55 Conduit Road [????-2005] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

55 Conduit Road [????-2005]

Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place demolished: 
2005-01-01

I went inside this house just before it was demolished.  My feeling was that the ground floor was badly planned and felt closed in.  There was no garden at all, and the staff areas in back were less than 10 feet wide and terraced up the hill.  The grand staircase had rotted away, so I did not go upstairs, where, one hopes the layout was more friendly.  I remember thinking that the house did not feel like I would enjoy living in it.

At the time of the Japanese occupation, it was owned by the Ip family.

Since 1946, local tycoon Fu and his family had owned the property.

Sino Land bought it in 2004.

It was just to the west of the deadly 1972 Po Shan Road Landslide.  (see photo - it is below the tall towers on the top right)

This is the same site where after the demolition, the excavation work for the new development caused a shift in the foundations of the towers above on Po Shan Road, and work has not been allowed to coninue. 

 

 

Photos that show this place

Comments

I believe that the house that is pictured is in fact 55 Conduit Road, not 53 Conduit Road.  53 Conduit road was a 3-4 story green-and-white building that was situated right next to this house.  The Fu family occupied this house (55 Conduit Road), and at least one member of the Fu family resided in one of the units in 53 Conduit Road (I believe it was Dr. Fu Yum Chor, one of Fu Lo Yung's sons).  I don't know if other Fu family members lived in 53 Conduit Road or if the Fu family owned all the units in 53 Conduit Road.  What is interesting is that both buildings are undergoing redevelopment.  53 Conduit Road is being redeveloped by Chinese Estates and New World Development, and 55 Conduit Road is being redeveloped by Sino Group. 

changed to 55

Not that it is relevant at all, but 53 Conduit Road is in fact being redeveloped by Sino Group, and 55 Concuit Road by Chinese Estates.