About 100 old buildings to be renovated for tourism

About 100 old buildings to be renovated for tourism

JAKARTA (JP): Around 100 old buildings in Jl. Kali Besar
Timur, Kali Besar Barat and Kunir near the Chinatown area, all in
West Jakarta, will be renovated and used for business and tourism
purposes.

Chairman of West Jakarta's tourism sub-office, Parlindungan
Hutabarat, was quoted by the Kompas morning daily as saying over
the weekend that West Jakarta mayor Sutardjianto had ordered
owners of the old buildings to stop all activities in them from
Aug. 16.

The old buildings are currently used mostly as warehouses.

Sutardjianto has also ordered the owners to move their
activities to other places, including to Kamal area as suggested
by the West Jakarta mayoralty, within two months, said Hutabarat.

"Since 1984 we have asked the owners to move out and to
preserve the old buildings, but they have failed to meet our
demand," Hutabarat said.

He said the warehouses have caused traffic jams around the
area. At night, when there is no activity at the warehouses, the
area is rife with prostitution and crimes.

He added that some investors have shown interest in making use
of the buildings to convert them into restaurants, hotels and
other business purposes.

Hutabarat said Cafe Batavia, located in front of the
Fatahillah Museum, is an example of such a renovation. The area
was previously quiet at night, but since the new cafe was opened,
it has turned into a lively and attractive neighborhood. (als)