Heritage building affected by the new Tunnel along NSC

Part of a 1924 building at the edge of Selegie Road will be demolished, and later rebuilt, to make way for the construction of the North- South Corridor. This is despite the Ellison Building’s status as a conserved structure gazetted by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). Three of the building’s 16 two- storey units will be torn down. The affected units – 235, 237 and 239 – currently occupied by a mama shop, Colonial Bistro Cafe and part of a fruit shop, are along the building’s curved facade.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will reconstruct and reinstate the affected part of the government-owned building to its original architectural design, under the URA’s guidance, once construction of the tunnel is completed in 2026.

The Ellison Building was built in 1924 by Isaac Ellison, a Romanian Jew. It could have been built for his wife Flora, a Baghdadi Jewish woman from Rangoon, the former capital of Myanmar.

The building has two domes and balconies. The Star of David, the Ellison name and its date of construction still sit proudly atop the relatively rundown building. Lying at the foot of the Mount Sophia conservation area, it is located within the former Jewish quarters. Some records also indicate that the building had been sold to the Government in the late 1980s.The new expressway needs to be as straight as possible to accommodate higher speeds. It said acquisitions along the route, including Rochor Centre, were necessary because of the highly built up area that includes Bukit Timah Road and Rochor Canal.

Construction of the 21.5km underground corridor is expected to take place progressively from next year.