This is Hubei Province, Tong Shan County. Mr Shi checks out an e-commerce business hub. It says Liu Ye Business Hub. From the entrance, Mr Shi could already tell that something was not right.
Apart from a couple of mobile food stalls inside, all the buildings seemed deserted. There were a few residential units and also buildings abandoned before construction is complete. Yes, 烂尾楼 again.
As for the business, it was probably operational for a while, but apparently, things didn’t turn out well and almost all the tenants had gone bust. Some of the buildings are mixed developments with shops below and residential units above. No takers at all.
Interestingly, the land acquisition left a few original old houses relatively intact while others were demolished halfway. Water-logged 烂尾楼 everywhere. Perhaps these residents did not move out when the business hub was under construction but later changed their minds when the hub failed.
Finally, Mr Shi found a block where tenants or owners had moved in, but the flashy signboards have been collecting dust after the businesses they promoted went bust. Laughably, some of them still had “to let” notices on the glass panels.
Here’s the sales pitch dated 2015:
通山六叶商城地处通山县城绕城路塘下路口，距县城中心区仅一公里，是县城商贸物流规划圈的黄金中心。项目占地面积134亩，建设规模达12万平方米，是鄂东南地区小商品、农副产品集散中心和集购物、休闲于一体的大型国际购物公园，也是通山县委、县政府“提升老城区，完善新城区”的重要举措。项目建成后，可容纳商户2500余家，是整个华东地区小商品农副产品行业档次最高、配套最全、商品最齐、经营环境最好的大型商业经营中心，是通山县城当之无愧的商业航母！
超12万方宏大规模，鄂东南小商品农副产品集散中心！
政府划行归市支持，打造美丽通山重大举措！ (full government support)
地处城区黄金中心，尽占未来财富高点！
融合现代设计理念，铸造国际购物公园！
搭建电子商务平台，“一店两铺”网络体验！ (one shop two stores – real and virtual)
架设银商融资桥梁，确保商户流通资金！
投资购铺三年返租，购铺自营一返到底！ (recover purchasing cost with 3-years’ rental income)
沿海先进物业管理，分区经营种类齐全！
At a website last updated in 2019, the properties at the site were still for sale!
