Kowloon Development’s large-scale redevelopment of the former St. Joseph’s Home site in Ngau Chi Wan has entered the superstructure construction stage, marking a significant milestone for one of East Kowloon’s most closely watched urban redevelopment projects.
     Located at 35 Clear Water Bay Road, the project is being developed into a major mixed-use residential and commercial complex and is expected to be completed in phases between 2027 and 2029.
     The redevelopment occupies the former St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged site, a landmark property with a long history in Kowloon. Parts of the original complex, including the entrance gate, Dormitory Block A and the Main Villa, have been classified as Grade II historic buildings and will be preserved as part of the overall development scheme.
     According to revised plans approved by the Buildings Department, the project will comprise five residential towers rising approximately 54 storeys above an eight-storey podium with four basement levels. The approved gross floor area includes approximately 1.476 million sq ft of residential space and around 675,600 sq ft of non-residential floor area for retail, community and ancillary uses.
     Market sources estimate the completed project could provide close to 2,000 residential units in total. Kowloon Development is reportedly planning to launch the first two phases initially, involving more than 820 units.

The project has also undergone updated transport and infrastructure assessments. In a recent response to the Legislative Council, the Hong Kong Government confirmed that the developer submitted a revised Traffic Impact Assessment in 2024, taking into account nearby public housing developments in Ngau Chi Wan and other future projects in the district.
     Authorities indicated that, with the implementation of planned mitigation measures, the development is not expected to create unacceptable traffic impacts on the surrounding road network. Key transport and public infrastructure improvements associated with the project include:

• Construction of new bus lay-bys and a public transport interchange;
• A covered pedestrian footbridge crossing Clear Water Bay Road;
• Road widening and extension works at Ping Ting Road East;
• Elevated roadway connections and future integration potential with the proposed East Kowloon Smart and Green Mass Transit System.

The redevelopment has one of the longest planning histories among Hong Kong’s major private residential projects. Initial redevelopment concepts date back to the late 1990s. Project momentum accelerated after Kowloon Development completed a land premium payment reportedly exceeding HK$9.6 billion in 2021.
     Industry observers consider the project strategically important due to its proximity to Choi Hung MTR Station and the future East Kowloon transit corridor, while also representing one of the largest new private residential land supplies in the urban East Kowloon market in recent years.
     As construction progresses, the redevelopment is expected to become a significant benchmark project combining heritage conservation, high-density urban housing and integrated transport-oriented planning in Hong Kong’s evolving East Kowloon district. (Reported by Building.hk)