Restored and Move Forward

I have posted several times about this building, back in 2009 and May this year. From the very beginning as a hotel during the years when I wasn't exist in this world, to the fast food restaurant in 1980's (Gandy's, any Ipoh folks still remember?), to electrical appliances shop. The cycle of getting abandoned and occupied had been repeated several times. This building has gone through ups and downs, and recently just being restored again to become a supermarket. Amazingly, the new owner appreciates the building original architecture pretty well, where it is repainted to outline the window frames and the embossed old Chinese characters on its facade. I hope the building will be continuously well-maintained and I am sure this is one of the masterpieces in Ipoh that worth to be preserved for our future generations.

Wall Disappearing

In the heart of busy downtown, some upgrading and beautifying works are carried out by the city council along Osbourne Street to make this one of the most visited spots of Ipoh more charming. Underground drainage system is being rebuilt, where trenches were digged very close to the shophouses. Due to the side wall of trenches were not reinforced, and it was passing by right beside the pillars of shophouses, one of those eventually collapsed and torn down partial of the wall at upper floor. This is where my parents get to know each other and they used to stay in the upper floor decades ago.

 

The Heritage and Modern Towers

A view from Station Road that sees the heritage tower of OCBC Bank (formerly The Straits House) and the modern tower of The Octagon. Fortunately Ipoh is not overwhelmed by modern skyscrapers, which still make heritage building prominent and outstanding.

Social Bistro, We Are Waiting....

It was quite an exciting news when knowing Social Bistro is going to open in Old Town and contributes to its growth. However, the progress of renovation is extremely slow since 2014. And we yet to see any visible schedule of its completion and opening for business. Let's just wait and see by crossing our fingers that it won't turn halted.

Weather "Switch"

In my recent posts, there are many complaints about hot weather in Ipoh. Although the Malaysian Meteorological Department had announced more than a month ago that the effect of El Nino ended and we would experience long rainy season in the second half of 2016. It wasn't turn true which very much disappointed me, whom very fragile in fighting high temperature environment. However, the weather changed dramatically since last week, just like turning on a switch. Rainfall, or sometimes downpour, would hit the valley almost every afternoon. There were even few full raining days in the week. This has eventually removed all the accumulated heat in the past few months and return a fresh and comfort atmosphere for living.

Another Building Goes Empty

7 years after my previous post that published at 15-May-2009, this building has lost its last tenant, a home appliances shop. I am not sure this is due to the impact of economic downturn or some other factors, but I do observe there are many properties around the city are pasted with such yellow poster by property agents looking for occupants. It seems situation is getting tougher nowadays.

How Long Would It Last?

Sungai Pari Towers, one of the oldest flats in Ipoh, has been standing at Sungai Pari river bank for more than 40 years. However, it is poorly maintained in recent years and the flat is probably only 5% occupied nowadays. I overheard rumor about these buildings will be demolished, and I understand there is a plan to develop high rise housing project at Sungai Pari, Therefore, I believe this nearly half-century-old Sungai Pari Towers may disappear within a decade.

Poor Shophouse at Hume Street

Despite poor maintenance, these shop houses at Hume Street had been further destroy by fire. As I thought it may at least survived as a billboard carrier even without any occupant, it seems luck isn't on its side. Demolition is the most unwanted thing should happened on this century-old building, but I am not optimistic of its survival.

Shophouses at Cross Junction

Located at cross junction used to be an advantage in the past for bringing more business because a cross road is normally more crowded and able to catch people's attention for numerous directions. That was true when there were more pedestrian than vehicle on the road in those old days. Situation has changed when the roads are now full of roaring motor vehicles and cross roads turn into traffic light junctions. It is now becoming dead zone where no parking is available and not people are too lazy to walk from distance. These 3-storey shophouses at Lahat Road are probably the "victim" of modernization and most are unoccupied. Eventually, it may bite the dust and replaced by some eyesore buildings, just like the one adjacent to it.

Rex Goes Empty Again

After some years, the building of previous Rex Cinema is going empty again. The furniture shop had occupied for few years and is now moved to somewhere else in town, leaving this old cinema building an unknown fate. This is right in the heart of Ipoh city. Will it be demolished for making new building, or it will be remained & turned into some other purpose?

Another Defeat in Heritage Preservation

I couldn't believe this would happen so fast. Before I could post some other photos within the week, the damage on these shophouses has begin. As I have just mentioned in my last post on 30 November, there are not many block of pre-war shophouse in Ipoh downtown could remain entirely untouched. However, the current owner just do not appreciate the architecture of pre-war buildings, or having no interest to restore the old buildings and choose to tear them down. This is exactly the same "tragedy" which had happened to the shophouses which stood at Chung On Siew Street, current Ibis Style Hotel location, and the block of shops at Hume Street. If the wealthy corporates or business men continue to put aside the value of heritage building and destroying this evident that witnessed the city's growth, it will be meaningless when we tell our future generations & visitors about the history of Ipoh. Many would think that heritage preservation is just to maintain some of the well-known buildings. This is simply an excuse which equivalent to letting a tree remain while the entire forest is being wiped off.

Anderson Road Shophouses

Knock down pre-war shophouse & reconstruction has been commonly practiced in Ipoh. We can hardly find an entire row of shophouse which is completely remained untouched. Just like this row along Anderson Road. However, some dismantling work is seen at these shophouses and it is carried out almost in all of this block. I am suspecting something aggressive is planned. Could it be a nice preservation project to restore all these shophouses for new business, or it may be reaching its final destination soon?

Attractive Pictures in Old Town

Ipoh had been a well known boring city with was seriously lacking of taste of art. However, situation changed when the younger generation in this city begin to deliver their creative and artistic products to the public. And many realize the city with its attractive history and beautiful heritage is a great place to grow its unique local cultural art. As simple as this printed artwork on a renovating old shophouse, though not a masterpiece of art, able to enhance liveliness of Ipoh.

When Will The Station Hotel Return?

Despite newer and greater buildings appear in the city, Ipoh Railway Station, though reaching its age of 97 years, still stood as the most unique landmark of Ipoh. The recent change of landscape at its front garden gives a better full view of the Moorish style station building. It is regret that the nostalgic station hotel still not finding any new owner and currently leaving vacant to deteriorate. Despite many investors constructing their new hotels in Ipoh, wonder why none of them have interest to re-develop the station hotel.

Well Done and Thank You, Ernest

The seventh mural by Ernest in Ipoh, is rather different from his ordinary style. The piece of art on the wall carries characteristic of Chinese ink wash painting that illustrates scene of tin mining, which built this city up, and Ipoh's famous lime stone hill. Coincidentally, this mural is also painting on the originated site of a well known local-born healthcare and pharmaceutical brand, Hovid or better known by the locals as Ho Yan Hor. With the completion of this mural, Ernest has accomplished his plan in Ipoh and we would thank him very much for bringing Ipoh such fantastic paintings. Besides attracting tourists, we hope it would also light up the spirit of art in Ipoh to grow it into a culturally brilliant city.

The Work is Almost Done

As reported, Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic is sponsored to present seven murals in Ipoh Old Town. So far, most of the murals are done, leaving the final huge one "Tin Mine" at Treacher Street, where the famous Ho Yan Hor herbal tea started its business (currently known as Hovid) still in painting process. Before this, Ernest has completed "Yellow Humming Bird", "Old Man Drinking White Coffee", "Boys in A Paper Plane", "5 Packs of Coffee" and "Waste Collecting Old Man", while he added on a new dress and a bird cage for "The Little Girl". To ease finding these murals, I make use of Google Earth to mark the locations. Hopefully this is helpful for those who wish to visit the murals without much difficulties to hunt them in Old Town.

Arlene House, Previously Chung Thye Pin Building

Arlene House, an unfamiliar name to the Ipoh citizens. Perhaps many would recognize this building as Chung Thye Phin Building (once called Sztolee Building), which is right opposite to Burbs & Giggles Café. The 3-storey colonial style heritage building is one of its kind that is remarkable in the city. However, it had not been fully utilized for years until some renovation works carried out recently. It's has just installed with its new name, Arlene House this morning to mark a new milestone in its journey of life. With the resurrection of neighbouring shophouses, including the SPH de Silva Building, Chung Thye Phin Building will probably finds its new occupant soon. My personal opinion is that it will be best for a heritage boutique hotel and restaurant. There are more precious historical photos of Chung Thye Phin Building available in the website of Ipohworld's World, which take us back to the Ipoh of beginning 20th century.

More of Ernest's Mural in Old Town

It seems the Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic is still busy with his work in Ipoh. After completing three major paintings, i.e. "the little girl", "yellow humming bird" and "old man drinking white coffee", these are two more awesome murals appear in Old Town recently. The giant mural of "boys in a paper plane" which drawn on a 4-storey high building is extraordinarily awesome because it is so remarkable, even can be seen from the traffic light junction in front Tun Razak Library. Whereas another in progress mural in front of Maybank head office building with 5 very Malaysian-style coffee packs that kind of telling the "story of coffee drinking". Surprises are no stopping with more and more beautiful and artistic murals gifted by Ernest in Ipoh. As we know there will be all together seven murals to be completed, let's expect more to come soon.

Spikes to Avoid Birds

You may find these spikes on the HSBC building in Old Town which intend to avoid bird standing on the building structure because it will bring the very irritating bird dropping on the corridor and building surface. It is specially needed for HSBC building because there are many pigeons staying around Ipoh Padang and the fountain in front of the bank. Anyway, these spikes are not commonly seen in other buildings in Ipoh. So one may find there are very unhygienic condition of five-foot way or building surface that is contaminated by bird droppings. 

 

The End of An Old Grocery Shop

Lee Kwan Cheong at Leech Street (Old Town) is the oldest grocery shop in Ipoh. The 100-year old shop still maintains its very original appearance and arrangement. However, I am pretty shock to see the "for sale" banner is hanging in front of the old shop this morning. It is sad to witness the end of this century-old heritage shop closed down because the younger generation is generally not interested to run this kind of business anymore. I believe it will be unlikely to have a new owner to continue running the grocery shop.