Jakarta \u2013 Four years after ceasing operations in October 2021, the\nPuri Agung building in Cengkareng Timur, West Jakarta, now stands in\ndesolate silence. The commercial structure that once served as a centre\nfor trading and service activities has transformed into a row of dingy\nwalls, rusted zinc fencing, and wild grass covering its forecourt.<\/p>\n
Based on observations by Kompas.com at the site on Thursday (26\nFebruary 2026), the building\u2019s physical condition appears dire and\ncontrasts sharply with its former role as one of the key economic hubs\nalong the Outer Ring Road West.<\/p>\n
No longer do vehicles enter and exit the car park. The voices of\ntraders hawking goods are absent. All that remains is a building\napproximately 160 metres long, aged beyond its years. The once-bright\npaint on the walls now peels and fades. Wall surfaces are covered in\ngraffiti scrawls and vandalism marks. In several places, the building\u2019s\noriginal colour is scarcely recognisable beneath dust and damp\nstains.<\/p>\n
Windows on the upper floors appear clouded by thick dust\naccumulation. Some glass panels have already shattered, leaving dark\ngaps that reinforce the impression of abandonment.<\/p>\n
The shop units that once bustled with trading activity now remain\nfirmly shut. The iron security doors of each unit are corroded, with\npaint peeling away as though untouched by maintenance for a long\ntime.<\/p>\n
The entire front area of the building is enclosed by high iron\nfencing covered with aged zinc sheeting. The zinc has also rusted and\nturned brownish.<\/p>\n
The closure has remained in place since the building\u2019s operations\nceased in October 2021. Since then, there has been no public access to\nthe forecourt. Behind the fence, the front yard and gaps between\nbuildings are overgrown with tall grass and dense weeds.<\/p>\n
Wild plants creep up the stone steps leading to the main entrance.\nMoss grows in the cracks between steps. Palm trees in the vicinity are\nno longer trimmed, their dry leaves hanging about haphazardly.<\/p>\n
As evening approaches, the area becomes increasingly gloomy owing to\nthe absence of operational lighting. Local residents describe the area\nas pitch dark at night.<\/p>\n
Paradoxically, Puri Agung stands directly beside the Outer Ring Road\nWest, one of the moderately busy stretches in West Jakarta. Vehicle\ntraffic continues to flow heavily every day. Yet directly in front of\nthe building, the atmosphere feels eerily quiet.<\/p>\n
The pedestrian area in front of the fence is only occasionally\ntraversed by residents or school children. Some are seen sitting at bus\nstops or on the steps in front of the fence seeking shelter.<\/p>\n
No longer is there any economic activity as in the past. No street\nvendors open stalls. Yet, according to residents, the area once served\nas a meeting point for various activities, ranging from trading to\nhosting certain events.<\/p>\n
Heri, 59, a resident of Cengkareng Timur since the early 1990s, still\nrecalls the building\u2019s heyday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very busy here back then. People would shop, there were\nevents too sometimes. Car parks were full, small traders also benefited\nfrom the business,\u201d said Heri when met near Jalan Bangun Nusa, not far\nfrom Pasar Raya Cengkareng market on Thursday (26 February 2026).<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/puri-agung-building-in-cengkareng-left-abandoned-after-four-years-of-closure-1772190272", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }