SINGAPORE : The former Turf City has been renamed
"The Grandstand" after coming under a new
management.
Along with a new name, the site will also undergo a
major facelift.
Currently, the occupancy rate in the former Turf
City stands at 60 per cent.
To attract more tenants, new landlord Cogent Land Capital plans to
transform the place into Bukit Timah's Dempsey Hill.
Part of the transformation includes the re-zoning of shops, such as
putting most restaurants on Level One.
Cogent said the first phase of the mall's upgrading will be
complete by July.
Cogent recently won the tender from Singapore Land Authority (SLA)
to operate the site for about six years. It is currently leasing
the plot of land from SLA for more than S$1.06 million a
month.
Some tenants Channel NewsAsia spoke to welcome the new name and the
refurbishment plans.
Mijin Son, owner of the Hansang Korean Family Restaurant, said:
"The Grandstand's major customers (are) going to be families, and
then a lot of families can come and they can do their weekly
grocery shopping and extra activities like sports, and they can
have a relaxed variety of meals, so instead of being a busy
shopping centre, this area is going to be better."
- CNA/ms