 |
| Port
town development utilizing "warehouses" (Port of Onahama) |
 |
| [Onahama
Wharf No. 1 and Wharf No. 2] |
|
 |
 |
Current
local conditions |
|
Onahama
Port (Important Port)
| Port management
body: |
Fukushima Prefecture |
| Municipal
location: |
Iwaki |
| Population: |
362,000 (Basic Resident
Register as of March 2003) |
| Number of
visitors: |
About 2.5 million
people
(Aquamarine area, 2002 survey of nationwide sightseeing trends) |
|
| Current
conditions at Port of Onahama |
|
During the
Edo Period a magistrate's office was established at Port of Onahama
as a directly controlled territory of the shogunate, and during the
Meiji Era, the port was developed as a loading point for coal produced
by the Tokiwa colliery. In 1964, the government specified the city
as a new industrial city, and afterwards a seaside industrial area
was formed around Onahama as an international trade port. On the other
hand, Onahama also was known as a deep sea fishery base, and the port
town had developed centered on the fishing industry.
Today, however, the town's central business district is
being hollowed out, large-scale suburban commercial facilities are
being established, and the central area is gradually losing its vitality.
Faced with these circumstances, redevelopment was carried
out centered on Wharf No. 1 and Wharf No. 2, and the Iwaki tourist
and seafood products center Iwaki La La Mew (1997), marine science
pavilion Aquamarine Fukushima (2000) and port green zone Aquamarine
Park (2000) were constructed. As a result, the prefecture's largest,
lively space for people to relax and mingle was created, and now attracts
2.5 million tourists annually. |
| |
Local issues |
|
| Integration
of a bustling port and town |
The effects
from the crowds at the tourist facilities at Wharf No. 1 and Wharf
No. 2, the largest and liveliest visitor space in the prefecture (roughly
2.5 million people annually) has not been extended to the urban area
beyond the facilities.
The reason given is that the coastal railway and warehouse
cluster physically separate the popular port areas from the other
urban areas. |
|
|
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|
| |
Port town
development objectives |
|
| Integration
of urban areas and the port's seaside amenities and tourist areas |
Now expanding
the busy spaces confined to Wharf No. 1 and Wharf No. 2 to the inland
urban area.
Will enhance the function of Aquamarine Park as a plaza
of citizen relaxation. |
|
 |
| [Iwaki
La La Mew] |
|
|
| |
Port assets
utilized |
|
| Iwaki La La Mew (Privatized
facility) |
A
sightseeing and seafood products center where restaurants, a museum
and other amenities are concentrated to enable visitors to taste the
full range of Iwaki products. Sells Iwaki specialties.
The quasi-public corporation Iwaki City Tourism and Products
Center Co., Ltd. was established in 1997 as a privatized facility. |
|
 |
| [Aquamarine
Fukushima] |
|
|
An
aquarium combining the functions of a maritime museum, science pavilion
and botanical garden.
Built by Fukushima Prefecture in 2000. |
|
 |
| [Flea market
at Aquamarine Park] |
|
|
| Aquamarine Park (Port green
belt) |
| Opened
as a water amenity space and plaza where citizens can relax, where
flea markets and events are held regularly. Constructed by Fukushima
Prefecture in 2000. |
|
 |
| [Warehouse
cluster] |
|
|
| Located
between Aquamarine Park and the adjacent urban area, these buildings
currently are being used as warehouses. |
|
 |
| [Cultural event
at the warehouses: Environmental Art in Onahama] |
 |
| [Onahama
Town Development Grand Design] |
 |
| [Flea market
at Aquamarine Park] |
|
|
| |
Port town
development that unites "port" and "town" |
|
 |
Project
organization |
 |
|
|
An Iwaki
town development foundation, the Reporting and Coordination Council
for Beneficial Utilization of the Onahama Warehouse District, was
formed by Onahama Town Development Citizens Coalition, an Iwaki town
development group, and the Iwaki Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
the warehouse management companies, The Fukushima Marine Science Pavilion
Corporation, which operates Aquamarine Fukushima, the Iwaki City Tourism
and Products Center Co., Ltd., Fukushima Prefecture and the Iwaki
Municipal Government. The foundation is chaired by the director of
the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Tohoku Regional
Bureau's Onahama Port Office.
The Onahama Town Development Citizens Coalition was established
in December 2000 by Executive Director Satomi Jun and others as an
organization to unite the numerous groups that were working in Onahama
for local revitalization. Along with being entrusted with activities
based on an agreement with Fukushima Prefecture, the port management
body that operates Aquamarine Park, and implementing flea markets
and various other events, in 2001 the coalition drafted and proposed
to the government the "Onahama Town Development Grand Design,
outlining a long-term vision for Onahama port revitalization. The
group also has created and sells an Onahama guidebook, trains tour
guides, implements downtown concerts and participates in "Port
Festival" events held at Onahama Port. |
| Surveys
of ordinary citizens concerning proposals for beneficial use of the
warehouses conducted |
|
Summary |
|
|
| A questionnaire
survey was conducted among ordinary citizens who visited product exhibition
booths at the "Environmental Art in Onahama" event held
on October 25 and 26 (a Saturday and Sunday), at the flea market pavilion
at Aquamarine Park, and among organizations such as the Iwaki Port
Festival Executive Committee general meeting on October 30. |
| Survey dates: |
October - December
2003 |
| Location: |
Aquamarine Park
visitors, etc. |
| Number of
individuals surveyed: |
160 Iwaki residents
and 48 individuals who live in suburban areas |
|
|
Results
of actions |
|
|
 |
When
asked what facilities they would like to seek at Aquamarine
Park, 28% of the respondents said an all-weather event plaza,
21% named international restaurants, and 13% cited shops offering
general imported merchandise, indicating these three facilities
to be high on the list of citizens' needs. |
| |
In
addition, when asked what should be done with the existing warehouses,
the majority of the Iwaki citizens and 43% of the respondents
who live in the suburbs answered the facilities should be used
by renovating and improving them. |
|
|
 |
| [Facilities
visitors would like to see at Aquamarine Park] |
|
 |
| [Opinions
concerning how to utilize the existing warehouses] |
|
|
|
|
| Rough
estimate of costs for beneficial use of the warehouses |
|
Summary |
|
|
| Verified
the improvement/repair items if the warehouses are used for an all-weather
event plaza, international restaurants and shops offering general
imported merchandise, the uses with the highest need according to
the local citizen survey. |
|
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| All-weather
event plaza (indoor plaza) |
|
|
| Building
Standard Law: |
| Required
- |
Lighting
(windows, lighting for emergencies) |
|
| Fire
Defense Law: |
| Required
- |
Automated
fire alarm equipment |
| Required
- |
Elimination of floors with no windows
(installation of wickets) |
| Required
- |
Emergency equipment (exit signs) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Multiple
facilities (restaurants, commercial shops, galleries,
etc.) |
|
|
| Building
Standard Law: |
| Required
- |
Lighting
(windows, lighting for emergencies) |
| Required
- |
Smoke
ventilation system (windows in 15 places) |
| Required
- |
Interior
decoration restrictions (semi- fireproof
interior) |
|
| Fire
Defense Law: |
| Required
- |
Automated
fire alarm equipment |
| Required
- |
Elimination of floors with no windows
(installation of wickets) |
| Required
- |
Emergency equipment (exit signs) |
| Required
- |
Indoor fire-plug equipment (package
type) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| [Reporting and Coordination
Council for Beneficial Utilization of the Onahama Warehouse District] |
 |
[Busy warehouse
district (the warehouse cluster can be seen in the distance)]
*Photographic taken during an event |
|
|
| Decision
on measures for beneficial use of the Onahama Port warehouse district |
|
Summary |
|
|
| The measures
for beneficial use of the warehouse cluster located between Onahama
Wharf No. 1 and Wharf No. 2 and the downtown area was discussed among
the concerned parties at the Reporting and Coordination Council for
Beneficial Utilization of the Onahama Warehouse District, based on
the results of the citizen questionnaires and the results of the rough
estimate of costs for warehouse renovations and improvements. |
| Discussion
dates: |
November 2003 to
March 2004 (five meetings) |
| Location: |
Town Development
Station Onahama (offices of Onahama Town Development Citizens
Coalition), Port Office conference room |
| Themes: |
Development of the
warehouse district
Need to preserve the landscape and the vitality of private sector
activities through warehouse renovations and improvements
Operating structure for warehouse use160 Iwaki residents and
48 individu |
|
|
Results
of actions |
|
|
| |
Advanced
study of implementation measures, including proposals such as
renovation of the green belt and other areas as communal-use
facilities and beneficial use of the existing warehouses by
private organizations, for measures for beneficial use of the
warehouse district. |
| |
Advanced
study of implementation measures, including proposals such as
renovation of the green belt and other areas as communal-use
facilities and beneficial use of the existing warehouses by
private organizations, for measures for beneficial use of the
warehouse district. |
| |
Council
member made a trip to inspect Takahama Alley (Takamatsu) as
a pioneering example of warehouse use. |
|
| |
Future
port town development efforts |
|
| Further
deepen discussions in the future, and cooperate with concerned parties
towards creation of a lively port through beneficial use of the warehouse
district. |
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