HONG KONG: The government is looking for someone to restore and then operate the historic Haw Par Mansion.

Tenders will go out by the end of the year, top officials said.

The mansion on Tai Hang Road was built by Aw Boon Haw between 1933 and 1935. Built in Chinese Renaissance Style with a unique mixture of the prevailing Chinese and Western ideas in artistic decoration, it is one of the very few remaining private residences of 1930s. It was surrendered by Cheung Kong (Holdings) to the government in 2001 and since then has sat vacant.

Secretary for development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor yesterday said revitalization of the mansion is roughly estimated to require a capital investment of some HK$70 million, around HK$45 million of which will be for basic renovations.

She said the government intends to select an operator through public tender and then reimburse the organization for the basic renovation costs, at a cap of some HK$45 million.

The government decided to reimburse operators for the renovation costs, to make the project more attractive, at a time when the economy is suffering hard times, deputy secretary for development Janet Wong Wing-chen said.

Lam said unlike the revitalization project of the former marine police headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui, the government plans to lease the mansion to a tenant for more than seven years but will retain ownership of the building.

"The heritage belongs to the pubic. It is better for the government to manage it on behalf of citizens," she said.

In 2003, the land occupied by the Tsim Sha Tsui landmark was granted to a subsidiary of Cheung Kong (Holdings) for 50 years at a cost of HK$352.8 million. Cheung Kong's project came under fire because it entailed the removal of greenery and it limited public access to most areas.

Lam said the operator ultimately selected to run the mansion should open the premises to the public and showcase the history of Haw Par.

She also said the mansion has potential to be used as a venue for banquets and catering or for small conferences but appears too small to be turned into a boutique hotel.

Lam said she is open to ideas and does not rule out the possibility of adapting the structure for uses associated with the wine trade.

(HK Edition 07/23/2009 page1)