Nine Arches Buildings 15-23, Connaught Road [1903-c.1962]

Buildings on Marine Lots 62 and 10a    =    15-23, Connaught Road. David gave them their name: Nine Arches Buildings.

They were built shortly after central reclamation finished. The left 3 houses were occupied by the South China Morning Post, their offices were occupied on 1 June 1903 (see comment below).

As the buildings stood at the waterfront, they were pretty exposed and are found on many praya photos. They stood there after the war until the early 1950s. Here's a photo from 1941:

What happened next reminds of the song of the ten green bottles that were hanging on the wall.

On this photo from 1956 Nos 15-17 and 21-23 Connaught Road are still standing, Nos 18-20 are demolished and a new building is under construction, it will be Fung House.

Changes now occur quickly. In 1958, the next three buildings are gone:

Fung House has been completed, and Grand Building is under construction. Only houses 20-23 still there.

But not for too long, in 1961 (or possibly a bit later as the photo below is a bit uncertain in its date) it looks as if these last ones are being demolished.

Grand Building still exists, (old) Fung House has been replaced by (new) Fung House, and on the right will be Chinese Club Building that opened in 1966.

Here's a view from 2010. David identified the buildings, the 3 ones on the right are:

• The lower building housing the Catholic Centre is Grand Building
• Another mirrored building, Fung House
• An older building again, Chinese Club Building