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according to the aab, these
according to the aab, these buildings are largely empty
Nos.6 and 8 Kennedy Road are a mirrored pair of residential blocks in the same design. They are symmetrical to each other and main entrances leading up by two short flights of steps are opened in the middle. They were built as a residence by a prominent businessman Mr. Li Koon-chun (李冠春) and his family. Li Koon-chun was the father of Li Fook-shu (李福樹), Li Fook-sean (李福善), Li Fook-hing (李福慶) and Li Fook-shiu (李福兆) who were famous and influential figures in Hong Kong.
Historical Interest No. 8 Kennedy Road was built in 1927. As the family extended Mr. Li Koon-chun erected another adjoining building, No. 6 Kennedy Road, in 1935. According to a chauffeur of the Li family since pre-World War II times, different floors of the premises were designated to Li Koon-chun’s sons. The Li family moved out of the premises in the 1960s. It is understood that most of the floors are vacant except the fourth floor which is the office of Li Fook-hing, the third son of Li Koon-chun, after his retirement in 1991.
Architectural Merit Nos. 6 and 8 Kennedy Road are identical four-storey residential blocks with semi-basements. The architectural style is Neo-Classical with Art Deco and Art Nouveau influence. The front facades show strong verticality in the Ionic and Tuscan Order columns. Classical features include projecting moulded cornices, dentil mouldings, a frieze of triglyphs and moulded panels below the windows. The windows are transomed tripartite wooden windows with ornamental glazing bar patterns. Some Art Deco features can be seen on the façade, and Art Nouveau patterns in the ornamental ironwork grilles and fanlights at the main entrance doors. The entrance doors also have Art Deco influenced wooden door surrounds. The facade with its mixture of style has a rather French appearance and the architect may have been influenced by the Beaux Arts style of architecture of the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.
Rarity, Built Heritage Value & Authenticity This architectural style is rarely found in Hong Kong and these two houses have considerable built heritage value and architectural merit. The front façade retains much of its original authentic appearance, although the roof parapet of No. 6 has been altered and air-conditioners have been installed at various places.
Social Value & Local Interest The houses have social value and local interest as former residences of the Li family, many of whom have been prominent leading figures in the community. They have played important roles in the development of Hong Kong.
Group Value Nos. 6 and 8 Kennedy Road are physically close to a number of historic buildings, namely, St. Paul’s Co-educational College (聖保羅男女中學, Grade III), First Church of Christ Scientist (基督科學教會香港第一分會, Grade II), Ex-Commodore’s House (前准將官邸, Grade II), No. 28 Kennedy Road (Grade III) and Union Church (香港佑寧堂, not yet graded). Many Declared Monuments are also nearby; for example, Helena May (梅夫人婦女會), St. Joseph’s College (聖若瑟書院), and Government House (香港禮賓府).
Adaptive Re-use The best use for the buildings is residential for which they were originally built. Business and commercial operations would not be suitable especially if they involved erection of signage on the façade.
6-8 kennedy road
they're provisionally given them a grade II rating
Alert - imminent demolition !
I just dropped by Manks (extreme right in the top picutre), and they are moving because they say their colonial building is being demolished. If you want to see the inside you have to go THIS WEEK ending 31 Jan 2010.
The owners of these buildings have been asked to be removed from list of Graded builidings. Does anyone know if they have received their demolition permits from the Buildings Department ?
6-8 Kennedy Road -SCMP
scmp has an article about these two buildings in their city section today, citing gwulo, about their possible demolition. I'd suggest increasing pressure on the govt/ aab, secretary for development carrie lam, the heritage commissioner etc through letters/emails. I think it would be a great shame if they were to disappear, and make a joke of the government's new heritage policy as they were provisionally graded II.
Historic homes lie empty as fears of wrecking ball grow
Owners of Mid-Levels blocks apply for heritage downgrade
"The four-storey residential blocks at 6 and 8 Kennedy Road, owned by the family of the late Li Koon-chun, have been vacated as the buildings next door are torn down."
Joyce Ng
Feb 08, 2010
The owners of a pair of four-storey Mid-Levels blocks built in 1927 and 1935 are seeking a downgrade of the buildings' heritage status after the final occupants moved out last week, raising fears they will be redeveloped.
The blocks, at 6 and 8 Kennedy Road, were built by the late Li Koon-chun, a prominent businessman and philanthropist and a founder of the Bank of East Asia (SEHK: 0023).
The Li family lived in the buildings until the 1960s, but their retired chauffeur stayed on in the basement when the family moved out.
He vacated the premises last week. "The boss asked me to move out," he said, declining to give his name or to comment on whether this had to do with redevelopment plans.
Also vacated was a two-storey annexe, which the retired chauffeur said was built in later years and had been used as a garage.
More recently it had been leased by a furniture shop, Manks, which moved out last week.
Shopkeeper Katrina Lam said the annexe would be torn down.
Next door, apartment blocks at 2A, 2B and 4 Kennedy Road are behind hoardings and are being demolished by Cheung Kong (Holdings) (SEHK: 0001) contractors.
The Buildings Department said it had not approved demolition of 6 and 8 Kennedy Road, but declined to say whether it had received any such application
Heritage officers last year proposed a grade-two status for the two neoclassical buildings. "The houses have social value and local interest as former residences of the Li family, many of whom have been prominent leading figures in the community. They have played important roles in the development of Hong Kong," the Antiquities and Monuments Office said in a written assessment.
A Development Bureau spokeswoman would not comment on whether the buildings are being sold for redevelopment, but said the owners recently provided "useful and new" details of the properties.
They also gave heritage officers access to inspect the buildings.
"The Antiquities Advisory Board has yet to confirm the gradings of these two buildings. We will continue to engage the owners on heritage conservation," the bureau spokeswoman said. Yet the owners have asked the board to downgrade the buildings' status - from the proposed grade two to grade three.
This, together with Manks' exit and the demolition of neighbouring buildings has sparked discussion of the blocks' fate at gwulo.com, a website dedicated to old Hong Kong.
Architect J Lee Rofkind said she was concerned the two blocks would face the wrecking ball given that the annexe was set to be demolished.
The Li family told the board last week that the blocks were never its main residence, which was located on Caine Road, Mid-Levels. It said their internal condition had been significantly altered over the years.
Board member Dr Lee Ho-yin said it would be acceptable to downgrade the blocks' status, given they were the only two left of a row of similar buildings. He said their architectural value had been compromised.
However, another board member, Dr Ng Cho-nam, said he was inclined to preserve the blocks. "They are the only remaining quaint old Chinese-style buildings you can see when going up Garden Road. They are almost a local landmark."
Board chairman Bernard Chan said the case would be considered together with those of other historic mansions, whose owners had submitted similar requests. The two blocks are owned by Li's four sons.
SCMP letter to the editor email address
letters@scmp.com
other contacts
jack chan, heritage commissioner: 2848-2104
http://www.heritage.gov.hk/en/about/commissioner.htm
antiquities and monuments office:
amo@lcsd.gov.hk
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Monument/en/about3.php
the person in charge:Development Secretary Carrie Lam
devbenq@devb.gov.hk
a telling quote
"Board member Dr Lee Ho-yin said it would be acceptable to downgrade the blocks' status, given they were the only two left of a row of similar buildings. He said their architectural value had been compromised."
Oh dear, there we have it - HK's heritage preservation policy summed up in a simple paragraph. I saw the picture in the paper today and the architectural value didn't look compromised at all.
*sigh*
These townhouses were built independently, each has value
Here is a photo showing Kennedy Terrace when there were just two townhouses - they were built independent of each other - and each, therefore retains its own architectural
Dear AAB,
I write regarding the forthcoming meeting in regard to 2, 6 & 8 Kennedy Road. The SCMP reported the following:
Board member Dr Lee Ho-yin said it would be acceptable to downgrade the blocks' status, given they were the only two left of a row of similar buildings. He said their architectural value had been compromised.
This is not the case.
I enclose a photograph that shows that the townhouses of the original Kennedy Terrace were built one at a time. They were not built as a whole. Each one holds its own architectural value, as they were not built as a single entity. I ask that you take this into consideration when deciding to give the building on the lot Grade II status.
More information can be found at http://gwulo.com/node/5020
Regards,
Good news - Grade II preserved
... but it is not legal protection. They can still redevlop.
Re: a telling quote
In other words, if you tore down any old building or group of buildings slowly enough, bit by bit:
1. The early demolition works would be perfectly acceptable, since the affected parts would comprise only an "immaterial" part of the building(s), and
2. The later demolition works that completed the job are equally acceptable, since following (1) above, there's not enough of the original left to be considered of sufficient architectural value.
Just a natural extension of the good doctor's logic (*deep sigh*).
2, 6-8 Kennedy Road
scmp today reports the Li family have been given permission to redevelop into a 25 story building though they'll retain 'character-defining' elements - apparently the facade of nos 6-8
The facade is all the
The facade is all the public ever care about anyway.
2, 6-8 Kennedy Road - façadism
Reducing these elegant old buildings to façades is quite sad. I wonder how many pre-war buildings are left in the Mid-levels since the building boom in the late 1970s.
Kennedy Terrace
My letter to the departments and the SCMP;
To whom it may concern;
Yet another piece of Hong Kong’s colonial architecture silently
disappeared with the needless demolition of the 1920’s terraces on the
corner of Kennedy Road and Garden Road. Abandoned and empty for over
a decade, there was always optimism these magnificent buildings, all
that was left of the original Kennedy Terrace might live on, hopes
were raised when massive banners announced ‘Revitalising Hong Kong’s
Old Buildings’ appeared; of course in property developer speak, this
does not mean to preserve what is there, it means to reduce it to
rubble and hope no one notices! Your continued inability to preserve
unique buildings that define the history of Hong Kong is repugnant and makes a mockery of the offices you hold.
Your incompetence beggars belief!
Mark
Gladdon 3 May Road (AM I THE LAST BUIDING LEFT) !!!!!!!!!
You do not have to sit and
You do not have to sit and wait for your historic building to be redeveloped. You can do it yourself - with sensitivity. If you want to know more post here.