For a city with a can-do reputation, Hong Kong has some monumental exceptions to that rule. While it is not alone in that, few places can match the historic Central Market building for epic inertia. It has sat there astride an entire block for so long as a mute reminder of the city’s history that it is worth restating a location which has few peers. It fronts Queen’s and De Voeux Roads and connects the International Finance Centre with the iconic Mid-Levels escalator via a passageway that is one of the few parts that remain in use.

How could it have been neglected, with revamping plans having been repeatedly sent back to the drawing board for the best part of two decades? Think of judicial reviews over land use and premium and building height, public consultations, structural issues, a soaring, eye-watering budget and, of course, bureaucracy. It is not over yet. The latest plan is to turn Central Market into a retail space for local brands. The Urban Renewal Authority has chosen a subsidiary of Chinachem Group to revitalise the 81-year-old landmark building.

Central Market first opened for business in 1842 as a bazaar for locals. The current three-storey Bauhaus-style structure, now a Grade Three historic building, was built in 1939. After being vacated in 2003 it survived a controversy over whether it should be torn down.

Historic Hong Kong Central Market to be reimagined as ‘playground for all’

The developer is expected to live up to the site’s heritage value with local retail and dining brands. The proposed theme is a “vibrant place [for] people of all walks of life”. Chinachem CEO Donald Choi Wun-hing says the group wants to turn the landmark into a community hub showcasing local brands along with cultural activities. “We hope it will become a gathering point for not only [office workers] in Central, but also the elderly [and] children.”