KOMTAR, the iconic tallest skyscraper in the northern region may get a new face after its owner - the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) hired a consultant to study ways to enliven the sprawling tower complex of government offices and commercial lots.
Having lost its lustre as a preferred commercial getaway three decades ago, the 85-storey building which lies in the heart of George Town, is now mostly a place for the public to head to for state and local government matters.
The Federal Government has aided by placing its Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in the commercial zone of Komtar but the foot traffic numbers continue to pale in comparison to other retail and shopping malls in Penang.
PDC chief executive officer Datuk Aziz Bakar said the state agency has appointed a consultant to relook at the whole development in Komtar to breathe new life into the building, which stands at 231.7 metres tall.
He said they were looking at rezoning the building to see what form of activities could be brought there.
From the 60th floor, the space has been rented out for amusement parks, eateries and other forms of tourist attractions.
There is also the Tech Dome facility, which offers exciting science and tech attractions.
"This is the effort that is being made, and in three months, we should be able to get the proposal from the consultant. We will have engagement sessions with the tenants to involve everyone as some of the units are privately owned. Not all of the units belong to PDC," Aziz said at the launching of the PDC strategic plan 2024 - 2028.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow launched the event.
Komtar or the Tun Abdul Razak Complex was completed in 1985 to the delight of the state's second chief minister the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu.
But within a decade, it began to erode due to the mushrooming of various commercial enclaves on both the island and mainland of Penang.
The complex was touted as the largest urban regeneration project in the country.
Meanwhile, certain quarters have blamed the previous state administration for not adhering to the original objectives of why Komtar was constructed.
Among the plans was to reincorporate all traders in the pre-war shop houses into the commercial lots at Komtar while allowing for the conservation and preservation work to be done on the same buildings which dot the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site.
Unfortunately, the political will was not there to undertake such a relocation drive.
However the future of Komtar is expected to change with the construction of the proposed light rail transit (LRT) system where the complex is a major interchange station. - The Vibes, March 27, 2024.
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