The old and derelict building was once a large mansion of five-storeys tall built in the late 1880s at Northam Road, George Town. It is locally known as “Goh Chan Lau” or “five-storeys villa”, with a rich history from its origin till the current state it is now. The mansion was built by local tycoon Cheah Tek Soon as a private residence, and incorporated a mix of Asian and Western architecture styles. It later on became the site of the old Shih Chung Branch School but the school was also eventually relocated years ago.