On July 31, Tokyu Corporation and Tokyu Land Corporation held a press conference in Tokyo to announce the details of the Shibuya Station East Block, a new landmark for the redeveloped Shibuya area. The conference unveiled a CG rendering of the completed project for the first time, along with a 1/250-scale model of the future Shibuya Station area and a 1/500-scale model of the area within a 500-meter radius of Shibuya Station. Shibuya is undergoing large-scale redevelopment, including the opening of Shibuya Hikarie in 2012 and the launch of through-service between the Toyoko Line and Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line last year. Construction of the Shibuya Station East Block, which began on the same day, will center on four developments: the Shibuya Station South Block, utilizing the area behind Shibuya Station; the Dogenzaka 1-Chome Station Front Area; and the Shibuya Station Sakuragaoka Exit Area, which will see the construction of four large buildings. The Shibuya Station Block East Tower, scheduled for completion in 2020, will be 46 stories tall, approximately 230 meters high, and boast a total floor area of 174,000 square meters. As a new Shibuya landmark, it will be approximately 50 meters taller than Shibuya Hikarie and roughly the same height as Roppongi Hills. Upon completion, it will be the tallest station building in Tokyo. Furthermore, along with Japan's leading IT and creative content companies, the tower will also house shared offices and coworking spaces for venture companies, fostering numerous collaborations. While a lack of office space has led to growing companies moving out of Shibuya, the tower will serve as a symbol of Shibuya's industry and Bit Valley 2.0, featuring high-grade offices and social facilities with approximately 70,000 square meters of rentable space. A large-scale commercial facility with approximately 30,000 square meters of retail space will also be built on the lower and mid-floor levels. The Shibuya Station South Tower, scheduled for completion in 2018, will be 34 stories tall, approximately 180 meters high, and boast a total floor area of 113,400 square meters, roughly the same scale as Shibuya Hikarie. In addition to offices and commercial facilities, the area will also include a hotel with approximately 200 rooms. The development will also include the revitalization of the Shibuya River, the development of a plaza, and the construction of a 600-meter green promenade.
The Dogenzaka 1-Chome Station Area, centered around the reconstruction of Tokyu Plaza, will have 17 floors above ground and 5 below, a height of approximately 120 meters, and a total floor area of 59,000 square meters. Completion is scheduled for 2018. As a new gateway to Shibuya, a bus terminal including an airport limousine bus stop will be installed on part of the first floor.
The Shibuya Station Sakuragaoka Exit Area will have a total floor area of 241,400 square meters. Comprised of three areas, A, B, and C, it will include offices, shops, housing, and lifestyle support facilities. It is scheduled to open around 2020. Its unique feature is the development of housing, which is in short supply around Shibuya Station. It will also accommodate internationalization by providing medical facilities for foreigners and childcare support facilities. At the press conference, Tokyu Corporation's Hiroshi Kurihara, deputy general manager of the public relations department in the President's Office, said, "The entire project will be completed in 2027, but we would like to push forward with development as much as possible and open as many as possible by 2020, when the Tokyo Olympics will be held." Otomo Norihiro, section chief of the business planning department in the Shibuya Development Business Division, said, "We want to create a town where people can work, where they can feel the greenery and water, and where people of all nationalities and ages can gather and enjoy themselves."