Pioneer Centre [1995- ] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Pioneer Centre [1995- ]

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Submitted by RABBIT on Mon, 2014-06-02 15:26
Current condition: 
In use
Date Place completed: 
1995-01-01

A property owned by Kowloon Development Co. Ltd completed in 1996, previously it was the headquarter of KMB in 1935 (Kowloon Inland Lot No. 2111, the land lot where it occupied was purchased from the government in 1928), and the headquarter was converted into shops and restaurants in post-war period till 1970s. And then it was demolished and a building called Pioneer Building, which existed from 1980 to 1990.

Mong Kong Branch of IKEA Furnitures located there from late-1990s till 2004 when it moved to Kowloon Bay.

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Photos that show this place

2017

Comments

Submitted by David on Tue, 2014-06-03 17:47.

Hi,

Thanks for the new Place. I noticed you've added Royal Theatre as previously at this site. Looking at the map the Royal Theatre was across on the south side of Bute Street, so I don't think the two sites were connected.

Regards, David

Submitted by philk on Tue, 2014-06-03 20:21.

I was under the impression that the Royal Theatre was on the north side of Bute Street and occupied the space now taken up by the lower (southern) end of the Pioneer centre?

Can you point me in the direction of your map, David?

Submitted by David on Wed, 2014-06-04 14:12.

Hi Phil,

I'm looking at "Hong Kong Streets & Places Vol. 2", the 1979 reprint. 

The plot on the north-east corner of the Bute Street / Nathan Road junction is marked:

  • Empress Theatre
  • Pioneer Building
  • Consulate General of Peru

The plot on the south-east corner is marked:

  • Royal Theatre
  • Mong Kok Church

Regards, David

Submitted by Edmond on Thu, 2014-06-05 20:27.

David,

I agree with your first part.  See old photo below.  Royal Theatre is on the northern side of Bute Street.

Royal Theatre at Nathan Road in 1963

Submitted by philk on Wed, 2014-06-04 16:19.

Okay, thanks guys. So, in Edmond's picture, Bute St is opening just north of the theatre?

Does that mean HKMan has snapped the wrong place then in this scene? https://www.flickr.com/photos/old-hk/3118483160/sizes/o/

Cheers

Phil

Submitted by tngan on Wed, 2014-06-04 16:41.

Hi there,

I seem to remember the two theathres are sitting of the opposite corners of the block.  Though I seldom go to cinemas on Kowloon side back then. 

Thanks & Best Regards,

T

Submitted by Edmond on Wed, 2014-06-04 19:35.

Hi Phil,

The Pioneer Centre (1st generation) as shown below was built on the ex-KMB Hqs site with the Empress Theatre entrance fronting Nullah Road.   Royal Theatre had two entrances: one facing Nathan Road, the other facing Bute Street.   In fact Royal Theatre was to the northern side of Bute Street.

The Pioneer Centre (2nd generation) is sitting on both former theatre sites and is almost double the size of its 1st generation as it is now.

Rabbit gives a brief development history of these lots in the opening.

regards, Edmond

Pioneer Centre (2nd generation)

Submitted by philk on Wed, 2014-06-04 20:15.

Thanks Edmond.

"...Royal Theatre was to the northern side of Bute Street."

So does this mean David's old map is incorrectly marked, or am I still misunderstanding something?

Cheers

Phil

Submitted by David on Thu, 2014-06-05 09:25.

Edmond & Phil,

Thanks for the photos - no doubt now that the theatre was north of Bute Street, so the map book must have got it wrong. I'll update the Royal Theatre page.

Regards, David