The above photo, taken in 1969, depicts the Rochor Canal and, behind it, the Ellison Building. Completed in 1924, the structure is one of the few landmarks significant to Singapore’s Jewish community. But part of it will soon be torn down to make way for the North-South Corridor. An underground expressway.
This is despite the fact that the two-storey Ellison Building was gazetted as a ‘conserved building’ by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in 2008. And yet, three of its 16 units, found along its iconic curved façade, are slated for demolition, starting next year.
Erected by Isaac Ellison, the building is only one of three in the area – once the mahallah, or cultural epicentre, of the local Jewish community – to bear the Star of David upon its façade. Its balconies and twin cupolas are also notable architectural features, and the URA has even called the building ‘especially prominent’ in the district.
The Land Transport Authority, in charge of the construction of the North-South Corridor, claims it will ‘reconstruct and reinstate’ the affected portions in 2026, once the expressway tunnel has been completed. Until then, our nation’s heritage will have to respect the march of progress – and not the other way around.
The Ellison Building is at the corner of Selegie Rd and Bt Timah Rd.