The Guang Hua Digital Plaza (Chinese: 光華數位新天地 or 光華商場) is a six-story, indoor technological and electronics market located in Taipei, Taiwan. It is located at the intersection of the Zhongzheng and Daan Districts.
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Guang Hua Market was established by the Taipei City Government in 1973 as a retailer market, using the space beneath the old Guanghua Bridge. Originally, the market specialized in old books, giving it the nickname "old books street" (舊書街). Within a decade, however, electronics retailers gained presence in the market and surrounding streets.
Due to underground railroad construction in 1992, Guang Hua Market was moved to an underground location at the corner of Bade Road and Xinsheng South Road. By this time, the area became known for electronics, with many new stores opening, and the establishment of other electronic markets such as the International Electronics Market (國際電子廣場), Contemporary Life Market (現代生活廣場), and Sanpu Market (三普廣場).
In 2006 due to the demolition of the Guanghua Bridge, Guang Hua Market was moved to a temporary location at the corner of Jinshan North Road and Civic Boulevard. The temporary building consisted of five warehouse-like halls, providing a total of 196 retail stores. Not soon after market moved into its temporary location, construction began on the current six-story Guang Hua Digital Plaza building, which has been its current location since July 2008.
The Guang Hua Digital Plaza building today consists of six stories above ground and one story below ground. The first story above ground is an exhibition space for electronic products. The second and third stories are the new locations for the 196 vendors of the original Guang Hua Market. The fourth and fifth stories are the new locations for the vendors of Xining Guozhai Electronics Market. The sixth floor is reserved for repair shops, education classes, and offices. The basement floor is parking. The market attracts tens of thousands of visitors each day.[1]
It is located on the corner of Xinsheng North Road (新生北路) and Civic Boulevard (市民大道) and is accessible from MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station. The surrounding area and streets are also full of shops selling electronics. Large companies, including Microsoft and Intel, regularly unveil products at Guang Hua Digital Plaza.[2]
The area around Guang Hua Plaza is currently being utilized as parking space. However, the city government plans to build the "Taipei Information Park" in the surrounding area to complement the current electronics plaza.[3] The new park will be built at the intersection of Civic Boulevard and Jinshan South Road. The new building will have a total of 21 floors (15 aboveground, 6 below) and occupy a total floor space of 2,678 ping. The park will also include hotel rooms, offices, and restaurants.
On April 27, 2010, the build-operate-transfer (BOT) project was awarded to the Hon Hai Group, beating out four other bidders.[4] The park will also feature a technology exhibition center, digital entertainment zone, and business cultivation center. It is expected to open by March 2014.
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