A huge real estate complex transformed into a deserted ghost town
Located near Singapore, the Forest City Malaysia real estate complex was designed to house over 700,000 residents. The project included the construction of towering residential buildings that reached almost 35 stories high. Despite the project’s ambition and hefty price tag of $100 billion, it has yet to yield any results.
Today, Forest City stands as a deserted ghost town on an artificial island in the Straits of Johor. The once bustling city now consists of empty streets, quiet boulevards, and vacant stores and apartments, causing concerns for the financially struggling Chinese developer Country Garden. Despite its initial vision of being a technological and ecological haven, Forest City has only managed to attract 2,000 residents, along with a small maintenance team. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic likely deterred potential buyers from investing in the area.
In a recent interview with the BBC, a former resident of Forest City revealed his experience of living in the deserted city. The young computer engineer, who once resided in one of the tower blocks overlooking the sea, expressed his relief at leaving the eerie place behind. He shared his discomfort with the emptiness and lack of life in a city that was once bustling with activity.
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