operating officer Michael Liu (劉家豪) said.
The building is about 96 percent occupied, he said.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Financial Center Corp via CNA
The high occupancy rate echoes observations of property analysts, who have said that premium office space in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義), where Taipei 101 is located, remains in high demand, despite the pandemic.
Liu said that the Bureau Francais de Taipei, the French representative office in Taiwan, would soon move into the building, and four to five multinational financial institutions, fashion brands and high-tech companies could sign leases in the second quarter, which would bring the building near full occupancy.
To provide a better environment for the 13,000 employees of the building’s 120 tenants, Taipei 101 has created a shared space called Sky Park on the 35th floor, which aims to offer employees a space that supplements their home as well as their workplace, Liu said.
Phase 1 development of the 484 ping space (1,600m2) was completed early last year, and the second phase was finished at the beginning of this year, he said.
Sky Park offers space for work breaks and services such as restaurants, a convenience store, a pharmacy, and laundry and dental care services, Liu said, adding that a barber shop is planned.
The monthly rent for most spaces in Taipei 101 is from NT$3,500 to NT$4,500 per ping, while the rent on higher floors can be as high as NT$5,000 per ping.
Local media have reported that TFCC recently raised the rent in newly signed contracts, with rents 20 to 30 percent higher than before.
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