The 5,800-ton building, a heritage structure near People's Square, will be hoisted 1.7 meters above the ground over the next 10 days and then pushed 66.4 meters southeast on a rail track to its new location.

The hall, located at the intersection of Yan'an and Longmen roads, was mainly used to show films or host concerts until it was closed for the relocation last December. The new location will be at the junction of Longmen Road and Ninghai Road W.

Tuesday, as engineers fixed their eyes on the readings shown on pressure gauges, the building was elevated by 59 synchronized jacks over 30 minutes. It was then laid on an armored tray.

The structure will undergo the most intense pressure during the lifting period, which is the most essential to the whole moving process.

"It is one of the most difficult tasks in the entire project," said Lan Wuji, a project manager, yesterday as construction workers clapped their hands and set off fireworks to celebrate.

Both the outside and inside of the building have been bound with steel straps to prevent structural damage during the move.

The relocation project is expected to wrap up in May. After structural reinforcement and interior decoration is completed, the hall will reopen in January next year to host classical concerts.

The decision to relocate was made mainly because of noise from a busy expressway nearby and the din from a residential complex next to the hall that often penetrates the building.

The state-owned Shanghai Video and Audio Group will spend 50 million yuan (US$6.02 million) on the project.

The hall was built in 1930, which was known as Beijing Cinema in the 1950s. It was designed by Fan Wenzhao, the same architect who worked on the city's Majestic Theater and the YMCA Hotel.

As one of the few buildings in the city designed by a Chinese architect in a classical Western style, the building features marble sculptures and romantic columns inside.

To preserve its ornate interior, the city's urban planners decided to relocate the building, instead of demolishing it and building another one, though moving is more expensive than building anew.

(eastday.com April 16, 2003)