End of Eden

The Eden building in Saigon. To many of us, it was that building on Dong Khoi and Nguyen Hue / Le Loi. It has always been there. The top floor wrap around apartments were like out of a movie set - rustic, with shuttered windows and a huge terrace. Being inside the building when it was occupied seemed like you were now IN that movie set; families with their doors open eating dinners and watching TV. Artists lofts. Old war heroes and expats.

The corner of Dong Khoi and Nguyen Hue was also the newspaper sellers. Before the big book stores and in the 1990's, the guys here had almost anything you needed - New York Times, The Economist, National Geo, Playboy, Time, Newsweek. Funny, but the media outlet for District 1 was in front of the building that used to house many journalists during the Vietnam War era.

Eden Building Saigon on Rusty Compass

The whole time I was in Saigon I kept visiting the Eden building, as it is known. Almost daily I drove past, watching the banners protesting the move change. One day near the end the banner changed from Red and Gold, the national colors, to Black and White - reminiscent of fruneral messages and death. 'Death from Viacom' was in fact one of the statements being made. Then the decision came down while I was there that in fact, they HAD to leave and take what money Viacom was willing to pay and AFTER anything fell through the cracks (2500 sq meter I hear).

Then the building was empty.

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