PETALING JAYA, April 6 — Earmarked to join the ranks of other Petaling Jaya (PJ) landmark buildings that have been demolished in recent years, the British American Tobacco (BAT) factory will be missed by residents here.

Most PJ folk are melancholic about the prospect of the famous building being brought down as part of BAT’s restructuring exercise.

Melissa Lim, 44, who had lived in PJ for over 20 years, said she felt sad yet another landmark building would be demolished.

“The Rothmans roundabout was demolished a few years ago, and you can see some factories have been flattened. Now, it is the BAT factory,” she said.

“As sad as I am, it is worse for their workers who will be out of jobs.”

The factory closure will affect 230 employees.

Lim, a small business owner, said she hoped the new development replacing the factory would be more community-oriented than commercial.

“I hope it is not another condominium  or a mixed business and retail development. We have a lot of those here,” she said.

Sales assistant Bawani Navaratnam, 53, said some people may not remember the historic value of the factory.

“It is one of the oldest factories in PJ,” she said.

Some think the factory’s closure is inevitable, given the development rate and the increasing land value.

PJ resident Edward Low, 49, said the BAT plant sat on a prime location in PJ.

“A lot of factories are closing down in the area, which is a normal progression,” he said.

A businessman, who wanted to be known only as Jeff, 53, and grew up in PJ Old Town said: “I was shocked to hear about the closure. It is a well-known landmark near the demolished Rothmans roundabout.”

In 2011, the Rothmans roundabout, which was known for its notorious peak hour congestion, was replaced with a RM5.5 million traffic light junction.

The roundabout was named after one of BAT’s cigarette brands, Rothmans.

A retired PJ resident, who declined to be named, said the closure is inevitable.

“Life goes on. I don’t cheer for the closure but I accept it,” the 60-year-old said.

He hopes future development of PJ will be balanced and sustainable.

Community leaders hope the site would be put to good use, mainly for commercial activities.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran said the impact would mostly be felt by BAT employees.

“I hope they get compensated well for their years of service. As for the new development, it is expected to be a mixed development and service apartment, as this seems to be the trend,” Rajiv said.

SS2 councillor Wong Swee Sang, who have lived here for about 20 years, said most of the industrial buildings in Section 13 had been converted to commercial development, and hopes BAT will transform the land for the same.

Lee Suet Sen, councillor for Zone 11, which has Section 13 under its purview, said he hoped the new development would complement existing buildings in PJ

“A lot people are asking why BAT moved, but the company have explained the reasons,” he said.

“We need to move forward. Change is constant and the township will continue to evolve.”

On March 17, BAT announced it will cease its manufacturing operations in the country due to the high excise duty which led to the sharp rise in illegal cigarettes and lower legal sales volume.