Ophir-Rochor area slated
for trendy makeover
Redevelopment will see new hotels, offices and shops; area to
become an 'extension of Bugis'
Straits Times, The
(Singapore)
December 5, 2007
Prime News, Pg 1
IT IS all a bit sleepy and humdrum now, but the walkways of the
Ophir-Rochor zone are set for a jazzy makeover that will add trendy
hotels and shops, offices and more.
Plans to rev up the hotchpotch zone - it has old colonial lanes at
one end and a hot air balloon at the other - were unveiled by the
Government yesterday.
The makeover already has its centrepoint and crown jewel - the
eco-friendly South Beach project designed by world- renowned
British architect Norman Foster and his partners.
The development includes two towers of up to 45 storeys linked to
the conserved military buildings of the old Beach Road camp by an
eye-catching 'environmental filter' canopy.
There will also be premium office space, two luxury hotels of up to
700 rooms, service apartments and shops on the 3.5ha site, which is
being developed by a City Developments consortium.
Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu said yesterday
that the landmark project 'will be a first glimpse into exciting
plans ahead for the Ophir Road/ Rochor Road corridor'.
She added that the Government intends to 'build on the momentum' by
developing land parcels.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority will release more details early
next year, but some sites may be included in the Government Land
Sales Programme due later this month.
Potential plots up for grabs include the Ophir Road/Beach Road
tract in front of Parkview Square - this hosted Cirque Du Soleil in
2005 - and the site at Tan Quee Lan Street, now home to the DHL
balloon.
Ms Fu added that the new district will be an 'extension of Bugis',
connecting Marina Centre to Bugis and Singapore's civic
district.
The landscape, rich in colonial charm, has been constantly changing
in the last decade.
When Bugis Junction opened in 1995, property pundits predicted that
the project would fail to draw the crowds as it was not a prime
location.
But Bugis has blossomed into a trendy youth hangout, complemented
by fancy dining and drinking hot spots along Seah and Purvis
Streets.
The bohemian charm of independent shops that line nearby Haji Lane
also keeps the area buzzing.
Property analysts welcomed the plans.
'The market needs something on the fringe of the Central Business
District (CBD). Office buildings with a mix of retail and hotels
will be popular,' said Mr Ku Swee Yong, director of business
development and marketing at Savills Singapore.
Mr Colin Tan, head of research and consultancy at Chesterton
International, agreed there was great potential in the area, but
said offices would not likely command Grade A rents like in the
CBD.
'Offices here will be ideally suited for small and medium-sized
enterprises,' he said. But more road infrastructure such as broader
lanes or expressways are needed to relieve congestion, he
added.
Knight Frank's director for research and consultancy Nicholas Mak
welcomed the plans to liven the area, as it 'has always been a bit
sleepy', but hoped that the area's heritage and shophouses would be
conserved.
Mr Mak said developers will be interested, although a 'balance of
the old and new' was important in retaining the character of the
district.
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Copyright, 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
