Medan City Hall was constructed in 1908, and was modernized in 1923 by Hulswit & Fermont Weltevreden + Ed Cuypers Amsterdam.

In 1913 a chinese millionaire Tjong A Fie donated a large clock made by Van Bergen Firm.

In 1930s many corporate offices were established in Medan City, most of them were located in Kesawan area. In 1929 Office of Netherlands Trading Company (it was then the liquidated Bank Exim) was completed (the building was used by Gunseikanbu during the Japanese occupation). Kesawan became the "Wall Street" of Medan - and the city was developed into an important regional trading and tourism in Southeast Asia.