The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (the “Trust”) today announced an invitation to interested parties to submit detailed proposals for operating the heritage and contemporary art element of the Central Police Station Revitalisation Project. Revitalisation works are scheduled for completion in 2015 after which the site will be open for all to enjoy.
The Request for Proposals (“RFP”) has made reference to valuable comments received from interested parties during an Expression of Interest (“EOI”) exercise conducted earlier.
Thanking the EOI respondents, Michael Lee, Trustee, called upon all interested parties, whether or not they had responded to the EOI, to come forward with detailed proposals. The invitation is extended to all Hong Kong based not-for-profit heritage, art and culture organisations. They may submit proposals on their own or in partnership with other local and overseas organisations.
“Opportunities to participate in such a unique and prestigious project do not come often,” Lee said, adding that participation in the CPS project will be a significant contribution to heritage conservation and contemporary art development in Hong Kong.
The project is one of the most important conservation projects undertaken by the Trust. The Trust is committed to leading the conservation and restoration works and managing the project, in which incomes from the future operation will be ploughed back to support the long-term sustainability of the project.
“Recognising that the start up and recurrent costs of planning and running the heritage and contemporary art programmes will be substantial, the Trust will play an important role in supporting the Heritage and Contemporary Art Operator (the Operator). An annual total funding commitment of up to HK$30 million, on a merit basis, will be provided to support the heritage and contemporary art programmes organised by the Operator,” Lee said.
“The Operator will be expected to build up its programming and financial capacity, and develop and finance its programmes through its own funding channels. From the fourth year onwards, this annual funding will remain unchanged at up to HK$30 million but will be not more than half of the Operator’s total annual costs for the heritage and contemporary arts programmes,” he added.
When the conservation and restoration works are completed and new cultural elements are integrated into the historic fabric, what was once a law-and-order institution closed to the public will be transformed into a community space filled with art and culture and open to all. The rich heritage and robust art programmes will set the CPS compound as an important part of the cultural life of Hong Kong.
The RFP will close on 30 April 2014 after which a selection committee representing the broad interests of the community will review the proposals and make a recommendation to the Trust. Details of the selection committee were announced in December 2013 and information is available on the project website for reference. The Operator is expected to be appointed in 2014.
Also announced today was the launch of the Request for Proposals for food and beverage (“F&B”) services. The F&B operations are part of the commercial elements of the CPS project which will provide services for visitors and rental income to sustain the long term operation of the site. The RFP for F&B will also close on 30 April 2014.
RFP documents and additional information are available on the project website.
(http://www.centralpolicestation.org.hk/en/invitation/main.asp) The invitations are also being advertised in major Hong Kong newspapers.
About the Central Police Station Revitalisation Project
The Central Police Station Revitalisation Project is an important initiative to conserve and revitalise the heritage site comprising the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison for adaptive reuse. The Project includes the conservation of 16 buildings of historical or architectural significance and several open spaces on the 3.37-acre site. To support activities on the revitalised site, an international renowned firm of architects, Herzog & de Meuron, has been engaged to design two new buildings. These new buildings will provide additional floor space for contemporary art and exhibition areas and plant rooms, and will help to reduce interventions to the heritage buildings. Project website: http://www.centralpolicestation.org.hk/.
