MORE than 200 second-hand merchandise dealers had moved out of a parking garage in Sungang, Luohu District, ending a one-year dispute over the illegal use of the parking lot.
More than 100 residents living near the parking lot at the No. 818 Warehouse had petitioned a number of times over the past year, attracting the attention of the city government which later decided to coordinate the relocation of the stores, Thursday’s Southern Metropolis Daily reported.
The No. 818 Warehouse was originally an auxiliary facility of Sungang Logistics Park. It was designed for office space and 500 parking spaces. In 2009, more than 200 second-hand dealers were asked to move out of Building 824 in the logistics park to make room for Sungang Gifts and Crafts City. The dealers protested and Shenzhen Shum Yip Logistics Group Co. agreed to allow them access to the No. 818 Warehouse garage until they disposed of their goods.
However, the dealers later refused to move out and reopened their businesses. Illegally parked vehicles also caused frequent traffic jams in the Bao’anbei community, the Daily said.
The majority of the shop owners refused to relocate citing financial difficulties.
Following government intervention, Shum Yip Logistics Group spent nearly 20 million (US$2.95 million) to refurbish a warehouse in Qingshuihe for a second-hand market. Occupying an area of 20,000 square meters, the market is large enough to accommodate all the dealers. Shum Yip Logistics Group also agreed to exempt the dealers from paying rent for six months.
A legal affairs official with the Luohu District Government said the renovation of the parking lot would start soon to reinstate it as the largest parking lot in the logistics park. (Kang Wei)