Location

The Asera Office at Lebuh Pantai.

The history of Penangs historic port is best explored in the conservation guidelines on Penangs “Waterfront Business – Financial District”. It recalls the old days of sea travel when Penang was a favourite port of call. Beach Street in the heart of Georgetown was laid out by Francis Light. Many of the buildings here were European offices with retail or wholesale stores. With the construction of the Swettenham Pier and the modernization of trade and commerce at the dawn of the 20th century, Beach Street, now knows as Lebuh Pantai became the address of fashionable commercial buildings designed by European architects.

The former government office located on Lebug Downing and Lebuh Pantai were bombed by American B-29s at the close of the Japanese occupation. The Survey Office however, survived, and is now the premise of the Muslim Religious Council and the Syariah Court.

Today, Lebuh Pantai is Penang’s financial street. The Hongkong and Shanghai bank, the Standard Chartered Bank, the ABN-AMBRO bank which currently houses University Sains Malaysia’s Heritage Centre, the Southern bank, have all refurbished their heritage premise in the last 10 years. The rent controlled buildings on the street awaits similar renovation.

ASERA in Georgetown in strategically located in the Standard Chartered Bank Chambers on Beach Street. The ASERA office has a commanding view of Fort Conwallis and the Light House and the RNO building on the Esplanade, overlooking the Straits of Melaka and the coastline of Kedah and the mainland.