MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1985
8
HOI FUNG MANSION GETS A FACELIFT
******
UNAUTHORISED ALTERATIONS AND ILLEGAL STRUCTURES IN THE HOI FUNG MANSION IN SHANGHAI STREET HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE BUILDING'S OWNERS' CORPORATION TO PROVIDE IMPROVED SANITARY CONDITIONS AND A SAFER ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS.
HOI FUNG MANSION, BUILT IN 1976 WITH 26 UNITS HOUSING ABOUT 70 RESIDENTS, WAS ONE OF THE TARGET BUILDINGS CHOSEN BY THE YAU MA TEI BUILDING MANAGEMENT CO-ORDINATION TEAM, UNDER THE DISTRICT OFFICE, TO IMPROVE ITS ENVIRONMENT.
+ IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BUILDINGS TO BE INSPECTED BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN ALTERED TO A STATE WHERE IT BECAME UNSUITABLE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN, YAU MA TEI DISTRICT OFFICER, MR AUGUSTINE CHENG, SAID.
ABOUT 73 UNAUTHORISED INSTALLATIONS AND ILLEGAL STRUCTURES WERE DETECTED IN THE BUILDING, THE MOST COMMON BEING THE ALTERATION OF STAIRCASES INTO KITCHENS AND TOILETS, POSING SERIOUS HEALTH AND FIRE HAZARDS TO RESIDENTS.
+THERE WAS NO MEANS OF ESCAPE AS THE OTHER STAIRCASE WAS COVERED AND CLOSED AT THE TOP FLOOR, THE COMMON CORRIDORS HAD BEEN ALTERED INTO LIVING AREAS AND ILLEGAL EXTENSIONS WERE BUILT OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, HE SAID.
RECOGNISING THE PROBLEM, THE DISTRICT'S BUILDING CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE, COMPRISING OFFICIALS FROM RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS, DECIDED IN JUNE TO TAKE ACTION TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTÁL CONDITIONS OF THE BUILDING.
WITH THE CONCERTED EFFORTS OF THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE, ABOUT 89 PER CENT OF THE IRREGULARITIES WERE RECTIFIED.
+HOI FUNG MANSION WAS GIVEN A FACELIFT WITH THE ESCAPE ROUTE RESTORED, SMOKE DOORS REINSTATED, ILLEGAL STRUCTURES AND EXTENSIONS DEMOLISHED, AND IS NOW A SAFER AND HEALTHIER PLACE FOR RESIDENTS TO LIVE IN, + MR CHENG SAID.
+THE PROJECT WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE BUILDING MANAGEMENT CO-ORDINATION TEAM SINCE IT WAS SET UP IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE IN APRIL, AND ALSO WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE OWNERS' CORPORATION THE EXERCISE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO SMOOTH, + MR CHENG SAID.
HOI FUNG MANSION, ONE OF THE 30 TARGET BUILDINGS SELECTED BY THE TEAM FOR INTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT, WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED UNTIL ALL THE UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURES ARE DEMOLISHED.
THE TEAM, AIMING TO BRING ABOUT A BETTER AND SAFER LIVING ENVIRONMENT TO RESIDENTS IN THE DISTRICT, WILL CONTINUE TO RENDER ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO OWNERS' CORPORATIONS AND MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES OF ALL MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS WHICH HAVE PROBLEMS,
0
19