Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound
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The Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound (traditional Chinese: 前水警總部), constructed in 1884, is located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
The Kowloon compound used to occupied by the Marine Police, now a unit within the Hong Kong Police Force, since its establishment until late 1996; it was moved to Sai Wan Ho.[1]
The compound is a declared monument since 1994 as it is one of the four oldest surviving government buildings in Hong Kong.[2] The Compound and the Old Kowloon Fire Station will be re-developed into a heritage hotel with food and beverage outlets and retail facilities. It might be opened in early 2007.
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[edit] History
The former Marine Police Headquarters was constructed in 1884, comprises a main building, a stable block and signal tower. It has been by the Marine Police , except for the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945) when the compound was used as a base by the Japanese navy.
During the Japanese Occupation Period, extensive underground tunnels were constructed beneath the lawn but after World War II, these tunnels were blocked and the lawn was re-turfed for the safety of public.
In 1970s, the compound lost a large part of its grounds for levelling the slope was levelled and lying Kowloon Park Drive.[1]
The station was also featured in Jackie Chan's films Project A and Project A Part II.
[edit] Buildings
[edit] Main Building
The main building was originally a two-storey structure; an extra storey was added to the Main Building in the 1920s.
The south-east and south-west wings of the Main building served as married quarters.
[edit] The Signal Tower
The Signal Tower, commonly known as Round House, was constructed to provide time signals to ships in the harbour. Its use diminished in 1907 when the time ball apparatus was removed to Signal Hill, Kowloon.
[edit] Redevelopment
The Government announced, on 23rd May 2003, that Flying Snow Limited, a subsidiary of Cheung Kong Holdings, has won the 50-year land grant at a tendered price of $352.8 million from six proposals for the tender.[3]
The approval allows the developer to preserve and redevelop the historical building into a heritage tourism facility. Flying Snow will transform the building into a heritage hotel with food and beverage outlets, and retail facilities.
The project is the first attempt by the Tourism Commission to engage the private sector to preserve antiquities by revamping them into tourist attractions.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Kowloon - Around Nathan Road DiscoverHongKong - About Hong Kong Tourism Board.
- ^ The Geographical Information System on Hong Kong Heritage
- ^ Old police facility to become top tourist draw
