Q: What is the area management of the city center aiming for?
A: Branding the area and upgrading the value of commerce and business entering to the area.
Fukuoka City's central area, Tenjin, serves as the city's core, housing important institutions, businesses, and transportation hubs. "We Love Tenjin Council," formed in 2006, collaborates with stakeholders to set area management guidelines. Regular meetings and seminars focused on the area's future, including events, park design, and transportation strategies. The guidelines aim to enhance Tenjin's vitality, charm, and overall value. Ongoing demolition and reconstruction aim to improve amenities and office conditions, further elevating Tenjin's appeal.
Urban Retail Center Management – We Love Tenjin Council
Fukuoka City's central area is known as Tenjin, and it serves as the city's core, hosting the city hall, major businesses, and shopping venues. Additionally, it acts as a vital transportation hub. Since the 1950s, various organizations comprising developers, landowners, and retailers have come together to participate in discussions and submit petitions concerning the area's development projects.
One significant group, the "We Love Tenjin Council," was established in 2006. This council includes representatives from the city government and individuals related to the area. They hold regular meetings and seminars to discuss its future, collaborating not only on events like local festivals and bargain sales but also on park design and transportation strategies.
The council formulated the area management guidelines for the first time in 2007. These guidelines aim to encourage stakeholders to work together towards the common goals of making Tenjin a vibrant and charming area with long-lasting vitality, ultimately enhancing its value. According to these guidelines, various activities are undertaken by the council and its members. For instance, they provide amenities for visitors, such as benches in public spaces, and have moved bicycle parking to the basement to ensure wider pavements. Additionally, they offer services like baby buggy rentals in the area.
To promote the area's liveliness, the council co-sponsors festivals, often held in local parks. On some occasions, with the police's coordination, certain roads are temporarily closed to cars, making the area pedestrian-friendly. Moreover, to reduce car traffic, a fringe parking system has been introduced. Visitors can park in designated lots and use free public transportation for a one-way trip.
The council also organizes monthly morning cleanups, involving volunteers from the area. This fosters a sense of community and pride among those who work in Tenjin. Additionally, the council prepares measures to accommodate people during natural disasters and conducts regular drills to ensure preparedness.
With the implementation of these guidelines and related activities, the We Love Tenjin Council aims to attract more visitors to the area. The guidelines are subject to revision in the future, adapting to changes in social circumstances and the needs of visitors.
Collaborating stakeholders work towards further growth and improvement in Tenjin, which also positively impacts land prices. Notably, Fukuoka Prefecture has experienced consecutive years of the highest rise in land prices in Japan, with Tenjin Area being the most expensive land in the region. The ongoing demolition and reconstruction of old buildings in Tenjin are expected to enhance the amenities and provide advanced office spaces, ultimately elevating the overall value of the area.
[Case ID: Urban Management UM-08]