Landhuis building designated a museum

Landhuis building designated a museum

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has decided to use the
Landhuis historical building on Jl. Bekasi Timur in East Jakarta
for a home affairs government museum, an official said on
Thursday.

The property, protected under the 1993 Gubernatorial Decree on
national trust buildings in the capital, was vacated in stages
last year by the East Jakarta Military district command, who used
it as their office since 1953.

Hadi Utomo, head of the city public order office, said the
local military office was moved to a new site in Klender.

In an exchange deal, the city administration spent a total of
Rp 11.8 billion to provide, among other things, the 4,980-square-
meter site for the military command.

Facilities include a construction of a new four-story East
Jakarta Military district office, and four official residences
for its commander, chief of staff, and chief of garrison, Hadi
said on the sidelines after a handover ceremony which marked the
final stage of the exchange deal. The ceremony was attended by
Governor Sutiyoso and Jakarta Military commander Djadja Suparman
at City Hall.

No city officials, including Hadi, could give any details on
the planned museum as of Thursday.

According to Bangunan Cagar Budaya di DKI Jakarta a book
issued by the city administration in 1995, the 5,600-square-meter
Landhuis building was built in the 19th century.

Years before it was used by the military, the building was a
regency office under Dutch colonial rule from 1939 to 1942.

Another book under the same title issued by the administration
stated that the building was initially used as a residential
villa for Regent Meester Cornelis in the early 20th century.

Nowadays, the monumental building with a European-style facade
stands amid scores of sidewalk vendors. (ind)