TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei City Government announced plans to demolish Xining Market (西寧大樓) next year and rebuild the facility with additional public housing units on the upper floors.
Completed in 1982, Xining Market is one of Taipei’s three major public markets and is located near Zhongxiao Bridge. Originally designed to consolidate the nearby Central Market, Taiping Market, and Yungfu Market into one multi-story complex, the market has aged significantly, leading the city to plan its redevelopment as Fuxing Social Housing District 2, per CNA.
The first and second floors of the market currently house dry goods stalls and a cluster of audio electronics stores, many of which relocated from the demolished Zhonghua Market. However, demographic changes and declining business have prompted the city’s decision to repurpose the building.
DPP Taipei City Councilor Liu Yao-jen (劉耀仁) described the area as a “master chef market,” as it was once a central hub where chefs sourced ingredients for restaurants.
Wu Meihui (吳美惠), chair of the Xining Market Vendor Association, recalled that in its prime, the market was packed ahead of Lunar New Year, with restaurant owners rushing to buy fresh fish, meat, vegetables, and fruit. Business was so intense that some vendors slept in the market rather than returning home for the holiday.
The first floor is also known for its audio and electronics stalls, many of which relocated from Guanghua Market after its demolition in 2006, while others moved to Guanghua Digital Plaza on its fourth and fifth floors.
Beyond its economic decline, Xining Market has also gained a reputation for eerie incidents, including multiple falls—some suspected suicides—leading some to believe the building is haunted. Vendors have reported hearing singing from restrooms late at night and seeing unexplained shadows. One cleaner even described spotting a pair of feet passing by, only to look up and find no one there.
Due to these incidents, the city installed barbed wire and protective barriers on the top floor, leading to a sharp decline in such occurrences.
A police officer stationed at the Xining Market precinct for seven years said he personally did not experience supernatural events, though he noted that the station was always unusually cold and the building’s aging elevator frequently got stuck.
As the city moves forward with the market’s reconstruction, vendors have requested better refrigeration equipment and designated spaces for elderly customers and sellers, as many are of advanced age.
Meanwhile, audio and electronics vendors hope for better separation from fresh produce stalls and new brands to boost foot traffic and business prosperity.
