Physical Development- Half-yearly Progress Report

For the Period Ended 30^th June 2020

This half-yearly report covers the progress of Capital, Alterations, Additions, Repairs and Improvements (AA&I) as well as major renovation, spatial reorganization and fitting out projects delivered by the Campus Development Office (CDO) from January to December 2019.

Executive Summary

COVID-19 outbreak has incurred substantial impacts to the society during this reporting period. With persistence effort by the project management team, speedy progress was achieved in seeking departmental support for the technical feasibility studies to facilitate funding applications for various new capital projects and AA&I proposals. Tender was also called for the foundation and superstructure contract of the Proposed Centralized General Research Laboratory Complex (Block 2) to be constructed in Area 39. Health monitoring measures were also implemented swiftly in construction sites (Appendix A) to enable the completion of foundation works for the new hostel of New Asia College and the Chung Chi Student Development Complex in mid-2020. As the superstructure construction are being started up for these two capital projects, design coordination and works procurement were also in good progress for the fitting out of various InnoCentres in the Hong Kong Science Park.

With the continuation of project team liaisons and Building Committee meetings via Zoom and office from home, significant progress has been achieved in the detailed design of the Art Museum Annex and new hostel developments for United College and Shaw College. Although product and material supply from Mainland China have been impacted by the pandemics, the renovation of suites in Chan Kwan Tung Inter- University Hall for visitors’ lodging was completed satisfactorily in January 2020; providing quarantine flats to assist the University’s health care services. Renovation of the adjacent Chiang’s Building has also been closely monitored; heading for the completion of more flats in July 2020.

During the reporting period, committee meetings and funding approvals by the Legislative Council for a number of capital projects, namely the construction funding for the Proposed Centralized General Research Laboratory Complex (Block 2) in Area 39, the detailed design of the Proposed Teaching-Research Complex for the Faculty of Medicine in Area 39 and the last phase of improvement works to the Choh-Ming Li Basic Medical Sciences Building, have been slowed down as a result of the social issues and COVID-19 in 2019/20. Delay of half to one year was envisaged for these projects although parallel progress was maintained for the pre-project preparation works.

Under the management of the CUHK Medical Center Planning Office, Occupation Permit for the CUHK Medical Centre was obtained in May 2020; which opened a new page for healthcare services and related developments by the University.

Capital Projects Under Construction and Funding Applications (Appendix B and C):

1. Under the UGC-funded Hostel Development Plan to construct six new hostels (total 1794 bed places) to mitigate the shortfall in hostel places, while construction of the new hostel for New Asia College was in progress. Detailed design of new hostels for United College and Shaw College have progressed steadily respectively and consultants’ procurement was also started up in June 2020 for the new hostel of Wu Yee Sun College. The new hostels for Chung Chi College and Postgraduate Students have been scheduled in future phases of development plan.

2. The foundation works and detailed design for the donation-funded Chung Chi Student Development Complex and Lo Kwee-Seong Pavilion of the Art Museum have registered significant progress respectively.

3. Regarding the Centralized General Research Laboratory Complex (Block 2) in Area 39 which was upgraded to Category B+ in Capital Works Resources Allocation Exercise (CWRAE) 2019; detailed design was substantially completed and the superstructure and foundation tender was let out in March 2020; to be followed by tender analysis and submission of tender recommendation to the approving bodies. Land formation by Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) was in good progress to facilitate handover of the site to CUHK in 3rd Quarter 2020. The project was originally scheduled for tabling in the 2019/2020 legislative session to seek funding approval for the construction works. However, the University was informed lately that the funding review would be processed in the new legislative year towards end of 2020 the earliest. The construction would hence be commenced in 2021 the earliest; the project completion was adjusted to 2025 accordingly.

4. Regarding the UGC funding application to commence the detailed design of four new capital projects submitted in 2019; namely (a) Proposed Engineering Building at Central Campus; (b) Innovation and Sustainability Building at Station Road; (c) Centralized General Research Laboratory Complex (Block 3) in Area 39; and (d) Teaching Building Adjacent to Art Museum, support from approving authorities has been sought for the Technical Feasibility Studies (TFS) while Project Definition Statements (PDS) were supported by the Education Bureau. Funding approval would be pending the successful selection of the projects to Category B- status in the CWRAE by September 2020 the earliest; land grant application for abovementioned project (c) was being reviewed in parallel.

5. Regarding the Food & Health Bureau (FHB)-funded capital project of Proposed Teaching-Research Complex in Area 39 for the Faculty of Medicine, Category B- status was already granted by CWRAE to apply for the detailed design funding in mid-2019. However, LegCo’s processing was impacted by the social issues last year; the funding was approved in the LegCo Finance Committee Meeting held on 26 June 2020. The project completion was adjusted to end of 2026 accordingly.

6. Regarding the Centralized General Research Laboratory Complex (Block 2) in Area 39 which was upgraded to Category B+ in 2019 CWRAE; detailed design and preparation for calling the superstructure and foundation tender were in full swing. The project was scheduled for tabling in upcoming LegCo committee meetings in 2019/2020 legislative session, to seek funding approval for the construction works. Land formation was also embarked by Civil Engineering and Development Department targeted for site handover to CUHK in mid-2020 to commence the construction.

7. As the FHB capital works funding for the last phase of improvement works to the Choh-Ming Li Basic Medical Sciences Building was awaited, progressive liaisons were being maintained with FHB regarding the site and funding allocations to provide CUHK with the needed facilities and new buildings in association with the Redevelopment of the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH). FHB has also clarified that these provisions on CUHK and PWH campuses to support the needy expansion of medical education, research and nurse training would not be accountable under the UGC space inventory.

AA&I, Renovation and Minor Works Projects (Appendix D, E and F)

1. During the reporting period, steady progress was registered in the UGC-funded AA&I projects e.g. sports centre annex, alteration and additions to existing laboratory buildings, improvement works for universal access and slope enhancements etc. In parallel, various privately-funded renovations to revitalize the aged premises e.g. University lodges of Chiang’s Building, Chan Kwan Tung Inter- University Hall, Yali Guest House and conversion of Inter-University Hall near MTR Station into an InnoHub for knowledge transfer and incubation etc. were in progress.

2. Funding Approval of HK$116.577 mil was approved by the UGC in May 2020 to support four AA&I project proposals submitted by the University in 2019 for Block Allocation 2020-21. A new round of AA&I funding application for Block Allocation 2021-22 was also made in May 2020 for five new project proposals for laboratory fitting out, animal holding facilities, slope stabilization, universal access and art museum improvement works.

3. With the funding support to establish six research centres for the Health@InnoHK and AIR@InnoHK in Hong Kong Science & Technology Park (HKSTP) under the HK$10 billion Innovation Funding Scheme initiated by the HKSAR Government, users’ engagement and fitting out works design were coordinated progressively with the project consultants. Procurement and works were conducted to tally with the operational schedules of the six InnoCentres and space availability in HKSTP.

Preliminary Master Plan Concept for Redevelopment of Existing Public Transport Interchange
near MTR University Station

In response to an earlier conversation between the Government and the University Management, a Preliminary Master Plan Concept was also compiled to explore the potential redevelopment of the existing Public Transport Interchange near the MTR University Station and the adjacent areas; to cater for CUHK and CUHK Medical Center’s future expansions and long range developments in the vicinity.

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