Gaw Capital Partners, through its funds under management, and its consortium partners, acquired 29 Hong Kong-based community shopping centers and associated facilities in March 2018 and March 2019.
Gaw Capital Partners officially started to operate over 29 assets and facilities near the public estates and established “People’s Place”. “People” stands for the public and the residents, whereas “Place” here is an allusion to the idiomatic Chinese term for a location of virtue and tradition, as well as a well-governed community; “Place” also connotes the solidarity of the local neighborhood. All in all, “People’s Place” stands for a place rich in sentiments and compassion, bringing strangers together in constructing a vibrant, cozy living environment. People’s Place aspires to transform obsolete commercial facilities into vibrant community hubs by creatively utilizing its space and bringing brand new experiences to residents, tenants and community stakeholders.
In partnership with experienced educators in China, Gaw Capital has invested in the development and operations of Stellart International School of Arts (SISA), an international arts education platform in China. The platform is initially seeded by a commercial site conveniently located in Sanshan New Town in Nanhai, Foshan, which has excellent connectivity nationally via the Guangzhou South Station. The site has a GFA of c.50,000 sqm in total. Operating under the SISA brand and developed by Gaw Capital Partners, the school houses up to 600 full-time high school students in its 6-storey tall academic block and 7-floor dormitory. 
March 13, 2019, Hong Kong – Real estate private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners today announced that the firm, through a fund under its management, and consortium partners, including Goldman Sachs, have completed the acquisition of a retail portfolio comprising 12 shopping centers in Hong Kong from Link Real Estate Investment Trust, which was bought for HK$12.01 billion – amounting to an average price of around HK$7,839 per sq. ft. excluding parking – following an agreement signed on December 12, 2018.
Gaw Capital Partners’ asset management team will be responsible for overseeing the operation of the 12 shopping malls and car parks from today, and will ensure a smooth handover to maintain service quality.
The portfolio is comprised of a number of strategically-located properties across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories that sit in the heart of densely-populated communities. The GFA of the portfolio totals 1.1 million sq. ft. of prime retail space and comes with over 4,700 parking spaces that are connected to highly-convenient transport links. Their excellent accessibility and holistic shopping environments have made them attractive destinations for retailers and hubs of community life for residents.
Goodwin Gaw, Chairman and Managing Principal of Gaw Capital Partners, said, “We and our partners are delighted to complete the acquisition today. We will utilize our experience to rejuvenate these malls and transform them into hubs that serve the needs of the local community and are natural extensions of residents’ homes.”
The shopping centers included in the portfolio are: the retail and car park within the Ap Lei Chau Estate, Chun Shek Shopping Centre, Fortune Shopping Centre, King Lam Shopping Centre, Lei Tung Commercial Centre, Ming Tak Shopping Centre, Shan King Commercial Centre, Siu Hei Commercial Centre, the retail and car park within the Tai Ping Estate, Wah Ming Shopping Centre, Wah Sum Shopping Centre and Wang Tau Hom (Wang Fai Centre).
DOWNLOAD VERSION