Letter from Sandra Jayandran, Today Online 28 Jun 08;
I READ “It’s the end of the Storey” (June 27) with disbelief.
How serious are we as a nation about preserving what little is left of our heritage? What, exactly, are these “engineering constraints” that make it impossible to construct the Downtown Line without demolishing the New 7th Storey Hotel?
Since the Bugis station already exists, would it be fair to say that they will just be doing works underground? And if so, can they not tunnel around the building, rather than just directly below it?
After the recent demolition of the much-loved National Library (and going back even further, other historical landmarks such as the National Theatre, the Van Cleef Aquarium, the old Esplanade — Elizabeth Walk — and Satay Club), have we not learned our lesson? We can’t turn back the clock and save these buildings — some would say, monuments — but going forward, we can try our best to preserve those that are still with us.
I feel that we are still not doing enough in this area and tend to look at buildings purely from an economic standpoint — hence, you get the Raffles Hotel, Chijmes and the Singapore Art Museum. These structures are money-spinners and to the authorities, the New 7th Storey Hotel is merely an anachronism from the past, on its last legs, deserving of the wrecking ball.
It is not too late. I beseech the authorities to re-consider their decision and leave the New 7th Storey Hotel alone.
Don’t let it die
Shouldn’t technology be able to save the New 7th Storey Hotel?
Letter from Yan Dawei, Today Online 28 Jun 08;
I REFER to “It’s the end of the Storey” (June 27) and I want to express my utmost disappointment at the imminent demolition of the New 7th Storey Hotel (picture) along Rochor Road.
It is hard to understand that with the advance in building technology why this is the only engineering solution to resolve the situation; we have even seen an MRT station built under a huge canal in the Chinatown area. Many countries have succeeded in merging new and existing buildings through tactful architectural intervention (we can count our own Bugis Junction as an example of this, as well).
Then again, this is yet another painful reminder of other similar examples — the most recent being the demolition of the red-brick National Library building.
Another is now fading away in most memories — the beloved former National Theatre, which was just a few streets away.
I hope the Government remembers that the collective historical memory of Singapore belongs to the nation and her people, and must be treated with great respect. Architectural history is an important component in the fabric of the people’s collective memory and these threads should not be so easily removed under the tag of “progress”.
Is it any wonder that increasing numbers of younger Singaporeans are finding it harder to take root in the country? It will of interest to hear the comments of the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the National Heritage Board and other relevant authorities on this matter.
It’s the end of the Storey
53-year-old hotel and itshistoric lift to make wayfor Downtown Line station
Zul Othman, Today Online 27 Jun 08;
IT STANDS oddly alone on its particular stretch of Rochor Road, exuding an old-world charm at odds with hipper neighbours such as Bugis Junction.
Even though the structure is worn and reportedly tilting — on account of the shifting sands in its foundation — many see The 7th Storey Hotel (picture) as one of the area’s last surviving grand dames and a window into the past: The budget hotel, with its 38 rooms, is still decked out in much the same décor it wore when it opened in 1955 ... including what is reputedly the island’s last surviving cage lift.
Its restaurant, famous for its charcoal steamboat, also has a faithful following.
But all this has to make way for progress: By the end of the year, the53-year-old hotel will make way for the construction of the 4.3km-long Downtown Line Stage 1, which will run from Bugis Station (on the East-West Line) to Chinatown Station (on the North-East Line).
In a statement yesterday, the Land Transport Authority, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and the Urban RedevelopmentAuthority explained that because of “engineering constraints which cannot be avoided”, the hotel will be demolished to allow for construction of the new Bugis station.
It is also the first site picked for raildevelopment after changes to the LandAcquisition Act were passed in February last year, said an SLA spokesperson. Under the amendments, the owners of the hotel will get compensation “pegged at market value”, taking into: account past transactions, the property’s condition and any renovation.
While details were scanty, Cushman and Wakefield Singapore managing director Donald Han said a hotel site at Merchant Road up for tender drew an offer of $700 to $750 psf per plot ratio :last year.
For patrons and the 19 employees of the hotel, they first heard the news of the hotel’s fate from reporters that dropped by yesterday — and it was a blow.
“I didn’t hear anything from the bosses,” said Mr Francis Poh, 66, who operates the mechanical cage lift which he called the hotel’s pride and joy.
He added in Mandarin: “It’s sad because the staff here are like family to me. I hate to think I have to find another job.”
Mr Colin Toh, 52, a regular patron of the steamboat restaurant since 2003, said: “It’s such a waste this place has to be torn down. I always bring my overseas friends here to eat. This building is special and has history, but now, that has to go in the name of progress.”
Over the years, the hotel has catered to backpackers from around the world.
Mr Jason Taylor, 26, from New Zealand, who was a first-time guest, thought the closure was a shame. “I was planning to tell my friends about this place because it has been an experience staying here.”
The hotel’s owners, who will have to move out by December, could not be reached for comment.
Mr Han, however, is not surprised at the decision to acquire the hotel, given that it is surrounded by government land. “It is not too surprising that the authorities are integrating the small plot to come out with a comprehensive transport infrastructure.”
The acquired hotel site will be merged with the adjacent State land parcel bounded by North Bridge Road, Tan Quee Lan Street, Beach Road and Rochor Road for future comprehensive development.
This is to allow for better integration of the station and ground-level structures with the future development of the site, and to enable the planned pedestrian network and other designs for the area to be realised.
Six stations will make up the Downtown Line Stage 1, scheduled to open in 2013: Bugis, Promenade, Bayfront, Landmark, Cross Street and Chinatown.
The contract for the construction of the new Bugis station and tunnels from Beach Road to Queen Street will be tendered early next month, for award in November. — ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY TEO XUAN WEI
Shame 7th Storey hotel must make way for MRT
Letter from Yan Dawei, Straits Times Forum 30 Jun 08;
I MUST express my disappointment at the imminent demolition of the New 7th Storey Hotel in Rochor Road to make way for a Downtown Line MRT station.
It seems another noteworthy building in the history of Singapore is being sacrificed in the name of progress.
With all the advances in building technology (there is even an MRT station built under a huge canal in Chinatown), it is hard to understand why this is the only way to resolve the situation.
To the layman, it seems that the authorities think demolishing the hotel is the cheapest and most convenient way to remove a thorn in the flesh via land acquisition.
In comparison, other countries have tried and succeeded in merging new and existing buildings with tactful architecture intervention.
The New 7th Storey Hotel demolition is another painful reminder of similar acts by the authorities.
The most recent example is the demolition of the red-brick National Library building in Stamford Road. Another, already fading in our memories, is the beloved former National Theatre, just a few streets away.
I hope the Government remembers that the collective historical memory of Singapore belongs to the nation, and its people, and must be treated with respect.
Architectural history is an important component in the fabric of the people's memory, and these threads should not be torn down in the name of progress.
Is it any wonder that increasing numbers of young Singaporeans find it hard to sink roots here and choose to move abroad?
It is also in the nation's interest that the Urban Redevelopment Authority, National Heritage Board and other authorities comment on this.
New 7th Storey Hotel has conservation value
Letter from Tan Chee Hiong, Straits Times Forum 1 Jul 08;
I AM disappointed and deeply disturbed by the decision of the relevant authorities to demolish the New 7th Storey Hotel. It is unbelievable that one of the oldest and iconic Singapore hotels, together with its tourism and service quality award-winning service staff, could be written off in less than six months with the stroke of a pen in the name of progress.
According to media reports, the LTA mentioned that this hotel has no conservation status. Notwithstanding this, I feel that the relevant authorities should instead consider whether a historic building has conservation or tourism potential, even if it does not have conservation status presently for various reasons, such as its owners' oversight in failing to volunteer the building for conservation.
The New 7th Storey Hotel is older than post-independent Singapore and it has been a leading landmark that was one of the hottest night spots in the 60s and 70s. Even if it could not meet all criteria necessary to deserve conservation now, its conservation and tourism potential should not be gauged solely by its present value with its future value ignored. If the present generation's inclination is not towards conserving meaningful historic buildings for our future generation, future Singaporeans could be left with little heritage to remember and admire, much less to conserve. A hundred-year-old building is left standing today only because our forefathers decided to leave it behind.
With its short history as a nation, Singapore does not have the luxury of rich heritage from which we could choose to freely keep or discard. From the publicly-owned now-demolished National Library to the privately-held soon-to-be-demolished New 7th Storey Hotel, their value as part of our heritage should transcend their ownership status. While it should be everyone's responsibility to conserve our heritage, the lesson that we should extract from this episode is that owners of historic buildings could have demonstrated stronger civil leadership by volunteering their properties for conservation.
The short six months given to its owners could also leave its owners with very little time and few options to consider even if its owners are keen to conserve it. An option such as reconstructing this hotel at another location while preserving its facade, spiral staircase and the only manually-operated lift left in Singapore is likely to require more than six months to plan and complete.
Considering that the Downtown line is part of the LTA's long-term plan, I wonder why an earlier notice could not have been given to the owners. The media also reported that the owners only heard about this piece of news from the media. The authorities' approach towards this matter seems to run contrary to our vision of building a consultative society.
Nevertheless, I hope concerned Singaporeans with relevant expertise and resources could render their assistance and support to the owners if the owners are interested in conserving this hotel. Singapore needs to conserve its historic buildings as anchors for her people's shared memory to make this Home Singapore, failing which we may have to settle for Hotel Singapore instead.
