'Haunted house' final test for Wu

Cheng Wong

The redevelopment of Nam Koo Terrace, commonly known as "the Wan Chai Haunted House," has been granted partial approval by the Town Planning Board this month.

The project is believed to be the final endeavor of Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, founder and chairman of infrastructure firm Hopewell Holdings, before his retirement, according to East Week.

Nam Koo Terrace is a two-story red brick mansion that served as a "comfort house" for Japanese soldiers from 1941 to 1945. It is said to be haunted by the cries and screams of mistreated women within.

The mansion was sold to Hopewell in 1993 and designated as a Grade I historic building in 2009, prompting the board to prioritize conservation.

Wu has spent over 40 years developing Hopewell Mall, which opened last month as part of the "Wan Chai Kingdom" Hopewell Cluster.

The cluster includes Wu Chung House, Hopewell Mall, Hopewell Centre and Hopewell Centre II, QRE Plaza, Garden East, 163 QRE and the upcoming Nam Koo Terrace project, representing the lifelong work of Wu and his father, Wu Chung, a leading merchant often referred to as "the King of Taxis."

Wu plans to construct a 28-story residential complex featuring 312 units and over 10,000 square feet of non-residential space for shops and restaurants.

Though the board is generally unopposed to the reconstruction, it has raised concerns about preserving the fountain in front of the terrace and the nearby garden.

Vincent Cheung Kiu-cho, managing director and founder of a consulting and appraisal company, said Nam Koo Terrace has been in disrepair for a long time and urgently needs reconstruction.

He thinks the project will be both costly and time-consuming.

The biggest challenge, Cheung said, will be convincing buyers to accept the building's "haunted story."