TheFirstEstatesshowstheimpactonHongKong’surbanhistoryofFairviewParkandHongLokYuen,theearliestexamplesofprivateestatesprovidedintheNewTerritoriesofHongKong.Completedinthe1970sand1980s,bothareexamplesoflanddevelopmentprojectsbuiltaslow-density,American-stylesuburbanhouseliving,thefirsttruealternativetothetypicalhigh-riseurbanlivingofHongKong.Inthisbook,RogerNissimtracestheirevolution―fromretreatsforurbandwellerstofamilyresidences―thatfollowedtheexpansionofHongKong’spublictransportationsystem.Thebookdrawsheavilyontheoriginaldocumentsthatarereproducedinthebook.Theseuneartheddocumentsdetaillandacquisitionprocessandthenegotiationswiththegovernment,financiers,localvillagers,contractors,andnewresidents.Readtogether,thiscollectionofkeyprimarysources―concerninggovernmentapprovals,siteselection,planningandimplementation,layoutplan,andsalespolicy―providethereaderwithanunparalleledvisionofthisuniqueperiodintheevolutionofHongKong’surbandevelopmentbeforetheestablishmentofformaltownplanning.Nissimalsore-examinestheroleofCliffordWong,thevisionarybehindtheseprojects.Exhaustiveresearchandinterviewswithearlyresidentswhostillliveintheestates,earlyemployeesinthevariousrelevantdepartments,andWong’sdescendantscompletethisvolumeandenhancetheunderstandingofHongKong’surbanhistory.
