09Jul Bruce Lee’s Former Residence Will Be Built Into Museum
Bruce Lee’s, former international martial arts actor, former residence was owned by Yu Pang-lin, a big landowner and philanthropist in Kowloon. There were buyers offered 100 million to buy Bruce’s former residence but Yu declined the offer. He decided to donate the residence and turned it into “Bruce Lee Memorial Hall” to attract more tourists. He planned to submit the proposal to the government next week. As Yu’s felt that he is getting older, he wished to hand over the “Bruce Lee Memorial Hall” to the government after it is built.
Michael Choi Ngai-min, Chairman of the Land Power International Property Consultants, was responsible for tender in home ownership. He said the bidding for Bruce Lee’s former residence located in Kowloon Tong Cumberland Road 41 was good and there was buyer bid more than 100 million Yuan.
However, the publics wish to retain the former residence of Bruce Lee. Michael Choi discussed with Yu for more than 20 times over the past 10 days and came to agreement to shelve the sale plan. They then came up with the idea of building the memorial hall. Yu, China mainland top philanthropist and Kowloon’s big landlord, said that the original building will be retained and restored so that visitors can know Bruce Lee’s daily living habits and how he exercise martial arts. He also wished to build one addition building for museum, cinema, library and Wushu hall.
The site is an area of 8,916 square feet. It is suitable for residential purposes at the moment. The house, about 5,350 square feet, has been converted into hotel inn currently. Yu said that he will submit a letter to Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government Development Council, and Business and Economic Development Board for the approval to change the site for commercial purposes, and additional construction area of 20,005 thousand square feet as he estimated the memorial hall required a total area of 30,000 square feet.
Yu said that once the Government and the public support his proposal, he would contact like-minded people to raise construction costs and review the construction phase. All the profits from the memorial hall in the future will be donated for charitable purposes after deducting daily expenses and maintenance costs. He said that if the Government and the public do not support his memorial hall plan, he will resell the land.
Michael said that the construction cost was still unknown but he expected that it won’t be too expensive. He revealed that Yu will be giving money and effort on memorial hall construction and wish to hand over to the Government once it was done. He said Yu told him that Yu was already 86 and was not capable to manage the memorial hall. The memorial hall management is still under consideration whether to give to the Government or establish a Trust Fund.
On behalf of 500 members of the Bruce Lee Club, president Huang Yaojiang showed in press conference and was happy that Yu convert Bruce Lee’s former residence into a memorial hall. “It is a generous gift and Government have no reason not to accept,” said him. Huang said that Bruce’s younger brother Robert Lee is willing to donate his brother’s remaining things to be displayed in the memorial hall to the public. Commerce and Economic Development Bureau spokesman said they were willing to listen to detailed Bruce Lee Memorial Hall proposal and will carefully study it.
Source: People
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