Historic arcade reopens with Jazz center
After completion of the first phase of the renovation project, the Central Mansion and Meilun Building was officially opened today and includes shops, restaurants, and offices, as well as Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai.
Renovation was completed today on part of a historic arcade formerly known as Edward Ezra Arcade at Nanjing and Jiujiang crossroads near the Bund.
Two of the complexes, being comprised of Central Mansion, the Meilun Building, the Xinkang Building and the Huaqiao Building, all built between 1924 and 1930, were reopened to the public after a redevelopment project titled The Central.
The arcade is being developed into a new "commercial, tourism and cultural landmark," said Gao Yun, the Party secretary and director of Huangpu District.
The first phase of the renovation project, Central Mansion and the Meilun Building, was officially opened today and includes shops, restaurants, and offices, as well as arts and cultural sites.
The Neoclassic architectural style of the buildings is well preserved with original floors, mosaic floor tiles and polished stone facades. All the newly built parts of the historic buildings used similar stone material, Shanghai Bund Investment (Group) Co, the project’s developer, said.
Central Mall in the 1990s. It was a long-time market that for decades was known for selling and repairing electronic appliances.
An artistic rendition of the complex.
As a highlight, a jazz music center was also officially opened in the Meilun Building today.
Led by jazz star Wynton Marsalis, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai is the only foreign branch of the New York-based Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
"The center is expected to become a new art and cultural center of Shanghai and the world," Gao said.
"The revamp will produce a commercial landmark for upmarket shops, fine dining, and performing arts venues, as well as a boutique hotel," an official with the group said.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai was officially opened in the Meilun Building today. It is the only foreign branch of the New York-based Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Among the arcade buildings is Central Mall, a long-time market that for decades was known for selling and repairing electronic appliances.
The five-story mall, covering about 6,000 square meters, was closed in 2007 along with nearby historic buildings for the renovation project.
The mall had a long reputation for reliable quality and a wide variety of goods such as glasses, cigarette lighters and watches, as well as imported products.
The whole project will be completed and open to the public by 2019, according to the group.
Once completed, The Central complex will cover 45,000 square meters, the group said.
