Bandra's 87-Year-Old Bungalow to Undergo Self-Redevelopment
The Pereira family in Bandra, Mumbai, is set to transform their 87-year-old bungalow into a 14-story tower, making it the first bungalow in the city to undergo self-redevelopment. The family will occupy the top four floors, while the remaining 20 apartments will be sold to recover costs.
SelfredevelopmentBungalowBandraMumbaiPereira FamilyReal Estate MumbaiAug 17, 2025
The bungalow, Victoria Cottage along Veronica Street, was built in 1938 by Dominic Lewis Pereira, who previously lived in Mahim. Dominic later sold the bungalow to Didacus Everest Pereira. At present, Didacus’s son Vivian and his wife Myra have been living at the bungalow since their marriage in 1975.
Victoria Cottage is part of the larger St. Sebastian Homes Cooperative Housing Society, which has 110 plots, according to Akbar Jiwani, project management consultant of Victoria Cottage. In its vicinity, multiple plots have already been redeveloped in the conventional way, where the land rights were given over to a developer who then managed the project.
For over 20 years, multiple builders have approached the Pereiras with offers, but the family never considered redevelopment as a priority. It was only in 2018 that the family began thinking about reconstructing their cottage, which contains two bedrooms, a hall, a dining room, and a kitchen. Coincidentally, in January 2018, the state government introduced the self-redevelopment scheme to encourage the practice in Mumbai.
The Pereiras started discussing the project with developers in 2019 but always hit a dead-end. “It was only in 2021 that we got serious about self-redevelopment,” Myra said. In 2024, the family attended a seminar organized by Jiwani on the subject of redevelopment and was convinced to reconstruct their 5,167 sq.ft plot into a 14-story building with a total area of 21,000 sq.ft.
In the last year, the family oversaw more than 20 iterations of the proposed redevelopment plan, and this month they will apply for the first of a series of approvals. The current blueprint shows two parking towers, two basement floors, and 14 residential floors. Each floor is to have two 2BHK (bedroom, hall, kitchen) apartments with an area of 875 sq.ft and 909 sq.ft. As per the plan, each apartment will have three balconies.
Mark explained that for decades their family had lived in a spacious bungalow with a height of 22 feet. “Instead of the usual 9ft floor-to-ceiling height, we will have 11 ft,” he said, and added that the family wanted more space than usual flats.
The Pereiras will move from their ground floor residence to the top four floors. The remaining 20 apartments will be sold in the open market to recover the cost of construction and make the redevelopment project profitable. Compared to their current cottage, the Pereiras will get around 400% extra space in the new building.
“In the first round, we intend to sell the flats to our relatives for a discounted price. Thereafter, it will be marketed in the open market as per the framework of the St. Sebastian Homes Cooperative Housing Society,” Mark said.
The construction cost will vary depending on the area being constructed. The apartments will be built at a construction cost of ₹4,500 per sq.ft, and the staircase area at ₹2,200 per sq.ft. To finance the project, the Pereiras will personally invest 10% of the cost and draw the rest from a bank.
By 2026, the family will have to vacate the property, and in the next two-and-a-half years, the construction will have transformed their Victoria Cottage into a multistory Victoria Cooperative Housing Society.
As per Jiwani, the newly built apartments will have smart home technology, and the society will have a rainwater harvesting system, a sewage treatment plant, solar power, an electric vehicle charging station, and other such amenities.
“Facilities can be customized as per one’s requirement,” Jiwani said. “This is because it’s a self-redevelopment project where all the details are in the hands of the owner,” he added.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is self-redevelopment?
Self-redevelopment is a process where property owners decide to rebuild their property without involving a third-party developer. They finance and manage the project themselves.
Who are the Pereiras and what is their bungalow?
The Pereiras are a family in Bandra, Mumbai, who have been living in their 87-year-old bungalow, Victoria Cottage, since 1975. They are now planning to rebuild it into a 14-story tower.
What are the key features of the new building?
The new building will have 14 residential floors, with each floor containing two 2BHK apartments. It will also include smart home technology, rainwater harvesting, a sewage treatment plant, and other modern amenities.
How will the Pereiras finance the project?
The Pereiras will personally invest 10% of the construction cost and draw the rest from a bank. They also plan to sell the remaining 20 apartments to recover the costs and make the project profitable.
When will the construction be completed?
The construction is expected to be completed by 2026, after which the Pereiras will move into the top four floors of the new building.
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