Latest news with #SLA
Business Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Times
New life, fresh revenue streams out of Singapore's state properties
[SINGAPORE] When Colin Low and his team at the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) first stepped into 11 Keppel Hill, the colonial-era bungalow was little more than a liability – overgrown, derelict and long vacant. 'When we first went in, it was very dark, even in the daytime, and bats flew out. We got a shock!' says Low, who was chief executive officer at the agency until the end of April. Not long after, the once-forgotten building became the unlikely stage for Chanel's first haute couture presentation in Singapore. The French maison's week-long event in April 2023 was more than a fashion spectacle. It was a reflection of how state properties in the Republic have been redefined during Low's four-year tenure at the agency – as not just land to be managed, but vibrant, usable spaces with strong commercial value. As custodian of state assets in land-scarce Singapore, SLA manages some 11 hectares of land and about 2,600 state-owned properties. Ranging from old army barracks and shophouses to heritage bungalows, walk-up apartments and disused schools across the island, these are leased out to a variety of tenants for commercial, residential and institutional use. Large clusters such as Dempsey now house lifestyle stores and restaurants; Chip Bee Gardens became home to a 'makers' village', and Gillman Barracks was turned into an art hub. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up One of Low's jobs, when he joined the agency as CEO in April 2021, was to find creative and innovative ways to optimise every square inch of available space to support the city-state's evolving economic and social needs. ' SLA has scored remarkable success, both in finding new occupiers for old spaces and raising awareness of the commercial potential of state assets. ' To this end, SLA has scored remarkable success, both in finding new occupiers for old spaces and raising awareness of the commercial potential of state assets. Over the last four years, Low, who joined SLA from the private sector, estimates that the agency has tendered out more than 100 properties that were either vacant or previously put to a different use. 'I can't share exact figures, but (revenue contribution) definitely increased by a lot,' he says. The new approach called for a different mindset – starting with becoming a more proactive landlord, he tells The Business Times on his penultimate day in office, ahead of Calvin Phua's induction as CEO on May 1. 'To date, we have met more than 100 groups of people for 'no agenda' conversations,' he says. These engagements have been typically informal, with social and non-governmental organisations, chefs, coffee chains, co-working and co-living operators, hoteliers ... the list goes on. Listening to the ground gave the agency a better grasp of the diverse needs and opportunities in the market, Low says. SLA gained insights into how properties could be scoped, marketed and tendered out, increasing their relevance and uptake. From standard three-year-tenures with an option to renew twice for three years each time, SLA has moved on to longer tenancies of five years, renewable for another four (the '5+4' year tenure), for certain concepts; it also offers master tenancies for larger-scale developments. The agency has increasingly favoured price and quality (PQ) tenders, evaluating not just bid prices, but also the purpose and concepts submitted. In its latest tender launched this week, SLA offered a cluster of some 40 buildings spanning a gross floor area of about 139,700 sq ft in one compound at 2 Moulmein Road. The site, which housed the National Centre for Infectious Diseases up to 2018, supported Covid operations until it was returned to the state in 2023. It is now up for tender to a master tenant for uses such as co-living spaces, wellness, fitness, pet-friendly services, an art gallery and educational programmes; about a third of space is to be set aside for food-and-beverage and retail outlets. 'As a state landlord, we don't want just high economic value; the social and community value of purpose is very important to us as well,' he says. 'Many times, we deliberately brought the weight of the bid price down, sometimes to 30 to 40 per cent (of the consideration).' A case in point is The Lo & Behold Group's New Bahru, a hospitality and F&B business founded by UOB's Wee family scion Wee Teng Wen. The building cluster, which used to be the site of Nan Chiau High School, had housed co-working spaces, offices and a trampoline park. When the lease ended, Low and the team decided to do something different at the prime River Valley location. The bid by Lo & Behold eventually beat more than 10 others in the PQ tender that closed in June 2022 – and this was despite the group's bid of S$400,000 in rent per month being the second lowest. The highest bid came from ACL Construction, at S$806,722. Low says: 'We chose (Lo & Behold) because the group represents a lot of Singaporean or Singapore-based brands.' 'There were a couple of naysayers when the news came out,' he adds. 'They asked if we were doing (the property) justice, if we were doing a disservice to the state with all this lost revenue.' After New Bahru opened, bagging accolades and drawing crowds to its showcase of buzzy eateries, bars and shops, the criticism died down. 'People realised that if you award the highest rent, a lot of times you may get the same old, same old. But if you choose a PQ tender that rewards based on concept, it gives you something in return.' Low notes that the commercial tender winner may not be the highest bidder, but that the SLA has a reserve rent. 'All those that pass the mark – it's not just at market rent – but that they also have good concepts.' Gross turnover rent, based on a percentage of the tenant's gross sales, is another route the SLA sometimes takes to align its interests with those of its tenants, he adds. 'Otherwise, if you put a very high rent from the start, things are going to be very difficult for the incoming tenant.' The co-living wave The Singapore Land Authority's two-storey heritage shophouse along Hindoo Road received 16 bids when the tender closed in April 2023. PHOTO: SLA The ground-up approach was how SLA identified the co-living market as another viable concept for its properties. The first state-owned building converted to this particular use – a two-storey heritage shophouse along Hindoo Road – got 16 bids when the tender closed in April 2023. The winner was construction company Eco Energy, which submitted a top bid of S$68,000 a month. That same day, SLA launched a new tender for another co-living concept at 26 Evans Road. The tender for the Bukit Timah area property pulled in a staggering 25 bids – an SLA record – in October 2023. It was eventually awarded to turnkey solutions provider Cover Projects, which submitted the second-highest bid of S$265,000 in a field that ranged from S$63,000 to S$319,000 a month. ' The tender for 26 Evans Road pulled in a staggering 25 bids – an SLA record – in October 2023. It was eventually awarded to Cover Projects, which submitted the second-highest bid of S$265,000 in a field that ranged from S$63,000 to S$319,000 a month. ' This year, SLA offered 20 black-and-white houses in the Admiralty Road area for serviced apartment use, including multi-generational and senior co-living concepts, and some F&B and retail use. The site show-around was held in March and April, and the tender closes on Jun 11. 'I think over 100 people came for this, and when I looked at the list of names that came, I was quite encouraged by it,' says Low, adding that the lively response reflects a strong demand for senior co-living assets in Singapore's rapidly ageing society. The shift towards a more proactive approach has not gone unnoticed. Alan Cheong, Savills Singapore's executive director of research and consultancy, says: 'During Colin's tenure, we noticed that SLA became more aligned with the market, reaching out to the public with fresh initiatives that were definitely an uplift from the old days, when the agency behaved conservatively as a trustee for the state's land resources.' The private sector also became more 'acutely aware and interested' in major tenders that the agency put out, he notes. CBRE research head for South-east Asia Tricia Song adds that SLA's 'willingness to adapt and its receptiveness to ideas have allowed the private sector to participate in the rejuvenation and place-making of these old properties'. Cost challenges One of the biggest challenges in handling state properties is managing capital expenditure, says Low. 'The properties that we have are 100 years old, so there's a lot of care and maintenance that goes into it. 'The moment you leave it vacant, it falls into disrepair very quickly, and the state has to fund the maintenance.' He adds that while the cost of maintaining state properties is consistent across locations, rental returns can vary significantly. Some properties – those in the city centre, which command higher demand and strong rental potential, for instance – are therefore prioritised over others, he says. 'You repair those first to minimise downtime, get them occupied quickly, and then move on to the others.' Louis Vuitton held its Spring/Summer runway show at Pasir Panjang Power Station in 2023. PHOTO: LOUIS VUITTON In the meantime, vacant properties are activated for 'creative interim use'. These included converting them into spaces for pop-up events for the likes of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessey and more. Chanel's haute couture presentation at 11 Keppel Hill followed French fashion house Louis Vuitton's two-week Savoir Faire event at the historic Former Command House off Dunearn Road in April 2022. Three years later, it was Cartier's turn to use the nearly-90-year-old property dating back to the British occupation: the house was the venue for Cartier's by-invitation Nature Sauvage high-end jewellery exhibition. 'Our ultimate goal is to always find a long-term tenant,' says Low. 'But a lot of times, when the condition of the property is in such (disrepair), no one can visualise its potential. Such ad-hoc events allow people to visualise it differently, and sometimes bring about new connections.' He adds that for SLA, some clients are ideal for the way they elevate and restore an underused space. When Chanel took over 11 Keppel Hill, the high-end fashion maison did not just dress the venue – it refurbished it, right down to replacing the toilets. 'Realistically speaking, who else has the budget to do this? Not every company can,' says Low. 'It is also about understanding what these fashion houses want and pitching it right (for a win-win situation).' Most recently in April, the Former Command House was used by Cartier for its Nature Sauvage high jewellery exhibition. PHOTO: CARTIER SLA's latest annual report stated the agency's operating income for FY2023 at S$140.6 million, up 2 per cent. Agency fees contributed to 67 per cent of the figure. Regulatory fees and charges accounted for 23 per cent, and other fees and charges, 10 per cent. Operating expenditure rose 4 per cent to S$149.9 million. Operating income was about 10 per cent lower than FY2020's S$156 million. The social returns on projects lie beyond revenue, Low stresses. For example, a recent tender for a Kampong Java site nearly 30,000 sq ft in size stated the premise as a 'vibrant arts sandbox' that would be affordable and accessible to the artist community. It was eventually awarded to the second-highest bidder, creative agency 19SixtyFive at a bid rent of S$18,000. 'So the benefits are threefold: You get the property being used, maintenance costs are avoided, and the community gains,' says Low. The Singapore Land Authority's recent tender for a Kampong Java site (pictured) included an assessment of how the premise can be positioned as a 'vibrant arts sandbox'. PHOTO: MCCY Call for more flexibility on terms and rents But while the opportunities offered with state properties are unique, the specifics tied to SLA's terms can deter occupiers and limit the potential of the property, say industry observers. ' There is a need for SLA to balance risk with the rewards… This may involve being open to longer land lease tenures, and being flexible on use mix and rent, for example.' ' — Tricia Song, CBRE research head for South-east Asia CBRE's Song points out that there are high costs and risks for developers and investors. 'Having the right party will ensure these properties are properly utilised,' she says. 'There is thus a need for SLA to balance risk with the rewards… This may involve being open to longer land lease tenures, and being flexible on use mix and rent, for example.' In particular, the SLA's tenure terms are 'not very tenable', says Lim Keong Wee, co-founder and chief executive officer of Cover Projects, which clinched the Evans Road building and intends to develop it into a 74-room co-living property. This is especially true for those running commercial accommodation. The '5+4' year tenure translates to just three to four business cycles, given that long-stays typically range between three months and two years, says Lim. This does not provide a long enough runway for developers or investors to recoup their costs, particularly since adaptive-reuse projects require 'massive amounts of capital outlay' to repurpose and retrofit the building. 'But also from an operating standpoint – imagine, you can only go through a rental lease three or four times,' Lim says. 'I think that doesn't help the community get settled with the building.' In July 2023, then-Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong told Parliament the SLA was studying the feasibility of longer leasehold periods – such as 30 or 60 years – for an entire black-and-white bungalow estate, for private developers to take over the sites. As the master-leaseholder, a private developer can 'rejuvenate the entire estate and reap the benefits over the longer lease period', Tong said then. A group of 19 colonial bungalows in Adam Park had been floated for the initiative, but plans have yet to materialise. Low declines comment on the Adam Park estate. The bungalows have been earmarked for conservation in the lead-up to the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Draft Master Plan 2025. Tenants of state properties may also be subject to unexpected changes in government planning. The occupiers at Turf City in Bukit Timah, for instance, had to move out when the sprawling site was rezoned for housing; Gillman Barracks is currently being studied as a potential housing site. Nonetheless, tenants like Cover Projects' Lim sees SLA's push for adaptive re-use as generally positive. 'It allows operators to get to market quickly and meet this unmet demand while optimising space in Singapore,' he says. Tan Ken Loon, owner of modern seafood restaurant Naked Finn in Gillman Barracks, said that while his business has been hit hard by changing dining habits and consumers cutting back on spending, SLA has been 'reasonable, responsive, responsible'. Chua Yang Liang, JLL head of research and consultancy for South-east Asia, says: 'With land scarcity being visibly real in Singapore, culture and values would be lost if we don't balance redevelopment with preserving our collective memory through adaptive reuse. 'We should nurture the social networks and services on sites with short leases, just as we care for the trees in our parks,' he says.
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
EDOTCO and Sitetracker Partner to Digitally Transform Field Operations Across Asia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia & MONTCLAIR, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EDOTCO Group ('EDOTCO'), one of Asia's leading digital connectivity infrastructure companies, and Sitetracker, the global leader in full asset lifecycle management, today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the digital transformation of EDOTCO's field operations across its regional footprint. "Our partnership with Sitetracker will enable us to standardize and modernize our field operations across the region." - Adlan Tajudin, Group Chief Executive Officer of EDOTCO This collaboration marks a major milestone in Asia's telecommunications infrastructure sector, with EDOTCO set to deploy Sitetracker's newly expanded Operations & Maintenance (O&M) platform across more than 55,000 towers in nine Asian markets - setting a new industry benchmark for operational scalability, efficiency and innovation. 'At EDOTCO, we are committed to building intelligent and resilient infrastructure that supports the future of digital connectivity,' said Adlan Tajudin, Group Chief Executive Officer of EDOTCO. 'Our partnership with Sitetracker will enable us to standardize and modernize our field operations across the region — empowering our teams with the tools to deliver greater service levels, operational agility, and data-driven decision-making at scale.' The Sitetracker platform will support EDOTCO in harmonizing field workflows, driving predictive maintenance, and unlocking operational visibility across its extensive tower infrastructure; transforming how preventive and corrective tasks are planned, executed, and tracked. Rewriting the Playbook for Field Operations and Maintenance EDOTCO's forward-looking strategy centers on developing a future-ready operations model that can respond to evolving digital demands across South and Southeast Asia. The deployment of the Sitetracker platform will empower EDOTCO to reduce complexity, eliminate manual interventions, and scale best-in-class O&M practices across diverse environments. Through this strategic alliance, EDOTCO will: Automate preventive and corrective maintenance - identifying potential issues early to ensure network reliability and reduce downtime; Streamline fleet and site asset audit workflows - eliminating process errors and facilitating more accurate inventory management and compliance; Enable secure, geo-tracked site check-in - enhancing workforce safety and accountability; Monitor Service Level Agreement (SLA) performance in real-time - improving service delivery and response; Integrate seamlessly with critical systems - eliminating data silos and aligning teams through a centralized, intelligent platform. 'EDOTCO's commitment to intelligent infrastructure management makes them an ideal partner,' said Giuseppe Incitti, CEO of Sitetracker. 'Their vision aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver best-in-class, end-to-end asset lifecycle management that empowers the world's most essential infrastructure.' Setting the Standard for a Digital-First Future With the roll-out of Sitetracker, EDOTCO will be among the first TowerCos in Asia to deploy a fully integrated, mobile O&M platform at this scale – further strengthening its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and operational resilience across the digital infrastructure value chain. This partnership represents a shared commitment by both companies to future-proof infrastructure management, streamline field execution, and enhance the quality of digital services across fast-growing markets in Southeast and South Asia. About Sitetracker Sitetracker empowers owners, operators, contractors, and other stakeholders to streamline and optimize the end-to-end asset lifecycle of critical infrastructure. As the leading global complete Asset Lifecycle Management platform, Sitetracker helps innovative companies like Vodafone, Ericsson, ENGIE, Telefonica, Cypress Creek Renewables, Cox, Iberdrola, EVgo, Vantage Towers, Southern Company, Zayo, Tilson, Nextera, EDOTCO, Axione, and TEP efficiently plan, build, operate, and maintain millions of projects, sites, and assets. Sitetracker delivers operational excellence and creates full transparency across industries such as digital infrastructure, renewables, EV charging, utilities, and real estate by driving safe, efficient teams, ensuring healthy projects, and enabling organizations to manage scale, growth, and complexity. Trusted by hundreds of industry leaders, Sitetracker advances a more connected and sustainable future across the world. Manage What's Critical, with Sitetracker. About EDOTCO Group Established in 2012, EDOTCO Group is the leading digital connectivity infrastructure services company in Asia, providing end-to-end integrated solutions in the tower services sector. Its mission is to help nations across Asia advance their connectivity infrastructure with leading-edge solutions and achieve equitable connectivity. With a portfolio of over 58,000 towers across nine countries, the company is present in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Laos - fulfilling connectivity demands innovatively and sustainably to help its customers and partners accelerate sustainable growth. EDOTCO prioritises prudent portfolio expansion for organic and inorganic opportunities that carry the right scale, economics, and returns for its shareholders. EDOTCO Group was named Asia Pacific Telecoms Tower Company of the Year for six consecutive years by Frost & Sullivan and was recognised as one of three ASEAN Unicorns based in Malaysia. For more information, visit
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EDOTCO and Sitetracker Partner to Digitally Transform Field Operations Across Asia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia & MONTCLAIR, N.J., May 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EDOTCO Group ("EDOTCO"), one of Asia's leading digital connectivity infrastructure companies, and Sitetracker, the global leader in full asset lifecycle management, today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the digital transformation of EDOTCO's field operations across its regional footprint. This collaboration marks a major milestone in Asia's telecommunications infrastructure sector, with EDOTCO set to deploy Sitetracker's newly expanded Operations & Maintenance (O&M) platform across more than 55,000 towers in nine Asian markets - setting a new industry benchmark for operational scalability, efficiency and innovation. "At EDOTCO, we are committed to building intelligent and resilient infrastructure that supports the future of digital connectivity," said Adlan Tajudin, Group Chief Executive Officer of EDOTCO. "Our partnership with Sitetracker will enable us to standardize and modernize our field operations across the region — empowering our teams with the tools to deliver greater service levels, operational agility, and data-driven decision-making at scale." The Sitetracker platform will support EDOTCO in harmonizing field workflows, driving predictive maintenance, and unlocking operational visibility across its extensive tower infrastructure; transforming how preventive and corrective tasks are planned, executed, and tracked. Rewriting the Playbook for Field Operations and Maintenance EDOTCO's forward-looking strategy centers on developing a future-ready operations model that can respond to evolving digital demands across South and Southeast Asia. The deployment of the Sitetracker platform will empower EDOTCO to reduce complexity, eliminate manual interventions, and scale best-in-class O&M practices across diverse environments. Through this strategic alliance, EDOTCO will: Automate preventive and corrective maintenance - identifying potential issues early to ensure network reliability and reduce downtime; Streamline fleet and site asset audit workflows - eliminating process errors and facilitating more accurate inventory management and compliance; Enable secure, geo-tracked site check-in - enhancing workforce safety and accountability; Monitor Service Level Agreement (SLA) performance in real-time - improving service delivery and response; Integrate seamlessly with critical systems - eliminating data silos and aligning teams through a centralized, intelligent platform. "EDOTCO's commitment to intelligent infrastructure management makes them an ideal partner," said Giuseppe Incitti, CEO of Sitetracker. "Their vision aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver best-in-class, end-to-end asset lifecycle management that empowers the world's most essential infrastructure." Setting the Standard for a Digital-First Future With the roll-out of Sitetracker, EDOTCO will be among the first TowerCos in Asia to deploy a fully integrated, mobile O&M platform at this scale – further strengthening its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and operational resilience across the digital infrastructure value chain. This partnership represents a shared commitment by both companies to future-proof infrastructure management, streamline field execution, and enhance the quality of digital services across fast-growing markets in Southeast and South Asia. About Sitetracker Sitetracker empowers owners, operators, contractors, and other stakeholders to streamline and optimize the end-to-end asset lifecycle of critical infrastructure. As the leading global complete Asset Lifecycle Management platform, Sitetracker helps innovative companies like Vodafone, Ericsson, ENGIE, Telefonica, Cypress Creek Renewables, Cox, Iberdrola, EVgo, Vantage Towers, Southern Company, Zayo, Tilson, Nextera, EDOTCO, Axione, and TEP efficiently plan, build, operate, and maintain millions of projects, sites, and assets. Sitetracker delivers operational excellence and creates full transparency across industries such as digital infrastructure, renewables, EV charging, utilities, and real estate by driving safe, efficient teams, ensuring healthy projects, and enabling organizations to manage scale, growth, and complexity. Trusted by hundreds of industry leaders, Sitetracker advances a more connected and sustainable future across the world. Manage What's Critical, with Sitetracker. About EDOTCO Group Established in 2012, EDOTCO Group is the leading digital connectivity infrastructure services company in Asia, providing end-to-end integrated solutions in the tower services sector. Its mission is to help nations across Asia advance their connectivity infrastructure with leading-edge solutions and achieve equitable connectivity. With a portfolio of over 58,000 towers across nine countries, the company is present in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Laos - fulfilling connectivity demands innovatively and sustainably to help its customers and partners accelerate sustainable growth. EDOTCO prioritises prudent portfolio expansion for organic and inorganic opportunities that carry the right scale, economics, and returns for its shareholders. EDOTCO Group was named Asia Pacific Telecoms Tower Company of the Year for six consecutive years by Frost & Sullivan and was recognised as one of three ASEAN Unicorns based in Malaysia. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact Kathleen OjoSitetrackerpress@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Former Middleton Hospital earmarked for lifestyle hub use
The former Communicable Disease Centre as viewed from 23 Akyab Road on Oct 10, 2024. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Former Communicable Disease Centre in Moulmein Road put up for use as lifestyle hub SINGAPORE – Once a place for the treatment of patients with infectious diseases such as smallpox, tuberculosis and Aids, the former Middleton Hospital and Communicable Disease Centre could soon house pickleball courts, cafes and art galleries. A tender for the 91,541.27 sq m site in Moulmein Road to be used as a lifestyle hub on a short-term tenancy was launched on May 28 by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). Approved uses for the site include office spaces, serviced apartments, spa and wellness facilities and urban farming plots, among others. It is currently zoned for residential use. Of the site's 44 buildings, 23 have been safeguarded for potential conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), and will be subject to addition and alteration guidelines from the authority. This is to ensure the retention of their character and key architectural elements and features. The other 21 buildings cannot be demolished, but will not be subjected to the addition and alteration guidelines. SLA said that the site 'served as a pivotal institution in Singapore's healthcare history for over a century'. It was established in 1913 as an infectious diseases hospital and named the Middleton Hospital in 1920 after Dr William Robert Colvin Middleton, a public health advocate. Of the 12,978.88 sq m of gross floor area across the site's buildings, a maximum of 3,893.66 sq m – or about 30 per cent – can be used for retail or food and beverage purposes, or both. F&B uses, including outdoor refreshment areas, can form no more than half of the allotted 3,893.66 sq m. The SLA said in a press release that it envisions 2 Moulmein Road to be 'a dynamic lifestyle hub with offerings that will cater to families and multi-generation communities'. The successful tenderer will be awarded a tenancy of five years , with the option of a four-year extension, subject to the Government's approval. Based on the URA's Master Plan 2019 – a statutory document that guides developments for the next 10 to 15 years – the site is currently zoned for residential use, subject to detailed planning. When vacant state properties are not earmarked for immediate development, SLA, as the custodian of state land, can put them up for rent in the interim period. Other state properties that have been converted for lifestyle use recently include the former Nan Chiau High School in River Valley, now New Bahru ; and the former St Andrew's Mission Hospital near Maxwell Road, now Kada . Block 807, the former hospital's mortuary, is one of 23 buildings being considered for conservation. PHOTO: ST FILE The former Bukit Timah Fire Station is also being turned into a lifestyle hub. Dr Yeo Kang Shua, vice-president of the International Council on Monuments and Sites Singapore, welcomed the announcement that 23 buildings have been earmarked for potential conservation, as future works will likely be guided by the relevant authorities to avoid adverse impact on the buildings' heritage value. 'This gives the tender more transparency and helps to moderate the expectations of potential bidders,' he said. 'Realistically, some works will be needed to make the site suitable for new programmes and functions, and the question is how intervention much is too much and how little is too little – a right balance needs to be found,' Dr Yeo added. He said the hospital's lush and spacious layout is notable, as it gave patients fresh air and daylight – elements associated with health and hygiene, even today. Block 804, the administration block of the former Middleton Hospital, is among those being considered for conservation. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO The concept of such a cultural landscape should be retained on the site, said Dr Yeo. Ms Tricia Song, head of research for Singapore and South-east Asia at CBRE, said that the addition and alteration guidelines by URA for the 23 buildings are unlikely to affect demand for the site, as the short tenure does not justify heavy capital expenditure and redevelopment. However, Dr Chua Yang Liang, JLL's head of research and consultancy for South-east Asia, said the conservation-related requirements are a dual-edged sword for developers – they add complexity, costs and constraints to development plans, but also offer unique character and heritage value that can become distinctive selling points. Ms Song said that the site is relatively well-located – within reasonable walking distance from Novena MRT station and flanked by Novena Health City and Balestier Road, which provide a business and residential catchment. If the future hub is well-planned with ample and cheap or free parking, the location is attractive for fitness, spa and wellness and sports facilities such as pickleball courts, which she said are lacking in the area. The former hospital was home to some of Singapore's last Nightingale wards, which featured no subdivisions and were designed to be airy. PHOTO: ST FILE Ms Catherine He, head of research at Colliers Singapore, similarly said that recreational uses would be suitable for the site, as these have relatively lower fit-out costs and are in line with the site's medical legacy. 'The area is already well-served by a number of hotels, retail and offices and hence these uses are unlikely to be duplicated,' she said. Dr Chua added that pre- or postnatal care centres and spa and wellness facilities could generate strong demand by complementing the existing healthcare ecosystem in the area. He said that a critical consideration for potential bidders will be the traffic implications, as the Novena area 'already experiences considerable traffic congestion, which could pose a significant operational challenge for certain uses'. Century-long healthcare association In its 2020 book Uncommon Ground, SLA said that Middleton Hospital had its roots in a smallpox hospital and quarantine facility that began in the 1870s, and was set up at Balestier Plain. Plans to replace this facility were drawn up by the British Municipal Commission in 1905, with the infectious diseases hospital eventually opening at the 2 Moulmein Road site in June 1913. The former Middleton Hospital's iconic gatehouse, which was demolished in 1982 for road widening works. PHOTO: ST FILE In 1985, the hospital came under Tan Tock Seng Hospital as its Department of Communicable Diseases, later renamed Communicable Disease Centre. It played a role in the fight against various infectious diseases – such as the Sars outbreak in 2003 – until December 2018, when it was decommissioned and replaced by the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, located at Jalan Tan Tock Seng. SLA said that the site supported Covid-19 operations until it was returned to the state in 2023. Heritage author and blogger Jerome Lim, who edited SLA's book, said he hopes that besides the 23 buildings in the former hospital that have been earmarked for potential conservation, lesser-known aspects like its drainage system will also be retained. He said the drains were 'built by the municipality with beautiful brickwork and used to be lined with ceramic', a feature that is rare in Singapore. The former Middleton Hospital, pictured in 2009, was from 1992 to 2018 the Communicable Disease Centre. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO Mr Lim added that there is also evidence that a double-drain system was originally installed at the hospital, which separated contaminated discharge from the wards from the public drainage system, thus preventing the spread of diseases. He said that the site also has some portions of the hospital's original fence, which have sharp tips that were meant to prevent quarantined patients from escaping. Retaining such features would allow future visitors to better appreciate how the hospital was designed, he said. SLA's tender closes on Aug 6, and is slated to be awarded on Nov 30. Ng Keng Gene is a correspondent at The Straits Times, reporting on issues relating to land use, urban planning and heritage. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Business Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Business Times
Historic Moulmein Road site up for tender
[SINGAPORE] The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) on Wednesday (May 28) launched a tender for the master tenancy of a cluster of state properties at 2 Moulmein Road. The tender opens on May 28, 2025, and closes on Aug 6, 2025, with an allowable tenure of 5+4 years. The site comprises 44 buildings spread across a spacious park-like compound, of which 23 are earmarked for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). It has a total gross floor area of around 139,700 square feet (sq ft) and a total site area of around 985,350 sq ft. Situated near the Novena area, it is well-connected to key transport nodes – close to the Central Expressway and a short walk to Novena MRT station. As part of efforts to repurpose state-managed buildings into vibrant spaces for Singaporeans to enjoy, the historic site is to be turned into a contemporary lifestyle destination catering to a range of lifestyle uses, SLA said. Given its prime location, SLA envisions 2 Moulmein Road as a dynamic lifestyle hub that will cater to families and multi-generational communities. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up The transformed site will include a variety of offerings such as co-living spaces, an art gallery, as well as wellness, health and fitness, education and pet-friendly services, it noted. Around 41,900 sq ft will be allocated for food and beverage and retail offerings, among others, it added. As an institution in Singapore's healthcare history, 2 Moulmein Road was first established as the site of the Middleton Hospital in 1913. It later evolved into the Communicable Diseases Centre, which played a key role in combating major diseases in Singapore – smallpox, cholera, diphtheria, and more recently severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003. It was closed in 2018 when the National Centre for Infectious Diseases transited to a new site within the Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The site remained with the hospital and continued to support Covid-19 operations until it was returned to the state in 2023. Tenderers are encouraged to propose innovative concepts that integrate the site's heritage and character with sustainability and inclusive placemaking, SLA said. Proposals will be evaluated based on price (40 per cent) and quality (60 per cent), with a higher weightage placed on the quality component to encourage compelling concepts and forward-looking proposals from prospective tenderers, it noted. The quality component will take into account visioning, business sustainability, preservation of the properties' heritage elements and the incorporation of green initiatives. For the 23 blocks in the cluster earmarked for conservation and subject to URA's additions and alteration guidelines, certain architectural elements, such as terracotta roof tiles, must be retained. SLA added that interested tenderers can submit proposals via its state property online information portal, at
