“Tokyo Review 037” Shinjuku area-13
Development above the railways-Phase 2 development around the new south exit
Development of the Shinjuku Station South Exit is entering a new stage by construction of artificial ground above the railway tracks.
The Shinjuku Overpass Bridge on Route 20 (Koshu-Kaido Avenue) which had been straddling the JR railway tracks was constructed in 1925, and the aging was a concern. Moreover, this bridge could not provide the space for a station square, therefore taxis waiting for passengers and private cars dropping people off on the road were also problems to be solved. As for a wider issue, although many highway bus stations were concentrated in the Shinjuku area, they were scattered here and there, difficult to be found, and some of them were on the road. When they wanted to construct a bus terminal, it was extremely hard to find a proper site.
In response to these issues, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and East Japan Railway Company (JR-East) took initiative for the “Shinjuku Station South Exit Area Infrastructure Development Project”. It is to rebuild the Shinjuku Overpass Bridge with a widening, to construct an underground walkways between Shinjuku 3-Chome Station and JR Shinjuku Station, and to create a building which integrate the railway station, highway bus terminal, taxi platform and etc. At first, they constructed an artificial ground of about 1.47 ha above the railway tracks to secure the work space necessary for the reconstruction of the Bridge. After that, it became the site for the general bus terminal named “Busta Shinjuku”, in which highway bus, airport limousine, and etc. depart and arrive. It launched in April 2016 and currently has an average number of approximately 28,000 people per day, up to approximately 41,000 people per day.
Accompanied with this terminal, a complex named “JR Shinjuku Miraina Tower” was built, which consisted of a 32-storey office building on the former site of the New South Exit, commercial facilities and clinics in the podium, a multipurpose hall, a nursery school, an event open space, and etc. on the artificial ground above the railway tracks. Among them, the commercial facility “NEWoMan” occupies 6 floors in the low-rise section of the office building, 1 floor in the Shinjuku Station Building and 3 floors (including the roof) in the upper part of the railway tracks. It enables customers to move directly to those spaces. Indeed, it is a space composition which only JR can realize. The utilization of unused space above the railway tracks, which started at Shinjuku Southern Terrace, is creating new vitality in the Shinjuku area.
Around the Shinjuku Station where 1.75 million people get on and off each day, the areas around East Exit, West Exit and South Exit are implementing new developments for further growth, but the city center, the surrounding areas and Shibuya and other cores in Tokyo are promoting unique urban development. So how will Shinjuku enhance its competitiveness? Shinjuku seems to have nature of enterprising spirit rather than that of traditional culture, and I would like to watch it with expectation. (Shinjuku series end)
