The Ministry of Land Management yesterday announced that the decades-old White Building in the capital will be demolished starting July 17 in order to make way for a new 21-storey structure. The announcement was released late yesterday evening and said the process of taking down the crumbling structure will cause some disturbances for those living close to the White Building. “This demolition will lead to a disruption to the people living around the location as well as passers-by and will require carefulness and cooperation,” the short notification reads. The dilapidated structure will make way for a 21-storey building that will be constructed by Japanese firm Arakawa Co, for an estimated cost of $70 million. While five floors of the new building had been set aside for residents, most residents have chosen to take the $1,400-per-square-metre payout, with 468 of the 493 families having vacated the building as of yesterday. Ministry spokesman Seang Lot said it would take a few weeks to tear down the structure and that fewer than 10 families had yet to take the compensation, though he was confident they would before the July 17 deadline. See more: