The Price is Wrong Bobby!

Question:  What happens when you start to build a massive unnecessary skyscraper in China but then go broke half way through the project???

Answer:  The Chinese government will help you pay to close up all the windows so it looks finished but it will sit empty until you can sell it.

Yep, seriously this building is going to be an empty pair of pants!

The picture above is what we refer to as "The Pants" because this building looks like a giant pair of pants.  The real name for this complex is "Gate of the Orient" and it is suppose to be a shopping mall, hotel, apartments, businesses, basically a massive complex and landmark in Suzhou.  However, through my expat sources, we've found out that the developer has gone broke in the midst of this project and can't afford to finish the building.   We were starting to wonder why progress had slowed in the installation of the windows because here in China construction moves SOOO incredibly fast and it was odd that this building had just "stalled out".

 So we found out the truth, the guy is broke but the government wants to help him "save face" and doesn't want an open empty building becoming an eyesore in the city so they are going to pay to have all the windows installed.  Then the building can sit empty until someone buys it or the developer gains more funds to complete the inside.
Seriously?!?!? A big giant empty pair of pants.  What a waste!  

It's a bit scary to think about what can/will happen with all the construction around here when the bottom falls out.  At the moment there are tons of complexes and buildings going up but no one is living in them or using them.  They build so fast and then things just sit empty.  I certainly hope we're not in China when the real estate market goes bust here!