EPF Tower is an office building within George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at Northam Road within the city's Central Business District (CBD), the 23-storey building was completed in 2002.[1][2] It accommodates a branch of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), a federal pension fund, as well as financial and banking firms such as Prudential, Maybank, PwC and IHS Markit.[3][4][5][6]
| EPF Tower | |
|---|---|
Menara KWSP (Malay) | |
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Address | 38, Northam Road, 10050 George Town, Penang, Malaysia |
| Town or city | George Town, Penang |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Coordinates | 5°25′26″N 100°19′49″E / 5.4238°N 100.3304°E |
| Current tenants | Employees Provident Fund |
| Completed | 2002 |
| Owner | Employees Provident Fund[1] |
| Height | |
| Top floor | 23[1] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 23[1] |
| Floor area | 409,391 sq ft (38,033.7 m2)[1] |
| Grounds | 1.69 acres (0.68 ha)[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Developer | Runnymede Hotels |
History
editEPF Tower is located on a 1.69-acre (0.68 ha) plot adjacent to the defunct Runnymede Hotel as part of a mixed-use development by Runnymede Hotels. In 1999, Runnymede Hotels received approval from the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for the project, which included the present-day building, two additional office blocks and the refurbishment of the hotel.[7] The construction of EPF Tower was completed by 2002.[2]
The project has faced controversy, with only the EPF Tower being completed.[7] In 2016, Runnymede Hotels demolished the ancillary buildings at the defunct hotel, sparking outrage from heritage activists.[8] Built in 1921, the three-storey hotel had previously served as a British Army base and later as a Malaysian Army facility before being acquired by Runnymede Hotels in 2014.[7] In response to the criticism from heritage activists, Mayor Patahiyah Ismail stated that Runnymede Hotels' planning permission from 1999 remained valid due to the completion of the EPF Tower.[8] In 2018, it was reported that Runnymede Hotels entered into an agreement with Ritz-Carlton to redevelop the hotel.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Annual Report 2007". Employees Provident Fund: 256.
- ^ a b "KWSP office tower – Runnymede Group". Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "Customer Engagement Centre | Prudential Malaysia". www.prudential.com.my. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "Locate Us | Maybank Malaysia". www.maybank2u.com.my. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ PricewaterhouseCoopers. "Contact us". PwC. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "Penang Green Office Certification" (PDF). Penang Green Council. Retrieved 14 Oct 2024.
- ^ a b c Opalyn Mok (4 Sep 2014). "Runnymede Hotel owner asks for more time to restore building". Malay Mail. Retrieved 14 Oct 2024.
- ^ a b "Runnymede saga continues..." The Sun. 24 Feb 2016. Retrieved 14 Oct 2024.
- ^ Rafee, Hannah (22 Nov 2018). "Runnymede Group partners Ritz-Carlton". The Edge. Retrieved 14 Oct 2024.