http://io9.com/chinas-brand-new-abandoned-cities-could-be-dystopian-m-1238731420
HOLY SHIT.
Oh Damn.
Jesus fuck, it's like Miranda from Serenity.
Whoa.
Why? I dont understand why :sad:
Quote from: :regret: on September 04, 2013, 12:13:20 PM
Why? I dont understand why :sad:
It's quite simple.
Somebody had the money to build, but people didn't have the money to move in. It's common here in the US too. We have a couple towers in downtown Providence that are pretty much empty, since they started building these [ugly as fuck] high rise condos in 2006 before the bubble burst. They go for millions. MILLIONS, even a one bedroom is 1.2 million dollars. That much money is something that Providence doesn't have, in hopes that they could attract commuters to Boston who don't want to live IN Boston.
Trust me, if I had millions, I'd be living in fucking Back Bay or Beacon Hill among the ivy coated brownstones. I would NOT be living in Providence with scenic views of a shopping mall and smokestacks.
:eek:
The short answer is China's massive construction boom means that's there's tons buildings just "Waiting for occupation" It's a vital part of the Chinese industry now and there's little stopping it. Buildings get erected, Company gets to show profit from building and write off losses due to lack of occupation.
There was a decent VICE piece on this not too long ago.
http://hbo.vice.com/episode-six
Worth thinking about because there's several things that make it resemble the whole sub-prime fuckup. Sooner or later the books are going to have to be looked at for all these developments. I doubt any Chinese companies are likely to go bust. Not when you can call in some of that debt you own.
SQUEEEEEE!!!!!
One thing I have spent some time thinking about is that as the human population crests and begins to decline, which many think it is about to do, and as climate change alters our landscape and rural flight compounds, we will end up with large numbers of abandoned cities within the next 20 years. This is, of course, a delightful prospect.
China has gone completely nuts. I get the feeling there is a simmering war between capitalistic minded investors, government building programs, and the construction companies. In Shanghai, for example, the average wage is around 1500 RMB but flats are selling for 150,000 to 250,000 RMB. Obviously nobody can afford property like that. What's even weirder, however, is the number of Red Star Macalline malls going up. These are massive 7-story indoor malls filled bottom to top with home decorating shops ready to furnish all those buildings going up everywhere.
I can see how they'd keep it up to maintain "policy" as well as keep people employed. The only people getting shafted are the investors, so I don't see where the Chinese government really cares. Eventually the bubble has to pop, and I have no idea what is going to happen then. In the media there is a negative bias against banks and bankers, so maybe the Chinese military has finally decided to directly seize control of the banks and this is their opening move. I just don't know.