62-73 Connaught Road Central [c.1905-c.1977]

Submitted by Klaus on Mon, 01/31/2022 - 23:01
Current condition
Demolished / No longer exists
Date completed
(Day, Month, & Year are approximate.)
Date closed / demolished
(Day, Month, & Year are approximate.)

Twelve houses built on Marine Lots 53 (west) and 54, they end at Gilman Street. Probably built at the same time as the houses further east on reclaimed land, so 1905 was guessed.

To get an impression about the buildings here is a map together with a photo from around 1930.

Connaught Road Houses between the Central Fire Station and the Harbour Office 1930
Connaught Road Houses between the Central Fire Station and the Harbour Office 1930, by Klaus

In 1959/60 they looked like this:

62-73 Connaught Road Central
62-73 Connaught Road Central, by Klaus

These houses were not demolished at the same time. It started around 1962 with houses 64 and 65, in 1963 a new building was under construction (name unkown, with an “A” on top), finished probably 1965. It is visible on the photo below with the red sign, the "A" is just outside the photo.

Hong Kong   -  Connaught Road -  24 June 1971
Hong Kong - Connaught Road - 24 June 1971, by Ladycliff

Around 1981 it was demolished itself and replaced by CMA Building (64-66 Connaught Road Central) which opened in 1983.

 

The same happened to the old houses 69-73, on this area the China Insurance Group Building was finished in 1967 (still there), today No. 73 Connaught Road Central. This is the building at the right hand side of the photo above (with the vertical stripes, number 7 on the photo below).

During the second half of the 1970s (Nos. 66-68 survived longest), all others were demolished, but not replaced by new buildings immediately. There are empty spaces on the photo from 1980 below between nos. 5 and 6 (= 62-63 Connaught Road C.) and 6 and 7 (= 67-68 Connaught Road C.)

Connaught Road Houses between the Central Fire Station and the Harbour Office 1980
Connaught Road Houses between the Central Fire Station and the Harbour Office 1980, by Klaus

On the former Nos. 62 and 63 (and also today’s address), Chung Hing Commercial Building was built, it opened in 1983.

Only left were Nos. 67 and 68 (the area of No. 66 was used for the CMA Building), here Two China Chem Plaza was built, and it opened in 1990.

 

Photos that show this Place