Former Marine Police Headquarters Explained

1881 Heritage
Native Name:1881[1]
Former Names:Marine Police Headquarters Compound
Status:Declared monument
Address:2A Canton Road
Location Town:Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Location Country:Hong Kong
Coordinates:22.2955°N 114.17°W
Architectural Style:Neoclassical
Client:CK Asset Holdings Limited
Renovation Date:2003–09
Architecture Firm:Renovation:
A+T Design Limited
Structural Engineer:Renovation:
AECOM Asia Company Ltd
Website:http://www.1881heritage.com

The Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound, completed in 1884, is located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. From 1884 to 1996, the Compound served as the headquarters for the Marine Police, which moved to Sai Wan Ho in 1996 [2] [3] [4]

The compound is a declared monument since 1994 as it is one of the four oldest surviving government buildings in Hong Kong.[5] [6] The Compound and the Old Kowloon Fire Station have been re-developed into a heritage hotel with food and beverage outlets and retail facilities in a project headed by architect Daniel Lin of A+T Design, opened in 2009.[7] The site is now officially renamed as 1881 Heritage.[8]

History and design

The compound was completed in 1884 and served as the headquarters of the Water Police (as they were originally known) until late 1996.[4] The main building was originally constructed on the waterfront, and had a dedicated slip prior to the reclamation of land to create Salisbury Road. To the east, the headquarters faced a sandy beach.[3]

During the Japanese Occupation (1941–1945), the compound was used as a base for the Japanese navy. At this time, an extensive network of tunnels were constructed beneath the lawn but after World War II, these tunnels were blocked and the lawn was returfed for the safety of public.[8]

In the 1970s, the compound lost a large part of its gardens, when the slope to the east was levelled to make way for the construction of Kowloon Park Drive.[3] [4]

The station was colloquially referred to as T-Lands Police Station – probably a reference to Marine Police brevity code for a marine police station on "Land" at "Tsim Sha Tsui".[9] This name is used in at least two novels set in Hong Kong: Soldier of Fortune by Ernest K. Gann, published in 1954;[10] and Dragon Flame by the house author Nick Carter, published in 1966.[11]

Redevelopment

In 2002, the Hong Kong Government announced a competitive tender for an adaptive reuse concept for the former Marine Police Headquarters, which had been vacant since 1996; to entice tenders, the conditions included permission to create up to 7213m2 of floor space below the Main Building.[12]

The Government announced on 23 May 2003 that Flying Snow Limited, a subsidiary of Cheung Kong Holdings, had won the 50-year land grant at a tendered price of  million, out of six competitive proposals.[12] [13] The approval allowed the developer to preserve and redevelop the historical building into a heritage tourism facility. Flying Snow has transformed the building into a heritage hotel with food and beverage outlets, and retail facilities. The project was the first private sector-led preservation project in Hong Kong;[14] under the terms of the land grant, specific furnishings and features were required to be preserved and restored.[12] The project opened as 1881 Heritage in 2009, and was criticized for removing most of the trees from what was once a grassy hill.

In 2010, the South China Morning Post reported the estimated floor space in the existing buildings had not been correctly surveyed and was 5610m2, instead of the 4300m2 originally submitted for the tender; in addition, the finished project added 7413m2, an extra 200m2 above the tender, for which Cheung Kong paid an additional  million. Because the prevailing market rate was  million per square metre, the under-counted existing floor space and below-market rate paid for the extra construction collectively were estimated to have provided an effective  billion bonus to Cheung Kong Holdings.[15]

Buildings

The original Marine Police Headquarters comprises the Main Building, Stable Block and Signal Tower. The redevelopment into 1881 Heritage added the nearby Old Kowloon Fire Station and the Fire Station Accommodation Block to the campus.

Main Building

The Main Building was originally a two-storey structure; an extra storey was added to the Main Building in the 1920s, and an ancillary building was added to the north.[12] The south-east and south-west wings of the main building served as married quarters,[8] while the top floor of the west wing was the residence for the Superintendent of the Water Police.[12] The Main Building also includes a small jail and carrier pigeon coops on the walls of the courtyard to the north.

After the 2003–09 renovation, the Main Building was renamed to Hullett House to honour Richmond William Hullett.[12] It included a small boutique hotel offering ten suites and five restaurants and bars;[12] each of the ten suites had a unique theme, and the Mariner's Rest bar allowed patrons to drink in a former jail cell.[16]

In 2017, Harbour Plaza Hotels and Resorts assumed the management of Hullett House.[27] FWD Group leased the hotel and renamed it House 1881 in 2019;[28] [29] FWD renovated the ten suites, ranging in size from 887to,[30] and five dining concepts.[28] [31] [32]

Stable Block

The Stable Block is immediately north of the Main Building.

Signal Tower

The Signal Tower, also known as the Time Ball Tower or Round House, was constructed to provide time signals to ships in the harbour. A ball was hoisted each morning and dropped precisely at 1 PM.[33] Its use diminished in 1907 when the time ball apparatus was removed to Signal Hill, Kowloon.[8] [34]

Old Kowloon Fire Station

See main article: Old Kowloon Fire Station. The Old Kowloon Fire Station, also known as the Former Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Station, was originally completed in 1920; a charity shop selling handcrafts occupied the space starting in 1986 until the 2003–09 renovations.[3] [35]

Fire Station Accommodation Block

The Fire Station Accommodation Block is immediately north of the Old Kowloon Fire station, and was completed in 1922.[35]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1881 Heritage. www.1881heritage.com. 2020-04-15.
  2. Book: Exploring Hong Kong: A Visitor's Guide to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories . Bailey, Steven K. . Witt, Jill C. (photographs) . 2009 . ThingsAsian Press . Singapore . 978-1-934159-16-3 . 240–241 . 20 February 2020.
  3. Book: Streets: Exploring Kowloon . Wordie, Jason . Hedley, Anthony J. (photographs) . Lambon, John (photographs) . 2007 . Hong Kong University Press . Aberdeen, Hong Kong . 978-962-209-813-8 . 23–25 . 20 February 2020.
  4. Web site: Kowloon — Around Nathan Road . DiscoverHongKong . Hong Kong Tourism Board . https://web.archive.org/web/20050413142227/http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/worldwide/medi/ww_medi_feat_dist2.jhtml . 13 April 2005 . dead.
  5. Web site: Declared Monuments in Hong Kong . 25 October 2019 . Hong Kong Antiquities and Monuments Office . 20 February 2020 . 26 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200126131311/https://www.amo.gov.hk/form/DM_Mon_List_e.pdf . dead .
  6. Web site: The Geographical Information System on Hong Kong Heritage . https://web.archive.org/web/20141112135017/http://www5.lcsd.gov.hk/gishinter/html/viewer_en.htm . 12 November 2014 . Hong Kong Government . dead.
  7. Web site: 1881 Heritage opens in Hong Kong . LUXUO . 23 September 2009 . Anakin . 20 February 2020.
  8. Web site: Declared Monuments in Hong Kong — Kowloon: Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound . 19 July 2019 . Hong Kong Antiquities and Monuments Office . 20 February 2020.
  9. Web site: T-Lands Police Station . Gwulo: Old Hong Kong . April 2012 . 20 February 2020.
  10. News: Soldier Of Fortune: A Daily Herald Serial . Gann, Ernest . The Sydney Morning Herald . 11 March 1955 . 12.
  11. Book: Dragon Flame . Award Books . Stokes, Manning Lee . Manning Lee Stokes . Nick Carter-Killmaster #14 (A173F) . May 1966.
  12. News: Hullett House opening completes 1881 Heritage site renovation . 15 November 2009 . Pacific Rim Construction . 20 February 2020.
  13. http://www3.news.gov.hk/isd/ebulletin/en/category/infrastructureandlogistics/030527/html/030527en06002.htm Old police facility to become top tourist draw
  14. News: Victor Li and Richard Li, the sons of Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing, work together for first time on heritage project . Yiu, Enoch . 8 May 2019 . South China Morning Post . 20 February 2020.
  15. News: Error nets HK$1.5b bonus for developer . Lai, Chloe . 23 November 2010 . South China Morning Post . 20 February 2020.
  16. Web site: Hullett House . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160327043730/http://www.hulletthouse.com/ . 27 March 2016 . dead.
  17. Web site: South Bay Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160325063441/http://www.hulletthouse.com/accommodations/south-bay-suite . 25 March 2016 . dead.
  18. Web site: Deep Water Bay Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160228183514/http://www.hulletthouse.com:80/accommodations/deep-water-bay-suite . 28 February 2016 . dead.
  19. Web site: Stanley Bay Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20151030040658/http://www.hulletthouse.com:80/accommodations/stanley-bay . 30 October 2015 . dead.
  20. Web site: Ma Wan Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160327083751/http://www.hulletthouse.com/accommodations/ma-wan-suite . 27 March 2016 . dead.
  21. Web site: Silvermine Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160324011808/http://www.hulletthouse.com/accommodations/silvermine-suite . 24 March 2016 . dead.
  22. Web site: Silvermine Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160331122825/http://www.hulletthouse.com/accommodations/shek-o-suite . 31 March 2016 . dead.
  23. Web site: Kat O Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160324035608/http://www.hulletthouse.com/accommodations/kat-o-suite . 24 March 2016 . dead.
  24. Web site: Pui O Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20150927183455/http://www.hulletthouse.com:80/accommodations/pui-o-suite . 27 September 2015 . dead.
  25. Web site: Tai O Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20151106175029/http://www.hulletthouse.com:80/accommodations/tai-o-suite . 6 November 2015 . dead.
  26. Web site: Tung O Suite . GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160323013250/http://www.hulletthouse.com/accommodations/tung-o-suite . 23 March 2016 . dead.
  27. News: Hullett House joins Harbour Plaza Hotels and Resorts . Cannon, Marisa . 11 July 2017 . Business Traveller . 20 February 2020.
  28. Web site: House 1881: The Book . House 1881 . 20 February 2020.
  29. FWD acquires Lease for Historic Hotel in 1881 Heritage . 31 January 2019 . FWD Group . 20 February 2020 . 20 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200220182344/https://www.fwd.com.hk/en/press/2019/1881-heritage/ . dead .
  30. Web site: Hullett House . Travel + Leisure . 20 February 2020.
  31. News: Historic site House 1881, formerly Hullett House, is now home to 5 new dining concepts . March 4, 2019 . Coconuts Hong Kong . 20 February 2020.
  32. News: Hullett House to be relaunched as House 1881 following revamp . 12 February 2019 . TTG Asia . 20 February 2020.
  33. Web site: 1881 Heritage . Discover Hong Kong . Hong Kong Tourism Board . 20 February 2020.
  34. Web site: Declared Monuments in Hong Kong – Kowloon: Signal Tower at Blackhead Point . Hong Kong Antiquities and Monuments Office . 20 February 2020 . 31 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191031163053/http://www.amo.gov.hk/en/monuments_109.php . dead .
  35. Historic Building Appraisal: Old Kowloon Fire Station . Hong Kong Antiquities Advisory Board . 20 February 2020 . 13 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180613090048/http://www.aab.gov.hk/historicbuilding/en/360_Appraisal_En.pdf . dead .

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