China’s long-delayed skyscraper, Goldin Finance 117, nears completion amid property woes

Once dubbed the world’s tallest abandoned skyscraper, Goldin Finance 117 in northern China appears to be in the homestretch of a marathon construction effort – after nearly a decade of dormancy and a year of resumed work – even as the nation’s property market struggles to leg out a sustained recovery.Late last month, workers began installing a diamond-shaped crown on top of the building – designed to be 596 metres (1,955 feet) tall upon completion – in the port city of Tianjin, according to state media reports.Eighteen years after construction began, the saga of this closely watched building has long underscored both the collapse of China’s property market and the nation’s retreat from earlier pursuits of supertall skyscrapers.The project was resumed last year through a government-led restructuring and takeover by state-backed investors, and it is now being positioned as a major project to stabilise the property market and rebuild confidence.The hoisting of the 7.6-tonne diamond-shaped steel structure atop the building was said by Xinhua to be a notable milestone since construction on the skyscraper resumed last April.Leasing for the main tower has been largely completed, with 17 companies committing to space, including seven State-owned enterprises and 10 private firms, according to the report.