Think preserved heritage buildings, and chances are we may think of old, isolated properties far removed from any bustling centre of human activity and not immediately accessible by public transport. After all, within the land-scarce city centre of Singapore, land use has to be optimised for the purpose of the nation’s primary needs, such as economic and social development. Right?

The truth, however, is that marks of Singapore’s physical development can be found all over the island, and thus landmarks of our built heritage can be found even within prime areas such as our central business district (CBD).

The State property at 5 Kadayanallur Street, located right in the heart of the CBD at Tanjong Pagar, is one such property.

The currently vacant three-storey building, which can be found just behind the beloved Maxwell Food Centre, is under the management of the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). It dates back to our colonial period, and was built in the 1920s to house the St Andrew's Mission Hospital for Women and Children. At the time, the hospital featured 60 inpatient beds and an outpatient clinic, and was also the first hospital to offer three-year general nursing and midwifery courses for locals. It is recognised as having played a very important role in bringing healthcare to those who would have difficulty affording it at the time.

It is also recognised as one of the earliest Modernist buildings to be constructed in Singapore, and captured the imagination of the locals back then with its handsome and striking appearance. The building itself was designed by Swan & Maclaren, the same architectural firm behind some of Singapore’s most iconic buildings, including Raffles Hotel and the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

The building also houses a unique antique elevator, which was used to transport children with tuberculosis to the rooftop for sunlight and fresh air to bring them relief. With its collapsible iron gates and wooden panels, the elevator is one of the oldest of its kind in Singapore, but don’t let its appearance fool you – it was certified to be in working order as recently as 2017!

The building was repurposed several times after World War II, serving as a medical store in 1946, the Maxwell Road Outpatient Dispensary in 1964, an IOH Polyclinic in 1998, and was later put up for commercial adaptive use by SLA, including as the corporate office for CK Tang Limited. More recently, it was used to held a National Day celebration cum local art exhibition that was open to the public in a collaboration between SLA and local art market organiser, The Local People, in an effort to increase awareness of the building to the masses.

Now approaching its centennial milestone, the fabled story of this pioneering State property looks set to continue with many more exciting chapters ahead!