Well it’s about time.
The Lokanat Building on the corner of Pandosan and Merchant finally got the blue plaque treatment today from the Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT).
Known among colonial architecture buffs as the Sofaer building after a family of Iraqi Jews who ran a business there in the early 20th century, it was built around 1906, according to YHT.
Today you can see remnants of Burmese Jewish history through archival photos on the walls at Gekko, one of the private businesses on the first floor.
Suggestion for Gekko: Perhaps a historic happy hour to celebrate the plaque is in order? Hint hint, nudge nudge.
YHT’s blue plaques are meant to both commemorate and act as silent guides to the city’s major historical sites and figures (though only buildings have ).
This is the eight plague to be installed in Yangon, a city with the highest concentration of colonial-era architecture in Southeast Asia. The previous plaque went up in August at the old press building on Thein Phyu road.
Photo / Facebook / Yangon Heritage Trust and Thomas Swales’ Family
