Ferry Point Estate

Greetings.  They look like small veranda on the front of these buildings, which I don't think was part of the original design.  They are gone (soon also their ocean's view) as shown in current aerial photos.  Were they intended for flowers and laundry only?  On some other buildings, owners extended the front just enough for plants/flowers enclosed with metal bars, and they too are gone.  Is it out of fashion, or due to safety regulations?  Thanks.  OldTimer

Thank you Klaus for your reply.  Your other photos show the balconies* on all the units.  The design and appearance were consistent throughout so they must have been part of the original plan.  One photo has no balcony which I think was removed some time later.  The current Google photos show that almost all the balconies are no longer there, and their anchor and base* marks are visible.

* These may not be balcony for walkout, as I cannot spot any passage connecting to the interior.

Perhaps it was management's decision to remove all of them for reasons we don't know.  Regards,  Peter  

are you talking about the sloped balconies at the top of the buildings or the thin extended parts that jut from the building ends up to the floor where the slopes start. I walked by here ealier today and can confirm everything is as it was but the sloped upper sections have largely been enclosed (very common in HK) to make more interior space.

Many thanks philk, it was very nice of you to make a special trip.  I was referring to the recessed walls of the first dozen levels.  In Klaus' link to HT's photos, the first full size photo shows these mini veranda's (only name I can think of for now) when the buildings were still on the water front.  They appear to extend no more than 20 inches from the wall.

The February 2009 Google photos from Man Cheong Street shows the repair marks after the veranda's were removed.  Their original purposes were likely limited to flower pots and laundry.  The December 2016 photos show exterior renovation taking place.  Regards,  Peter

Okay, gotcha, the small rectangles underneath the sea facing windows? If you look at the other side of the building along Ferry St you can see a couple of examples of wire frames that look as though they were the structures - now minus their rectangular covers. Click the link below

https://earth.app.goo.gl/pukie 

Most likely after 60 years of HK weather most of them have been removed before they collapsed. But the fact that a few still remain makes me think it was probably not a building wide removal.

The following link shows you one with the rectangles still on it.

https://earth.app.goo.gl/ozSzi 

Thanks philk.  Air conditioners everywhere!.  On the building to the right, one flat ran out of space so they placed a unit on a concrete girder.  It is a big unit and they apparently built a good support for it.  Regards,  Peter

Hello everyone,

This was known as  Man  X  Estate at the start of Jordon Rd.,Kln. About the early 1960s a group of 8 blocks was built on the reclamation site in the Yaumati typhoon shelter off Canton Rd. Their names are Man Wah Lau which is also the landmark label, Man Ying Lau, Man Wei Lau, Man Cheong Lau,....etc. On the city map  it was the Duo Suen Kwoh, or the Ferry Corner.

They are mostly residential but the lower floors are all commercial as the location is great for running many types of busness. Families from New Territory and some out-islands loved to purchase their new homes here as the price at that time was relatively affordable and further saving a lot long term on cost of transport.

The pair on the front looks directly to HK Central.They have very nice view. The ones by the edge of the harbour maybe having extra Ocean View Lounge at higher cost, appears as balconied suites in the picture.

The ferry pier here in the picture is the 2nd one only for heavy vehicles and goods, and the other one, unseen about a stone's away is the original terminis for Bus and typical Yaumati ferry services.

I lived here once. It's like a big community here. I ended up happy being neighbor to some of my long lost friends again.

Like most practical designs, each suite is a long Shoe Box with one short side having window facing outside and windows on one longer side allows bleach of privacy at very close range, few yards, from windows of next suite  unless you do something to prevent it.

The management was very good. The construction was like a fortress. Security and fire alarm on the site was very effective too.

The famous nightly market of Yaumati was just a walk away. And I discovered a book store in the vicinity, so I can buy university textbook any time!

Regards

Tung

During my days in the Royal HK Police, I had regular dealings with the Man Complex.

Whilst commanding the West Kowloon Emergency Unit (EUKW) we had to deal with a case of "Bad Smell" in 1978 which reulted in a murder charge.

Later, when I was in charge of uniformed branch operations in Yaumati, we smashed a "Car Wash" syndicate which monopolised all the meterered parking spaces and defrauded the government of millions of dollars in parking fees.

See https://www.amazon.co.uk/Accidental-Prawn-Interesting-Policing-Century-e...

I used to take part-time classes at The Star House of TST and ended up making new friends on the way home because we were from the Ferry Point. That was the late 1960s and nearly half of the highrises were still unfinished.

People were happy to live there; probably all the facilities functioned well as expected when that was new.

But like any big city. some problems can't just go away. Development alone never help solving civil issues. And all the friends I had there were very nice people, at least one of them is in the Who's Who in HK.

Regards

Tung