Following the doomed footsteps of Bukit Brown and Rochor Centre, the latest victim of road infrastructure development turns out to be a stone's throw away from LTA's doorstep.

Part of the Ellison Building, which sits along Selegie Road, will be demolished for construction of the North-South Corridor,  the country's first integrated transport corridor connecting the North to the city which is said to cut travel time by half an hour.

The Ellison building was constructed in 1924 by Issac Ellison, possibly for his wife, Flora. Constructed in the shape of a semicircle, the building boasts of two beautiful cupolas on either ends, possibly used to admit light into the building. Along the long curved side, a pediment sits on the top featuring the year 1924 with a star of David in the center. Protruding balconies also run along the second level, offering views of the busy Selegie Road below.

More importantly, the building was part of the mahallah - a community area for working class Jews in the past. Today, the Ellison Building, together with the David Elias Building, are a couple of what remains of the Jewish community's rich past.

It's important to note that Ellison Building and the rest of the Mount Sophia area bears "social importance" in keeping memories of the community which built and lived in the mahallah according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority - which is why the Ellison Building was gazetted for conservation in 2003.

However, after serious consideration, the relevant authorities decided that reducing your travel time by 30 minutes trumps the preservation of heritage and community memories.

To be fair, the authorities are only demolishing three units of the building - 235, 237, and 239 and then reconstructing them after the North-South Corridor is completed.

Reconstruction (where buildings are recreated to replicate historical significance) isn't such a good option. According to a Facebook note by the Singapore Heritage Society, reconstruction is "only accepted by the international heritage community for heritage destroyed by war", and is rarely a viable option for the simple reason that it is akin to falsifying artefacts. If you wouldn't accept a fake Mona Lisa, why would you accept a fake Ellison Building?

Improving infrastructure shouldn't come at cost of heritage. Both are not mutually exclusive. Just like how LTA is protecting the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and even adapting it into their new Cantonment station, innovative alternatives can always be found, if we want to.

After all, cutting short your travel time might save you 30 minutes, but losing our heritage is forever.

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Top photo from here.

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