–Katrak Mansion History
–Renovation of Katrak Mansion
–Katrak Mansion Location
–Exploring Katrak Mansion’s Neighbourhood
The skyline of Karachi hosts some of the tallest buildings in Pakistan. While the vertical expansion is, in a way, a testament to modernity and progress, you’ll find the city has managed to preserve its past in the form of unique historical landmarks. Both the public and private sectors are putting in the effort to preserve the fading heritage of the metropolis. One of the most prominent developments in this regard is the restoration of Katrak Mansion in the area of Kharadar.
So, let’s find out more about Katrak Mansion and its restoration project.
Katrak Mansion History
Established in 1891, Katrak Mansion is one of the oldest landmarks in Karachi. It is named after Homi Katrak, an influential businessman who belonged to the Parsi community. There is a small board on one of the outer walls of this historical landmark in Karachi, which reads ‘Katrak & Co Estd 1891’, denoting its name and construction date. This yellow-limestone edifice enjoys a corner location, which adds to its commercial value. Boasting a beautiful circular front, the architecture of the building features hall-like rooms, which appear more like godowns. This fact indicates that the mansion was used to be a hub of commercial activities in its early days.
However, over the years, the building underwent many small-scale renovation drives, which were carried out to adapt the structure as per the changing construction preferences. During the era of the 1930s, Katrak Mansion was home to the finest recreational and commercial outlets of the time including Ziggurat Art Gallery and Niyazdin & Sons Ext 1930 Tailors and Outfitters as well as shops dealing in wooden handicrafts and furniture items.
In the course of its history, it has also served as railway godowns for cargo storage coming from the city’s port area. As of now, the building is mostly abandoned with a few small shops and eateries located on its ground floor.
Restoration of Katrak Mansion
Owing to its great architectural importance, the restoration of Katrak Mansion, Karachi has just been announced by TPL Properties, a popular property firm in Pakistan. They are the new owners of this historical landmark in Karachi. The outlook of the building will remain unchanged. However, the renovation project will result in the beautification and repurposing of structure. Architects from Britain have been called into work on the restoration project of the structure. Their proposed plan suggests that the renovation task will be carried out in a way that the interior of the building will be completely rebuilt, however, only minor changes will be made to its exterior to retain the structure’s original look.
Katrak Mansion will be converted into a residential-commercial complex, which will meet the modern-day construction standards. The renovation of Katrak Mansion will be carried out with the approval of the Sindh Building Control Authority. It is going to be an eminent move in terms of highlighting the heritage and history of the city.
Katrak Mansion Location
Located near the intersection of GA Alana Road and MA Jinnah Road, Katrak Mansion is encircled by a cluster of commercial outlets and restaurants of the old city area. The mansion is located directly opposite to the Karachi Dry Port, which is used for the transportation of goods from Port of Karachi to other parts of the city.
The building of Katrak Mansion, Karachi is erected within the heart of Kharadar, which is a very famous locality among dwellers of the city looking to shop for traditional prepared sweets and spices. However, you can also take a look at our blog in which we have discussed some interesting facts about Kharadar and Meethadar if you want to know more about these old-school neighbourhoods of the city.
Exploring the Neighbourhood of Katrak Mansion
Falling under the jurisdiction of Saddar Town, Karachi, Katrak Mansion is a part of the city’s biggest business centres. It is just a few minutes’ drive away from II Chundrigar Road, where head offices of all the major banks of the country are located. Moreover, it also comes in proximity to Club Road, one of Karachi’s oldest and most famous roads with key establishments and government offices.
Now that we have given you all the latest updates about the restoration of Katrak Mansion in Karachi, it’s time for us to wrap up this piece. If you have any questions or feedback related to our blog, you can write to us at blog@zameen.com. You can also post your queries related to real estate developments in Karachi and other parts of the country at Zameen Forum.
On a side note, if you are planning to take a trip to the City of Lights just for a day, then here’s how you can make the most of your 24 hours in Karachi. The city is also home to a large number of famous family attractions and weekend getaways that you can explore while touring around.
Keep reading Zameen Blogs to read our in-depth reviews of all the major infrastructure and property developments taking place in Karachi and the rest of the country. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our email newsletter to get regular updates from our blog section.
