Show Chwan will Build A City of  Medical Tourism  in Changbin Industrial Park
By Hsieh Chia-wen in Taipei
Economic Daily

Eyeing at the developmental potential of medical tourism, Show Chwan Hospital planned to build a city on the 20 ha land it purchased in Changbin Industrial Park. The project included the construction of a high-class residential area with 700-800 units at a total investment of over NT$3bn. As it is the first-ever large-scale residential development project inside an industrial park, the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will announce next week the release of residential land to meet the needs of Show Chwan Hospital.

The Lukang Branch of Show Chwan Hospital in Changbin Industrial Park occupies an area of nearly 10 ha. It has a classy design to provide high-class health examination services. The branch has a total of 1,050 beds and about 2,000 employees. As the dormitory provided by the branch could accommodate only 700 persons, the housing demand of employees alone was attractive.

Together with the hospital’s MIS Center, the only Asian partner of the French IRCAD/EITS Laparoscopic Center, to be opened in the end of the month and the practicing site of MIS technology, the tourism and accommodation demands were expected to increase. Therefore, Show Chwan Hospital has rented nearby land with an area of 5 ha to build a 5-star hotel.

Show Chwan Hospital has also recently expressed interest to the IDB to purchase 20 ha of land for residential land use, with plans to build a city in the Changbin Industrial Park by building a closed community that includes a road system, parks and about 700-800 residential units, such as independent villas, duplexes and apartments.

As the residential land was for sale only, it was expected that Show Chwan Hospital would need a sum of over NT$1.8bn to purchase 20 ha of land in the Changpin Industrial Park at NT$31,000 per ping. Together with the construction cost, the total investment would exceed NT$3bn. According to information, Show Chwan Hospital would develop the land in different phases.

According to Changpin Industrial Park, the residential land that Show Chwan Hospital wanted to buy is located in front of the Chinan Waterway(慶安水道) with gorgeous scenery and developmental potential. As the available residential land in the Changpin Industrial Park Phase I was less than 10 ha, the IDB would release the land of the Phase II to fulfill the needs of Show Chwan Hospital. The IDB would release a total of 20ha of residential land for Show Chwan Hospital.

Including the 15 ha of land that Show Chwan Hospital has rented, after the Show Chwan Hospital purchased the 20ha of residential land, the total area of land available for Show Chwan Hospital would be 35 ha, which is larger than the 25 ha currently owned by the Taiwan Glass, the largest landowner in Changpin Industrial Park.

 
(Sung Chien-sheng in Taichung) Show Chwan Hospital Chairperson Huang Min-ho said yesterday (May 15) that the hospital hoped to plan a residential community in Changpin Industrial Park to provide physicians and employees working at the Changbin Show Chwan Health Mall with a perfect working and living environment in order to retain and attract talent.

According to Huang, the 8.5 ha Changbin Show Chwan Health Mall planned in Changpin Industrial Park by Show Chwan Hospital with a sum of NT$4bn offered high-quality medical services. Together with the Changhua Show Chwan Hospital, the system had over 300 full-time physicians.

Huang added, the living standard in Changhua is lower than that of Taichung, and as there was no suitable residence in Changhua, many physicians chose to live in Taichung. As they needed to drive to work everyday, they must hurry to the hospital when they are on call. So he felt very sorry for them.

According to Huang, the idea of building a large residential community in Changpin Industrial Park has been on his mind since for a long time. He took no action because land acquisition was difficult. Now that the IDB agreed to release 20 ha of land for residential use, he invites constructors to form a joint development project. He emphasized that the community must be completely developed. In addition to residential units, there must be kindergartens, elementary schools, parks and other public facilities.

Huang maintained, the Changbin Show Chwan Health Mall would be developed like a hotel. In fact, the hospital has already signed a cooperation contract with The Landis Group to provide customized training services for the nursing staff of the hospital’s high-class health examination center and VIP wards. Also, the first MIS training center in Asia will be opened in the Changbin Show Chwan Health Mall on May 26.
(Economic Daily, 16 May 2008)
Source: Changbin Show Chwan Health Mall
Last updated: 11:59:27 a.m., 16 May 2008