After keeping a low profile last year, local developer Metro Star has ignited a big burst of activity with two massive projects.

Both are situated at highly congested, densely populated sites.

Its 14-rai Metro Avenue Ratchayothin estate covers 14 rai and will have four gigantic towers, housing a total of about 1,500 units.

Located near the Imax-Major centre, the junction is well-known as one of the great bottlenecks in the capital, where cars simply stop moving for two or three hours.

The four Ratchayothin buildings have sharp roofs and look like something straight out of Fritz Lang's dark futuristic film, "Metropolis".

However, the two Metro Avenue Sukhumvit towers are more subtle, inspired by public housing with small, economical windows. Located on Sukhumvit 66, the estate is built on a four-rai plot with two towers, that hold a combined 700 units. Currently on sale is Tower B, a 27-storey structure, while Tower A will be launched at a later date.

The project is located at one of today's most jammed sections on Sukhumvit Road, near Udomsuk junction, where the traffic lights often leave cars in limbo for hours.

The developer has purposely chosen these two highly stressful sites in the belief that they will be served by new mass-transit stations, which may make driving unnecessary. In addition, it is targeting the middle and lower-middle range, comprising largely youthful buyers who may be educated enough to know that cars are terrible investments and that people without them live higher-quality lives.

But the problem is that the days of joyful, peaceful rides on the Skytrain are over. Today getting on the BTS is a nightmare. Not only is it overcrowded, but the carriages have been fitted with TV screens, forcing passengers to sit through horrific advertisements throughout their journey.

After a rough day's work, BTS commuters have to sit through such commercials they never paid or asked for.

In a world where small potatoes are often exploited by greedy corporations, the mass-transit system is no longer a safe haven for the working classes.

And the greatest threat to all condominiums projects being built on congested roads?: Smart commuters may soon abandon the Skytrain.

In any case, there will be those, may too deaf or too numbed to notice, who will tolerate the discomforting rides. For them, the Metro Avenue estates will probably be an investment opportunity, although it may seem more expensive than renting.

Ratchayothin units starts from Bt1.47 million, not exactly cheap for a outer suburban location. But when the new mass-transit station is opened in about two to three years, it will most certainly prove convenient.

The Sukhumvit units start from Bt1.57 million for a studio. Though the price includes an air-conditioner and pantry, it is 20 per cent higher than the Supalai City Homes, sold in nearby Sukhumvit 101/2 more than a year ago.

Because of the scale of the two projects, environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval will be needed before construction can be started. Not even piling is allowed until permission is granted.

The time required for the EIA to be submitted and processed will be about eight months or more.

Although the sales staff will tell customers the project will be completed in 24 months, it would be prudent to add on half a year or more to the scheduled completion date.

The prices asked by Metro Star for its Metro Avenue sites are not too expensive. In comparison to other new mid-income projects in the area such as The Link by Tararom opposite Onnuj, which is selling for a very hefty Bt1.84 million for a studio, the Metro Avenue Sukhumvit project certainly offers better value.

Itthi C Tan

The Nation