TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A cornerstone of Taiwan's upscale retail landscape will soon vanish from the capital's skyline as the Far Eastern SOGO Taipei Dunhua Store (SOGO敦化館), a fixture in the city's fashionable East District shopping corridor, prepares to cease operations in December 2025. The celebrated department store's closure after 31 years of business stems from a lease expiration, with developers already unveiling ambitious plans to erect a towering 33-story residential complex on the prime urban site.
The proposed redevelopment envisions a luxury high-rise residential structure featuring six underground levels and dedicated commercial spaces occupying the ground and second floors. Property analysts estimate units will command approximately NT$2.3 million (US$70,122) per ping, a traditional Taiwanese measurement equivalent to 3.3 square meters, clearly positioning the project for Taiwan's ultra-wealthy demographic. Developers project total sales reaching NT$27.2 billion (US$829 million).
The current SOGO location has served as a retail destination since 1994, renowned for its curated selection of international luxury brands, women's fashion collections, and premium spa facilities. Urban Renewal Info (都更全都通), a real estate information platform, reports that Huang Hsiang Construction (皇翔建設) holds ownership rights to the valuable property. The retail conglomerate has initiated a strategic transition well ahead of the Dunhua location's closure.
Far Eastern SOGO Chairperson Sophia Huang (黃晴雯) has outlined plans to relocate the store's coveted luxury brand boutiques to two alternative venues: the existing Fuxing (復興館) flagship and the forthcoming Garden City development adjacent to the Taipei Dome (大巨蛋), a massive multipurpose arena nearing completion.