Excavators demolishing Plaza OUG to make way for a high-rise project.
DEMOLITION works at Plaza OUG, off Jalan Kelang Lama in Kuala Lumpur, heralds a new chapter as its developer has plans to inject a makeover into the commercial area.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), in a statement, said Overseas Union Garden Sdn Bhd applied for planning permission to build a 15-storey shopping complex with a seven-storey carpark and a 62-storey serviced apartment on Lot 27681, Jalan Mega Kecil, in Taman Overseas Union Garden.
A development order was originally issued on Oct 3, 2019 to demolish Plaza OUG and build a six-storey shopping complex with a mezzanine floor, a 30-storey hotel with 312 rooms and a 41-storey serviced apartment with 361 units.
However, the developer applied to make changes to the planning permission, which was done on June 10, 2022.
DBKL said the changes were made in accordance with the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 that had been gazetted on Oct 30, 2018.
The area is now zoned as main commercial which allows having shopping facilities, offices and soho (small office, home office).
Demolition works on the old mall started on July 31, and is estimated to take four to five months to complete.
Since the news broke, people have expressed sadness at having to bid farewell to Plaza OUG.
Many took to Star Online’s Facebook page to recount fond memories of their time at the mall.
Micheal Yeh said, “I went on my first dinner date with my wife to a Thai restaurant there almost 40 years ago.”
Patrick Ong wrote that his father had a lighting store there, and he had helped mind the shop.
“I was 18 then, now I am 53 years old. Fond memories.”
Nimala Manoj wrote, “The only convenient place where I enjoyed shopping when I was living in Kuala Lumpur.”
Those familiar with Plaza OUG will know that it used to be known as Plaza Kimisawa in the 1970s.
In the 1980s, it changed management and was taken over by Yaohan and later, Aktif Lifestyle store.
In 2003, Parkson Corporation Sdn Bhd opened its store in Plaza OUG after acquiring Aktif Lifestyle.
In 2019, many of the mall’s tenants started to move out following the end of their tenancy agreement as well as when talk of the mall’s closure started circulating.
Parkson closed its store last year and up until a few months ago, the last remaining tenants, Esquire Kitchen, Guardian and McDonalds were still operating.
