Public Story
• Diamond Island: Le paradis ultra-moderne Cambodgien (Cambodge)
Koh Pich, qui en khmer signifie "Diamond Island", se trouve à l'embouchure de l'endroit où le voyage de la rivière Tonle Bassac commence vers le Vietnam. L'île, qui a été formée par des dépôts de limon alluvionnaires, n'existait même pas il y a environ un demi-siècle. Selon la légende locale, un bateau a coulé où l'île est aujourd'hui, accumulant régulièrement le limon et le sable jusqu'à ce que l'île soit formée. On l’appelle Koh Pich, mais le promoteur a cru plus judicieux de la baptiser « Élite Town ». Pour bien que l’on comprenne quelle sera la future clientèle qui habitera cette île de deux kilomètres de long et quelques centaines de mètres de large habitée encore il y a peu par 300 familles de pécheurs qui ont toutes été expulsées pour quelques centaines de dollars.
« Élite Town, sera le quartier le plus luxueux de tout Phnom Penh et le seul à bénéficier d’une vue sur le fleuve en plein cœur de la capitale », clament les plaquettes publicitaires éditées sur le papier glacé. L’îleest située au sud de Phnom Penh, le long de la rivière Bassac.
Ce projet immobilier, s’il est mené à son terme, n’est pas une mince affaire. Soixante quinze hectares de terrain sont à aménager. Villas, appartements et hôtels de luxe au milieu des jardins, Marina sur le Bassac, centre d’affaires et centre commercial, hôpital et un secteur appelé « Village d’ambassades » dont on ignore ce qu’il recouvre exactement mais qui sonne chic. L’hôtel de ville, l’hôpital, le théâtre, la caserne de pompiers, le golf sont déjà en service.
Idem pour le parc d’attractions et ses manèges, les salons de mariages qui font le plein en fin de semaine, le « Love Garden », deux lotissements résidentiels (Élite Town et La Seine) devraient bientôt être totalement opérationnels.
Mais les réalisations les plus ambitieuses – une série d’immeubles de plus de 30 étages à usage mixte (logements de grands standings, bureaux, boutiques, centre commercial, piscine de 200 mètres), une marina et une tour de 555 mètres (baptisée Diamond Tower, elle devrait être la plus haute des pays de l’ASEAN) – sont en chantier ou pas encore sorties de terre.Le projet devait normalement être achevé en 2018.
Koh Pich, which in Khmer means "Diamond Island", lies at the mouth of the place where the Tonle Bassac River's journey begins towards Vietnam. The island, which was formed by alluvial silt deposits, did not even exist about half a century ago. According to local legend, a boat sank where the island is today, steadily accumulating silt and sand until the island was formed. It is called Koh Pich, but the developer thought it more appropriate to call it 'Elite Town'. This is to make it clear who the future clientele will be that will live on this island, which is two kilometres long and a few hundred metres wide, and which until recently was inhabited by 300 families of fishermen who were all evicted for a few hundred dollars.
"Elite Town will be the most luxurious district in all of Phnom Penh and the only one with a view of the river in the heart of the capital," proclaims the glossy advertising leaflets. The island is located in the south of Phnom Penh, along the Bassac River.
This real estate project, if it is carried out, is not an easy task. Seventy-five hectares of land are to be developed. Villas, flats and luxury hotels in the middle of the gardens, a marina on the Bassac, a business and shopping centre, a hospital and an area called the "Embassy Village", the exact meaning of which is not known, but which sounds chic. The town hall, hospital, theatre, fire station and golf course are already in operation.
The same goes for the amusement park and its rides, the wedding halls that fill up at the end of the week, the "Love Garden", two residential developments (Elite Town and La Seine) should soon be fully operational.
But the most ambitious projects - a series of 30+ storey mixed-use buildings (high-end housing, offices, shops, a shopping mall, a 200 metre swimming pool), a marina and a 555 metre tower (called Diamond Tower, it is expected to be the tallest in ASEAN) - are either under construction or not yet completed.
The project was expected to be completed in 2018.
"Elite Town will be the most luxurious district in all of Phnom Penh and the only one with a view of the river in the heart of the capital," proclaims the glossy advertising leaflets. The island is located in the south of Phnom Penh, along the Bassac River.
This real estate project, if it is carried out, is not an easy task. Seventy-five hectares of land are to be developed. Villas, flats and luxury hotels in the middle of the gardens, a marina on the Bassac, a business and shopping centre, a hospital and an area called the "Embassy Village", the exact meaning of which is not known, but which sounds chic. The town hall, hospital, theatre, fire station and golf course are already in operation.
The same goes for the amusement park and its rides, the wedding halls that fill up at the end of the week, the "Love Garden", two residential developments (Elite Town and La Seine) should soon be fully operational.
But the most ambitious projects - a series of 30+ storey mixed-use buildings (high-end housing, offices, shops, a shopping mall, a 200 metre swimming pool), a marina and a 555 metre tower (called Diamond Tower, it is expected to be the tallest in ASEAN) - are either under construction or not yet completed.
The project was expected to be completed in 2018.
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