Town Hall was George Town’s first municipal building. It had a very short lifespan in that role. Barely after Town Hall was finished in 1880, the Municipal Commissioners complained it was inadequate to house their growing staff. So, they commissioned a larger structure next door that was finished in 1906 and would later become City Hall. Town Hall then became a social haven for European elites. It is now a special event venue. Town Hall is located at Padang Kota Lama. Also called the Padang or The Esplanade, this is one of George Town’s oldest neighborhoods.