Sarinah was built in 1962 and inaugurated four years later by Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno. The 15-story building, located in a busy quarter in Thamrin, Central Jakarta, has left fond memories for many. It was the first shopping mall built in the country.

After more than five decades serving as a catalyst for economic growth, state-run retailer PT Sarinah, which manages the building, plans to change its business strategy and turn the department store into a specialty store that caters more to local brands.

Located in the heart of Jakarta, Sarinah is losing its popularity. The country's first high-rise building, it is now dwarfed by taller skyscrapers and has seen a decline in visitors amid tight competition with modern shopping malls.

In order to stay relevant, the building is currently undergoing its first major renovation, which started in July. The project involved around 400 workers and was slated for completion by August next year, said Agung Budi Waskito, president director of state-owned developer PT Wijaya Karya (Wika), the project's contractor.

The project costs Rp 700 billion (US47.3 million) in total.

Sarinah is widely considered a historical building. It is currently in the process of attaining cultural heritage status.

The company wants to preserve Sarinah’s originality while at the same time giving it a more modern appearance, according to Sarinah president director Fetty Kwartawati.

She promised the renovation would comply with prevailing regulations and follow recommendations from the Jakarta Restoration Team on the preservation and restoration of Sarinah's architectural originality.

She said the project focused on four features: modification of the main tower, a new pond, a new amphitheater and the installation of a rock relief – a feature that was reportedly in a planned design in the 1960s.

“We have communicated with the Jakarta Restoration Team,” she told The Jakarta Post on Friday. “There are some aspects that cannot be modified. The main tower won’t be demolished and we will only give its facade a classic appearance that would help give the building its 1962 design look.”

The pond and amphitheater are expected to provide extra public space for Jakartans. The state-run retailer also plans to build a gallery in the premises to showcase the history of Sarinah.

The renovation would remove existing fences, thus becoming more accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists, Fetty said.

This is in line with the ongoing extension of the Jakarta MRT line, a megaproject aimed at encouraging people to shift from private vehicles to public transit. The MRT extension project will connect Bundaran HI station and Kota in West Jakarta through seven new underground stations, including Sarinah Station.

Jakarta Restoration Team head Bambang Eryudhawan, who was directly involved in providing input for the Sarinah renovation project, highlighted the importance of preserving the building's originality.

“We [restoration team] agreed that the project would restore the look of Sarinah's main tower as close as possible to its original design despite having to use new types of material. Additional features will be included to make it relevant to its new functions,” Bambang told the Post.

The challenges of renovating a historical building are not seen as a burden by Sarinah management, but an opportunity.

“The point to highlight is how historical aspects are incorporated, even becoming the strength of a retail center like Sarinah,” Fetty said.

When it opened, Sarinah provided various household needs and housed a beauty salon, barbershop, tailors and entertainment facilities, including movie theaters and children’s playgrounds. It now sells creative products like batik, woven fabric and handicrafts from across the country. The building is also the location of various food outlets.

With the makeover, Sarinah plans to transform the building’s function from a department store to a specialty store that sells curated fashion and bag collections, accessories, handicrafts and health and beauty products.

The new building will also house a duty-free shop, coworking space and trading post to showcase various curated products from small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

"We hope that Sarinah can be the go-to [spot] for SMEs,” Fetty said.

“Sarinah, in cooperation with SMESCO [a government institution responsible for training and facilitating SMEs] and private and other state institutions, aims to level up SMEs. We will help [SMEs] to boost exports and improve their product quality.”