My parents used to tell me that during their courting days, they would catch shows at the Old Cathay building at Handy Road. The Cathay Cinema was opened in October 1939 and is Singapore’s first air-conditioned cinema. The cinema was housed in Singapore’s first skyscraper, the Cathay Building and I remembered my mom telling me it was it was the tallest building (at 16-Storey) in Singapore for 23 years, until the Asia Insurance Building was completed in 1954.
The Cathay building was designed by architect Frank Brewer and cost S$1 million to built. Cathay Building is not only known for its popular cinema, but the building also housed the well-known Cathay Hotel and Cathay Restaurant.
I chanced upon a plaque providing the historic information of the building in front of The Cathay while shopping in that area last week. The Cathay Building used to house the British Malaya Broadcasting Corporation before the Japanese invaded Singapore.
In Dec 1998, the Cathay Building undergo major renovations. Only the original facade of the Old Cathay Building was retained. It was refurbished and integrated as part of the modern The Cathay.
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