Stifling and chaotic by day, dead and dangerous after sundown. That?s Dalhousie Square today, a testimony to deep-seated urban decay.

Take heart, though. Calcutta?s once-grand central business district, housing heritage edifices that would do any city proud, is set to get a welcome kiss of life after dark that could become the launch-pad for a holistic resuscitation of the entire crumbling quarters.

The seeds of revival have been sown by the oldest business chamber east of Suez ? the Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) ? which is gearing up to unveil its new-look business club, The Palladian Lounge.

?The area didn?t have a business lounge concept up until now. Linked to all activities along the Strand, including the floatel and Millennium Park, this unique high-end facility, nestled in the heart of the original business district, could draw ample footfalls even after dark, when parking becomes relatively easy,? feels chamber president Biswadip Gupta.

With concept design by architect Dulal Mukherjee, the Palladian Lounge is the product of a conservative-surgery makeover of the cash-strapped chamber?s old club on the third floor, long languishing in poor upkeep.

Asian Hotels, which runs Hyatt Regency in the city, is implementing the design solution and will be responsible for F&B and management of the business lounge.

According to BCCI secretary-general Khokan Mookerji, the makeover mood gathered momentum even as the chamber went on ?reinvention mode? during its 150th anniversary in 2003, reassessing its objectives, roles and portfolios.

?We realised we could sweat this asset and earn a surplus apart from meeting fixed costs if we roped in a professional agency. So Asian Hotels was called on board,? explains Mookerji.

Architect Mukherjee, who concurs with the BCCI brass that the business lounge has the potential to trigger a large-scale urban renewal of the business district, has tried to retain the old-world charm and grandeur of the property. So the regal wood panelling remains undisturbed, save a fresh coat of varnish, while heavy carpeting is replaced by artificial-wood flooring with throw-in rugs. ?The place will have its own distinct character just like any other club,? he explains.

While the bar has been relocated, the large forecourt section now serves as a 75-seater relaxed/semi-formal lounge. The third portion, abutting into the western side, is the dining area seating 30 and offering Indian and Continental cuisine by Hyatt, with a buffet lunch spread Monday through Friday.

?The all-important linkage, however, remains the much-awaited plan to provide substantial parking in the Lal Dighi area,? stresses Mookerji.