Condo to obscure quake memorial
Written by Writer on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008
Condo to obscure quake memorial
The Yomiuri Shimbun
KOBE–Views of the giant “1.17″ illuminated on a building in Chuo Ward, Kobe, during an annual memorial ceremony for the victims of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake will be obstructed next year due to the construction of a high-rise condominium in the area, it has been learned.
The digits, representing the date of the earthquake, Jan. 17, 1995, are illuminated on Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Kobe branch office building on the date when the annual ceremony is held at Higashi Yuenchi Park in the ward.
A 114-meter-tall, 34-story condominium is being constructed near KEPCO’s 18-story, 77-meter-tall Kobe branch office building and will obscure views of the illuminated digits from the park.
The Kobe municipal government, which organizes the annual memorial ceremony, and KEPCO’s Kobe branch office are discussing the best course of action, including changing the digits’ location.
According to the municipal government, a real estate firm in Osaka is undertaking construction of the condominium at the 4,100-square-meter former site of the U.S. Consulate General, located between the branch office building and the park. Construction work began in July last year and is to be completed in December next year.
When the next memorial ceremony is held in January, about 21 of the condominium’s 34 stories will be completed.
The illuminated “1.17″ can be seen from the area surrounding the park, but the condominium will block the view from west of the park.
KEPCO’s Kobe branch office began illuminating the digits in 2005 as part of the memorial ceremony. An employee of the firm in charge of the illumination said the branch office hopes to continue the practice as it has been well received.
The branch office will soon begin serious talks with the municipal government about how to deal with the situation, and it may consider putting the digits on the east side of the building so they can be seen from virtually anywhere in the park.
Meanwhile, the real estate firm said the firm understands the purpose of the memorial ceremony, adding that it would consult with the municipal government about what to do on the day of the event.
(Nov. 11, 2008)
