West Island MTR line has led to the rapid gentrification of Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town's rapid gentrification is being spurred by construction of the West Island Line, and there are concerns that the area's overhaul will sacrifice character for commerce, writes Enid Tsui
An old monument tucked behind the public toilet on Sai Ning Street is a discreet reminder of Kennedy Town's insalubrious past. The 103-year-old archway and foundation stone of the Tung Wah Smallpox Hospital are among the few remnants of a collection of uninviting establishments that have occupied the area.
For a long time, the western end of Hong Kong island was the end of the road. Today, the Kennedy Town abattoir is gone and the Victoria public mortuary is set to be relocated. The macabre no longer has a place in the historic district as it undergoes gentrification.
They are now paying up to HK$5,000 a month for a tiny room in the few remaining tenement
The West Island Line, scheduled to open later this year, has been the main impetus for change. Better transport links will make Kennedy Town, the line's terminus, a viable home for many.
Private developers have been replacing old tenement buildings with luxury apartment blocks since the line was first tabled in the early 2000s. With characteristic audacity, they are now selling flats in Kennedy Town at Mid-Levels prices. Many restaurateurs have also arrived to cater to new, moneyed residents.
But Kennedy Town retains the essence of a down-to-earth, working-class neighbourhood. Its residents still include technicians from the Whitty Street Tram Depot, where shifts often start before dawn. The China Merchants Group (CMG) continues to use its godowns, and kaito services ply the waters between the Western District Public Cargo Working Area and outlying islands.
A more comprehensive makeover is looming. A land use review by the government's Planning Department says existing industrial buildings and godowns are "incompatible" with what is now a largely residential neighbourhood.