A passerby in front of the former "comfort station" in Hongkou district, Shanghai, Feb 23, 2016. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

However, she said the building was no longer fit for habitation.

In Gongpingli community, where the building is located, there are more than 200 residents. "The houses are dilapidated and have no bathrooms," Li said.

But Su believes that urban transformation should not necessarily mean demolition. "More importantly we should preserve the history of a city," he said. "The good and the bad."