THE panoramic Gurney Drive, home to major shopping malls and leading hotels in Penang, will soon be transformed into a gastronomic haven in addition to being a stretch filled with condominiums and colonial-era bungalows.
The transformation, which is now being seen here, is driven by the extension of its shoreline under the Gurney Wharf reclamation.
Despite concerns expressed by non-governmental organisations and environmentalists that the wharf reclamation will lead to coastal erosion in other parts of the state, businesses in Gurney Drive have affirmed their commitment to reinvest in one of the top tourism's draws here with an emphasis on food.
Among the businesses who have affirmed their presence here is G Hotel Gurney.
Its owners now have plans to subject their property to a major renovation with the highlight being the creation of space to house up to 25 new food and beverage outlets, which will operate independently from the business-class hotel.
The hospitality property boasts up to 300 rooms.
"We see the potential of the entire Gurney Drive becoming a top spot for classy dining and to sample the state's gastronomic delights," the hotel's communications' director, Christina Tan Soh Ann told The Vibes.
While G Hotel Gurney undergoes a fast-track renovation from next month until June/July, its sister hotel G Hotel Kelawei with 208 rooms at nearby Kelawei Road, is now reopening its doors after a temporary closure due to the movement control order.
The restaurants at G Hotel Kelawei are also opening to mark the occasion.
Tan said that the wharf project will only complement its two hotels here, while granting the area a prominent address as a trendy and chic place to stay, dine, drink and shop.
In the last two decades, Gurney Drive has also become home to many Singaporean real estate investors with the most visible one the Gurney Plaza Mall, which is owned and managed by Capital Land, the listed largest mall operator in Southeast Asia.
Gurney Plaza has plans to upgrade its commercial space, while along the same stretch – the Hunza Group – which manages Gurney Paragon Mall, is also making efforts to tap the growth which will come with the wharf project.
Its managers see a new space, gifted by the reclamation project, as enhancing Gurney Drive's reputation as a must-see attraction in Penang.
The Ascot Hotel Group plans to open here after it takes over the newly renovated Gurney Hotel, while another hotel in the vicinity, has also been upgraded to be taken over by another international chain.
The Marriot Group also plans to manage a luxury condominium project in Gurney Drive.
Earlier, state exco for local government, Jagdeep Singh Deo disclosed that the first phase of RM176 million Gurney Wharf project should be ready by July of this year.
The reclamation work for the public park project involves a land of 131 acre, with an estimated 50 acres allocated for the Gurney Wharf project.
On feedback from residents here, Jagdeep said that during a public survey that was carried out previously, 96% of the people were in favour of its establishment.
Out of the 131 acres of reclaimed land, about 50 acres are for public amenities including a new recreational park, while the rest is for commercial options for the developer the Tanjung Pinang Development Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the E&O Group.
The first phase includes landscaping of the public park, a promenade, a skate park, a child playing area, food kiosks, viewing decks, an artificial wetlands concept with space for parking and recreational activities.
Water taxi services from Gurney Wharf were also being considered.
Gurney Drive, which is also a reclaimed site itself, was once listed as one of the 25 best streets worldwide to visit by the Australian travel magazine, The Traveller.
It was reportedly known as the New Coast Road, and when it was completed in 1936, it was then known as the North Beach and renamed in 1952 after Sir Henry Gurney, the British High Commissioner in Malaya (1950–1951). – The Vibes, February 28, 2022
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