The first modern centrally located office building to be built in Hong Kong since more than two years ago is Edin- burgh House, located at the corner of Queen's Road and Ice House Street.
It is now open to the public.
business firms Four private und four banks have been estab-
Hahed in the building.
The building which had been planned many years before the last war, was under construction for the past two years.
THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1950,
EDINBURGH
House in not only a buliding, but also a firm testimony of faith in the future of the Colony,
Like any other large business, it has been built for long-term service, to the Colony. It is no get-rich-quick enterprise; it is no fly-by-night venture.
Already, the Belgian Bank, the Young Brother's Bank, the China State Bank and the Overseas Chinese Bank have moved in, and are currying on their busi ness.
Air-conditioned
The Hong Kong Land Invest- ment Company, which has been responsible for most of the bus-ped with
building, construction
Some of the offices are equip- the Intest-lypo air-
and in conditioning
tho entire constructed
Hong Kong for the past 50 years, building has been has financed Edinburgh House.
Contractors for Edinburgh
und Leigh. though Jardine Matheson Ltd.. and Dodwelt and Company also hud construction contracts.
Constructed
Ilouse wero Orange
for ready installation of air- conditioning.
that
It is interesting to nolc lens than 100 years ago, the site House was the of Edinburgh Colony's
front, with a motly group of sampans than IIK$6,000,000.. Edinburgh and local fishermen living much
at cast E
more
former
water
AMERICAN ENGINEERING CORP.
HOUSE
Page
He added that only firms who; banks and businesses out had been on the Company's wait- | curiosity, ing list would be accommodated }. In the Company's available space, having a hectic time separating One of the rentors, who was
Whether or not air condlilon- visitors from customers late last ing is installed in the building week, told the "China Mail" that depends a great deal on how the Edinburgh House was one of the companies feel about the matter, best advertisements for his busl-
new he had ever had.
For the present, the firm has decided to wait a few months to see the advantages and possible disadvantages of such an instul- Intion.
The official said: "Two of the businesses have decided to in- stall their own air conditioning: the others have not decided. As far as I know, howover, the con- tractors, Orange and Leigh, have made special allowances in con- struction, so that the building could be quickly converted, if it I found to be desirable.
Curious visitors
He said that he was not a bit annoyed over all the people.
Ho added: "After all, when people spend their time during a busy day,-just-to-come-in-and visit you, it is very unlikely that such a business location is going anything but help our busi-
to do
ness,
Another rentor said that the
location of Edinburgh House was most ideal.
It is not dednitely known what the next construction project of the Hong Kong Land Investment thing Company will be, but During the first week of the is certala: Edinburgh House is a opening of Edinburgh House, remarkable contribution to the thousands of local people have attractiveness and future crowded and pushed through the sperity of the Colony.
pro-
Fed. Inc., U.S.A.
Rooms: 310-311.
Third Floor.
Tel: 21272.
LEE HYSAN ESTATE CO., LTD.
Rooms: 801-607
Sixth Floor.
Tel: 26031.
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
ASSURANCE CO., LTD.
Fifth Floor.
Tels: 20081 & 31650.-. (Entrance from Queen's Rond.)
ATLAS REALTY LIMITED
Rooms: 001-607.
Sixth Floor.
Tel: 26631.
BANQUE BELGE POUR L'ETRANGER, (Extreme-Orient) S.A.,
Limited Company Incorporated in Belgium. Manager: L. Pander.
THE CHINA STATE BANK, LIMITED
Hong Kong Branch.
General Manager, Tel: 33439. Sub-Mannger, Tel: 33738. Manager,
33350. Ass: Manager, General Office,
Tel: 33638.
33139.
DAIRY FARM ICE & COLD STORAGE
-CO. LTD. Catering Department.
Tels: 26355 & 31537.
Rooms: 312-313.
Third Floor.
DURO HOLDINGS LIMITED
Rooms: 601-607.
Sixth Floor.
Tel: 26031.
F. R. GABBOTT & CO., LTD. * Room 402.
Fourth Floor.
GETZ BROS. & CO.
Importers Exporters."
Rooms: 415-419.
Fourth Floor.
Tols: 23533 & 22505.
EDINBURGH HOUSE
like they now do along the Wan- cided upon by the Board of Di
rectors. chai water front.
Local residents have probably noticed that the new building's Queen's Road pavement is more than three feet higher than the Queen's Road level.
!
This is farsightedness on the and the part of the contractor Hong Kong Land Investiment Company.
It is thought to be the first building named after the present Duke in the Far East.
Was
Tho Netherland's Bank formerly in Marina House. That office space has been vacated, and is now
and undergoing repair modernisation. "When it is finish- ed in a few weeks me, another company. will move in.
The China State Bank Was
Aa official explained that the level of Queen's Road is due to be elevated about three feet some formerly in the Gloucester Hotel time in the future, and the Com-building, but that office
was vacated and is also under- pany was merely preparing-forgoing remodelling.
it
· The
inst
modern business
building to be built in Hong Kong during the past two years was Electra House.
was
It was pointed out by the build- tra and owners, however, that
House though Edinburgh built at great expense, rental fees for the Arms established there are more than 100 per cent lower than other comparable bulidings in Hong Kong.
These rates vary from D0 cents to n dollar per square foot month.
- Many firms in Hong Kong
chargo $2.50 per square foot of
office space a month.
All space booked
An official of the Hong Kong
Land Investment Company sald that all the office space was book- ed for the building "months ago."
In fact, he added, the firm had
more than 3,000 applications on
a waiting list for efice space in Hong Kong.
The Arms in the new building will sell everything from
fume and jewellery to
'zine and newsprint.
per-
copper,
All the buildings of the Hong Kong Land Investment Company aro named after Royally.
Edinburgh House is named after the present Duke of Edin- burch.
Though the building had been planned for many years, it was only 18 months ago, when Prin- cess Elizabeth married, that the name for the building was de-
space
Davie Boag from the Alex- partitions or oddly placod andra Building will be in Edin= structions. burgh House—telling furniture and machinery,
Tho Belgian Sales Agency, manufacturer's representatives, will be selling wire, copper, zinc, cellophane, windows and count- less other articles.
Over-all modernity
Perhaps the first thing that one notices when one enters the new building the over-all modernity. There are neon lights, low counters,
no unnecessary
一行银
View from Queen's Road, Central
ob-
A special feature of such con- struction is the ease with which such a building can bo' kept im- maculate.
Unnecessary corners, Inveterate dust gatherers, have been silmin- ated from the over-all construc- tion plan.
The lightly-coloured decoration of the building causes no eye- strain, even though Edinburgh has moro in- House probably
other terlor lighting than any comparable building in the Co-
lony.
Finishing touches on the build- ing's construction have not yet been completed.
Chinese workmen arc still stuccoing the granite foundation and exterior blocks, taking down some remaining scaffolding, and cleaning up construction debris.
However, within another month. the building will be completely. finished.
Long-range plans
An official of the Hong Kong Land Investment Company said that Edinburgh House-was-but part of the Company's long-runge building plans for the Colony.
The Company, which owns a major share of all centrally local- ed business space in Hong Kong, has established a reputation for completing new building, and then immediately turning to other plans for the future.
But Edinburgh House is not the Arst project of the Company since the end of the last war.
It added three floors to Marina House about three years ago. The Hong Kong Land Investment Company wanta to emphasise that no further office space is ovailable in Edinburgh House,
An official said: "I have had from 10 to 15 calls a day for the past five months asking me to rent out office space,
"If we ware able to do so, we would be only too glad, but a building big enough to take care of the ofeg space required by the Calony at the present would bo so large, there wouldn't be any place left for the Colony,"
HENRY MACLAW & COMPANY
Rooms: 816-818.
Eighth Floor.
Tel: 35822.
METROPOLITAN LAND' CO., LTD.
Head Office: Architectural Dept.
Rooms: 501-503.
Tel: 32550. 22740. Fifth Floor.
(Entrance from Ice House Street.)
CHARLES MORGAN & CO., LTD.
Room: 108.
Tel: 38344..
First Floor
OVERSEA-CHINESE BANKING CORP. LTD.
(Incorporated in Singapore) General Office, Manager, Sub-Manager,
Tel: 30216-30218.
27551. 27028.
PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS THE SYSTEM.OF THE FLYING CLIPPERA.
Rooms: 510-511.
Tel: 23740.
PEKIN SYNDICATE LTD.
(Incorporated in England) Rooms: 317-319.
Third Floor. Tel: 31224.
PERENNIAL TRADING, CORPORATION
Booms: 810-818. ·
Eighth Floor.
Tel: 38304.
SPA FOOD PRODUCTS (Far East) LTD.
Rooms: 601-607.
Tol: 26631.
Sixth Floor,
INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERPRISES, LTD.
Kooms: 601-607,
Tel: 20031.
Sixth Floor,
Ed. A. KELLER & CO., LTD.
Rooms: 201-203 & 222-223.
T
Second Floor.
Tols: 23120-23124-23128.
ASIA LIFE INSURANCE CO.
5th Floor. Tels: 26681 & 31650. (Entrance from Queen's Road)
EUREKA IMPORT
EXPORT CO.
Room 406.
4th Floor.
Tel: 28710.
JOHNSTON, ALLEN & Co., (FAR EAST) LTD.
...
Room: 414. 4th Floor. P. O. Box 1507. Tel: 22850.
SINO-BRITISH ENG. CORP.
LTD.
Rooms: 811-813. 8th Floor. Tel: 31813:
THE TEXAS CO. (CHINA) LTD
Rooms: 404-5 and 420-2. Fourth Floor."
Tel: 28094.
CHINA UNION-TRADING. CO., LTD.
Rooms: 514-515 5th Floor. Tels: 2506025557.
FAGAN (HONGKONG) LTD.
Rooms: 308-900 3rd Floor.
Tel: 27380 & 31150-
A. KITCHELL & CO.
Room 908.
6th Floor Tels: 27242 & 32059.
FRED KEW & CO., LTD.
✅ Agents for
CENTRAL CHINA INDUSTRIAL CO.
CHIN SHAN CO.
TSEN YEE DYES & CHEMICALS CO.
KH LOUIS & CO.
Importers, Exporters and Manufact
entatives Real Estate
Chemicals", and Dyestuffs
Rooms:
20124
DANDY & HANCE. Rooms: 711-712; 17th Floor,
Tel: 28720 CRE Agents for:A HATUTE
KINO DROS, & CO, LTD.
GIBSON
Rooms::609–
CO
0th Floor. 21001 & 33274.)
& COMPANY
Rooms: 801-302 3rd Floor.
Tel: 32288 & 21876
C. IZROLFE.
700
SAMUEL K SZETO & CO,"
Room, 401. 4th Floor. Tel: 23530.
SUN CHUNG HỒNG Room 512.4
8th Floor,
Tel: 24324.
WESTERN TRADING CO., LTD. Boomar 601-607,
Sixth Floor,
Tel: 28631..
YOUNG BROTHERS BANKING CORP. (Chu. Isla Chon Bank Ltd):
HONG KONG
Tell 30278.3
THE UNITED STATES LIFE,
INSURANCE COUN IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK 5th Floor T611 31850 (Entrance from Queen's Road)
YOUNG & PEDERSEN LTD.
sighth Floor.
30398.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.