The historic Gafoor building in Colombo Fort is being renovated at a cost of Rs. 620 million under a program initiated by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to preserve the antiquity value of the building while making it available for commercial use.
The Gafoor building was built over 100 years ago by Noordeen Hajiar Abdul Ghaffoor, a pioneer jeweller and gem merchant. The five-storey building has a floor area of 8,250 square feet.
The Gafoor building was gazetted as a ‘Protected Monument’ under the Antiquities Ordinance in 2000 but has thus far remained neglected with little renovation done on the landmark site.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who is the Minister of Urban Development has instructed the UDA to undertake renovating old buildings in the city of Colombo, including the Gafoor Building, so as to preserve their antiquity while making them commercially viable.
The renovation work is being carried out by the Sri Lanka Navy and the University of Moratuwa on the instructions of the UDA.
The Gafoor building, a prominent four-storey wedge-shaped building, located in Colombo Fort, will soon be transformed into a luxury hotel,official sources said. .
This building will play a vital role, especially in developing the tourism industry in this country. The building is situated close to the harbour.
Hence, this building will be transformed into a luxury hotel to accommodate cruise ship passengers visiting the island.
The Urban Development Authority (UDA), would be reconstructing and renovating the building in order to develop it as a hotel with restaurants and shops. Government is also planning to start a Multipurpose Transportation Hub.
(LIN)