Old Streetscape - Katong & Joo Chiat [Archive]

RafflesCity

March 20th, 2007, 02:55 AM

Joo Chiat area fast becoming haven for creative industries

18 Mar 07

SINGAPORE: Rich in history and culture, Singapore's Joo Chiat area is fast turning into a hotspot for the creative industries.

Joo Chiat isn't just known for its hawker food – the area is also a smorgasbord of creative folks.

27-year-old Gayathrie Nahappan started her own art gallery this month.

Having cut her teeth in the arts scene in New York and Stockholm, the Malaysian-born artist could have opened her gallery anywhere in the world.

But she chose little old Joo Chiat in Singapore instead.

She said: "All my friends were like, ‘Why are you moving into Joo Chiat? It's not the best area, it's seedy and not safe’. But I said it's actually quite quaint and I like it for that. I felt like I was going back to the Chelsea of New York. Originally, the Chelsea of New York was just warehouses, now it's become an arts district."

By a rough estimate, Joo Chiat has about 20 to 30 creative companies.

Kamal Mahtanim, 28, is also one of Joo Chiat's newcomers.

He set up his recording studio here recently and loves the peaceful nature of the area.

"When the musicians and artistes come to Joo Chiat, the pace just drops. When they come here, it's a lot more relaxed and calm. This environment here in Joo Chiat will definitely give a lot of people a sense of calmness and everyone would be able to work at ease," he said.

But will the influx of the young and hip erode the charms that give Joo Chiat its unique flavour?

"I really do hope the youth preserve the Joo Chiat area because otherwise we're going to lose something of Singapore that we should really appreciate," said Ms Nahappan.

By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia

RafflesCity

July 30th, 2007, 02:57 AM

Ex-Red House Bakery to be part of $15m project

30 Jul 07

New complex in Katong will also have shops and service rooms

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20070729/ST_IMAGES_JNRED.jpg

THE former Katong Red House Bakery will soon welcome customers again - but perhaps not the kind craving fragrant cakes and rolls.
Along with the five shophouses next to it, it will become part of a $15 million complex housing shops and rooms managed like service apartments.

The landmark fire-engine red facade of the two-storey building at 75, East Coast Road will be retained, as will the traditional floor tiles and pillars, because the shophouse is a conservation property.

But whether or not it will go back to being a bakery will depend on its future tenant, said Mr Mohammad Zahid Yacob, who heads Warees Investments, a subsidiary of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), the legal owner of the property.

The former bakery, hugely popular with Singaporeans, sold traditional cream cakes and Swiss rolls until its closure in 2003.

The former tenants said they could not afford to pay the $15,000-a-month rent, which was almost eight times the old rate.

Mr Zahid said: 'If we can get a tenant selling kueh, we'll take him.

'But as much as we want to preserve the original concept, the bottom line is it has to be commercially viable.'

He added that the plan was for the Red House to remain a food-and-beverage outlet to evoke memories of the bakery.

A food outlet will serve the needs of the long-term residents in the five-storey block of 80 to 100 service rooms to be built behind it.

Talks in recent years have been about turning the former bakery into a halal foodcourt or Indonesian restaurant.

The five shophouses adjacent to the Red House will be redeveloped, for instance, into a 24-hour convenience store, a launderette and business centre serving the residents.

Work on the complex will start early next year and will take two years.

Mr Zahid said it was hoped that the complex would liven up that stretch of Katong.

'We want to revitalise the whole area. With a sizeable plan, we can create a more 'happening' district, raise human traffic and bring Katong back to the way it was in the old days.'

The Red House is a wakaf property, meaning it is held in trust for Muis.

It was put in trust by Sherrifa Zain Alsharoff Mohamed Alsagoff, who wanted the income generated from the property to be used to provide free medicine for the community.

She was the great-granddaughter of Hajjah Fatimah, who built the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque in Beach Road.

By Jane Ng

hyacinthus

August 4th, 2007, 04:14 PM

sure people are interested in Joo Chiat pictures?

If there are replies here, I post them here tomorrow.

Maverick713

August 4th, 2007, 05:52 PM

sure people are interested in Joo Chiat pictures?

If there are replies here, I post them here tomorrow.

I am interested although I seldom visit there other than for makan. Do post your pics. Thanks.

SEED

August 4th, 2007, 06:08 PM

i like this place.. it looks plesant and peaceful! :cool:

hyacinthus

August 5th, 2007, 05:12 AM

specially for Maverick and SEED - tada! more Joo Chiat pictures. :D

Use of tiles with flower motifs is very common in shophouses of this kind which looked like terrace houses.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_7656.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_7657.jpg

An early 1900s shophouse under conservation works.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_7649.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_7650.jpg

These shophouses are located along Koon Seng Road in Joo Chiat area.

hyacinthus

August 5th, 2007, 05:19 AM

hyacinthus

August 5th, 2007, 05:27 AM

RafflesCity

August 5th, 2007, 07:17 AM

That place has some really lovely shophouse architecture, and has a very nice laid back atmosphere. Cant wait to see what happens to some of those boarded-up shophouses :yes:

SEED

August 5th, 2007, 10:40 AM

These shophouses are quite similar to those along Blair Road. Colourful!
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_7660.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_7663.jpg

Different styles
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_7664.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h204/hyapic01/DSC_7665.jpg

soo colorful! :cool: was the owner of these houses ask to paint their house by the local council or they just paint it? thx forda pics anyway! looks great! :cool: and that ba kut teh.. gosh.. why everytime good food appears when im havin a sore throat..

Maverick713

August 6th, 2007, 12:01 PM

Like what maverick said, food is the key attraction at joo chiat (apart from ahem... night clubs)

Example Bak Kut Teh - A Pork Rib Herbal Soup with Rice and Fried Dough Fritters. Pork Rib dipped with Dark Sauce and Chilli Padi. Not forgetting traditional Tie Guan Yin tea. Yum Yum!

Thanks for the pics. Joo Chiat is quite different from other old parts of town like Jalan Besar as it has a larger resident population than retail/businesses in their old shophouses. The shophouses are surronded by small apartments and landed houses. Two presidents (SR Nathan and the late Wee Kim Wee) have homes in that area.

Other attractions of Joo Chiat vicinity I know of : Fei Fei Wanton Mee, Kim Choo Bak Chang, Joo Chiat Char Kway Teow and of course the infamous Chan family of Everitt Road!!

hyacinthus

August 7th, 2007, 05:44 AM

@SEED
Bak Kut Teh can be eaten even if you are having sore throat unlike chicken or oranges. :)

@Maverick713
Hmmm... you know where Nathan stays? heheh... it's quite near a church and Indian temple there.

hehee... Joo Chiat is indeed a colourful place. Many nonya food goodies too.

I don't have pics with me now. Will post more later. Rafflescity should post too. He took pictures as well. ;)

Maverick713

August 7th, 2007, 07:00 AM

@Maverick713
Hmmm... you know where Nathan stays? heheh... it's quite near a church and Indian temple there.
This is supposed to be a state secret. If you walk along Ceylon Road near the junction with Dumman Road before reaching Joo Chiat Road, you would see a small 2-storey terrace house with a guard post and armed gurkha policemen. Nathan chose to stay in his house rather than the Istana residences when he became president. I often see his heavily guarded motorcade around Katong and Kallang whenever he goes out.

Better not snap any pictures or look too hard at his house or his guards might mistaken you for a threat. :lol:

RafflesCity

August 7th, 2007, 08:13 AM

Compared to the other shophouse areas, this one is one of the most serene...I'm more used to the 'buzz' of the other districts in town. But I like the stretch along Katong...

Rafflescity should post too. He took pictures as well. ;)

I intend to, when I get down to processing & uploading them :yes: In any case, the area is large, and we didnt manage to cover all of it ;)

Maverick713

August 7th, 2007, 10:12 AM

For the residents of Joo Chiat, the news of Paramount Shopping Centre’s impending collective sale means a period defined by sleaze and debauchery is coming to a close.

The 22-year-old shopping centre in East Coast Road is known for the anti-vice raids on the 21 bars on the ground floor and the unruly behaviour of its nocturnal denizens.

But their days of being wild are numbered.

Last month, the owners of both the shopping centre and the adjacent 250-room Paramount Hotel put the buildings up for tender. YTC Hotels, which also owns the Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, is the owner of Paramount Hotel and also co-owns the shopping centre with a group of private proprietors.

Both sit on valuable freehold land and the owners are asking for $200 million for both properties.

However, while those who live near the three-storey shopping centre have every reason to celebrate its closure, others wonder if the bar owners will set up shop near their homes.

Some pub owners who spoke to LifeStyle said they have not decided whether to call it a day or simply continue their business elsewhere.

But should they plan to relocate, they can rule out nearby Joo Chiat Road.

Mr Chan Soo Sen, Member of Parliament for Joo Chiat, and members of the Save Joo Chiat Work Group have worked with the police to put a moratorium on new public entertainment licences for pubs, karaoke lounges and massage parlours along the entire stretch of Joo Chiat Road.

Implemented in 2005, the ruling helps to contain, reduce and eventually eliminate the seedy businesses which do not adhere to regulatory requirements.

The aim is to clean up the sleazy image that has plagued the street and restore its former lustre as a centre for Peranankan and Eurasian cultures.

Formed in November 2004, the group represents over 1,000 Joo Chiat residents. They have, with help from Mr Chan, also lobbied for more police action to clamp down on vice-related activities on the street.

Mr Colin Chee, chief coordinator of the group, said the police crackdowns have been successful. Since the group was formed, the number of brothels masquerading as massage parlours have been reduced from 38 to one.

While Joo Chiat Road may be off limits, Paramount’s sleaze peddlers may still spill over to other parts of the neighbourhood.

Businessman Philip Peh, a Save Joo Chiat member, said: ‘The migration may also extend to Tanjong Katong, Marine Parade and the East Coast area.’

But MP Chan doesn’t think this will happen. ‘Frankly, those types of operations will be outbidded by restaurants,’ he said.

Mr Chee said he is confident that the authorities will ‘take the sustained appropriate action’ to ensure that Joo Chiat continues to move towards becoming sleaze-free.

If the collective deal goes through, tenants have about six months to a year to vacate the premises, said a spokesman for Cushman & Wakefield, the agency handling the tender exercise.

Most Paramount bar owners did not want to comment, but one, who declined to be named, said: ‘When we move out, trust me, our neighbours will not miss us.’

Source: The Sunday Times, 10 June 2007

redstone

August 7th, 2007, 01:56 PM

This is supposed to be a state secret. If you walk along Ceylon Road near the junction with Dumman Road before reaching Joo Chiat Road, you would see a small 2-storey terrace house with a guard post and armed gurkha policemen. Nathan chose to stay in his house rather than the Istana residences when he became president. I often see his heavily guarded motorcade around Katong and Kallang whenever he goes out.

Better not snap any pictures or look too hard at his house or his guards might mistaken you for a threat. :lol:

Mr Lee's bungalow is quite small and kampong-ish, with barely any land surrounding his house.

RafflesCity

August 7th, 2007, 03:14 PM

Here are my virgin shots of this area:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/jc8.jpg

Its a mixture of grit and colour, although the grit element isnt as obvious as Jalan Besar.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/jc7.jpg

RafflesCity

August 7th, 2007, 03:16 PM

I like that the rows are largely intact, creating the mood:

These 2 shophouse rows are just lovely

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/jc1.jpg

Traditional kopitiam scene

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/jc2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/jc3.jpg

RafflesCity

August 7th, 2007, 03:17 PM

Colourful streetscapes and signages. The neon must look lovely at night.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/jc4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/jc5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/jc6.jpg

hyacinthus

August 7th, 2007, 04:04 PM

somewhat, I like the pictures very much. Some kind of good feeling. can't explain. Good pictures :)

luked6

August 11th, 2007, 07:38 PM

Great pics!

Any of Ceylon and Tembeling Roads?

SEED

August 12th, 2007, 03:02 PM

somewhat, I like the pictures very much. Some kind of good feeling. can't explain. Good pictures :)

it makes me hungry too.. imagine the smell of food cooking coming out of those kopitiam.. and the aroma of kopi.. :drool:

RafflesCity

August 14th, 2007, 02:39 PM

Great pics!

Any of Ceylon and Tembeling Roads?

We did walk across Tembeling Rd. I believe one of the shophouses (the white one boarded up) is along it.

I heard that the Eurasian Association is located in a shophouse at Ceylon Rd, but I didnt see it.

Maverick713

August 14th, 2007, 04:19 PM

We did walk across Tembeling Rd. I believe one of the shophouses (the white one boarded up) is along it.

I heard that the Eurasian Association is located in a shophouse at Ceylon Rd, but I didnt see it.

The Eurasian Association should still be along Mountbatten Road near the Katong Swimming Complex and Fort Road. I don't think it was ever at Ceylon Road.

redstone

August 14th, 2007, 05:53 PM

EA House is at Ceylon Road.. it's a small colonial bungalow near Mr Nathan's house

Maverick713

August 15th, 2007, 02:56 AM

EA House is at Ceylon Road.. it's a small colonial bungalow near Mr Nathan's house

Googled for it and found the one at Ceylon Road: Eurasian Community House,139 Ceylon Road,Singapore 429744. Maybe they have just shifted there?

In the recent past it was at Mountbatten Road:

"The Eurasian Association (founded in 1920) set up home in Mountbatten Road in February 1995. They are located at the Eurasian Association (EA) Community House at 715-717 Mountbatten Road. The EA Community House seeks to serve as a self-help centre for the Eurasians, with amenities such as tuition rooms, computers and audio-visual facilities."

RafflesCity

September 10th, 2007, 02:52 AM

Some Katong commercial properties going for en-bloc sale

10 Sep 07

Buildings include Katong Shopping Centre; sales could help rejuvenate area and boost image

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20070909/ST_IMAGES_MNYJCKATONG.jpg

FACED with flagging businesses and dwindling human traffic, the shop owners of several commercial buildings in Katong are coming together to sell their properties en bloc.
This has led to renewed interest in the old East Coast hot spot recently, sparking hopes among residents and shopkeepers nearby that the area - famed for its good food and old-world charm - will get the rejuvenation that it needs to boost its image.

At least five commercial buildings along Mountbatten Road and East Coast Road have, or are in the process of engaging marketing agents to launch their collective sales. These include Katong Mall, Paramount Hotel and Shopping Centre, Roxy Square, Katong Plaza and the iconic Katong Shopping Centre, said Mr Lui Seng Fatt, the regional director and head of investments at Jones Lang LaSalle.

In its heyday, Katong Shopping Centre was the heart and soul of the East. But as the years wore on, the lack of entertainment facilities and an attractive retail mix made it a poor rival to malls like Parkway Parade.

Many of these buildings in Katong are more than 20 years old and, in the case of Katong Shopping Centre, which opened in 1973, more than 30.

Dr Lim Un Huat, an owner of several shops at Katong Mall, told The Straits Times most shop owners were in favour of a collective sale, and were waiting for the right price to sell.

Mr Lui said the 'tired-looking' buildings were overdue for a revamp, especially since residential projects in the area have gone upmarket.

Prices of homes in the Katong, Meyer and Amber Road residential enclave have soared recently with the property boom. The area's proximity to the upcoming Integrated Resort in Marina Bay is an added lure.

United Industrial Corporation's One Amber and Grand Duchess sold out around $700 to $800 per sq feet (psf) recently. CapitaLand's The Seafront on Meyer and GuocoLand's The View @ Meyer fetched new highs of between $1,500 psf and $1,800 psf.

While the shop owners do not expect to make a 'huge windfall', Mr Lui said selling en bloc would help them unlock the value of their shops.

He estimates that the prices transacted would be between $500 psf and $1,000 psf, depending on the building.

Colliers International's executive director for investment sales, Mr Ho Eng Joo, said Katong's rejuvenation would be a 'natural progression' following the influx of residents living in the area's new condominiums.

'Katong's residential area is getting quite vibrant, so the commercial side has to catch up now,' he said.

The only setback, he added, would be the new rules for collective sales - expected to kick in next month - which will prolong the sale process.

But in three or four years' time, Katong could be transformed, he added.

However, while some property consultants remain optimistic about Katong's future, others remain cautious.

Director of marketing and business development Ku Swee Yong at Savills Singapore said the area was a 'bit of a mixed bag' - comprising offices, residential apartments, hotels and retail space - which makes it 'neither here nor there' for redevelopment.

'The area's physical limitations mean a very creative approach is needed to redevelop it,' he added.

From a conservation perspective, the revitalisation of Katong is desirable if done properly, said Singapore Heritage Society president Kevin Tan.

Over the years, the retail business in the area has withered, and given way to maid agencies, pubs and video arcades. But this can be changed by injecting some new life and a new trade mix into the area, he added.

He hopes, however, that the architecture of Katong Shopping Centre will be conserved as it was 'very important in East Coast's history'.

Shop owner Dr Lim concurred: 'We all hope to bring back the hustle and bustle of the old Katong.'

By Jessica Cheam

Dounut

September 11th, 2007, 06:37 AM

Wah. Looks like Dounut should really make a visit there to catch some images. :soon:

babystan03

September 11th, 2007, 11:58 AM

Some Katong commercial properties going for en-bloc sale

10 Sep 07

......

By Jessica Cheam

Hmm...great that they are revamping the area....which has great potential to become the next Eastern hub like Tampines....:yes:

RafflesCity

September 11th, 2007, 12:00 PM

hmmm...I find that Katong has a bit of the Holland V feel...but less Westernised...but I'm not too familiar with the locale..

babystan03

September 11th, 2007, 12:02 PM

hmmm...I find that Katong has a bit of the Holland V feel...but less Westernised...but I'm not too familiar with the locale..

Katong more atune to Nonyas i think.....:yes:

redstone

September 11th, 2007, 05:11 PM

There are still a few old unconserved bungalows here and there

RafflesCity

September 19th, 2007, 03:18 PM

I only saw 1 abandoned mansion just across the road from Parkway Parade.

I did see some vacant shophouses that look like theyre pending new owners/tenants:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/joo4.jpg

This one in Tembeling Road is a real classic

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/joo1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/joo3.jpg

Next to it, another one

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/joo2.jpg

This looks freshly painted

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/joo5.jpg

redstone

September 22nd, 2007, 05:50 AM

Oh no, I hope it's not mass land acqusition again. Makes the area so fake.

RafflesCity

September 23rd, 2007, 04:31 AM

Acquisition? For what public purpose?

A check on URA website should assure one that this is a conservation area.

redstone

September 23rd, 2007, 06:46 AM

Like those in Glam were acquired and resold

Maverick713

October 2nd, 2007, 03:19 AM

Mon, Oct 01, 2007
The Straits Times

THE rich heritage of Katong and Joo Chiat area will get added protection soon as the Urban Redevelopment Authority has earmarked another 228 buildings there to be saved from the wrecker's ball.

These buildings include well-known landmarks like St Hilda's Church as well as Betheda (Katong) Church, as well as the former Grand Hotel in Still Road South.

Three other bungalows, in Marine Parade Road, Chapel Road and Joo Chiat Road have also been earmarked.

The conservation plan was revealed by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan on Monday at Urban Redevelopment Authority's Architectural Heritage Awards ceremony.

The East Coast area, the traditional home of Singapore's Eurasian and Peranakan communities, have been a popular residential district and is well-known for its diverse and charming architecture.

It is also a treasure trove of eateries serving both local and international favourites.

The URA has informed the owners about its conservation proposal and will make the final decision after getting their feedback.

If they are given conservation status, the owners cannot tear them down or alter major structures or facade of the buildings.

These 228 buildings will bring the number of conserved buildings in the district to about 900.

There are more than 6,500 buildings that have been conserved islandwide.

As early as the 1920s, the Katong/Joo Chiat area was regarded as an attractive residential suburb.

The main roads were lined with rows of colourful and distinctive shophouses, with the retail businesses on the ground floor and the living quarters above.

Off the main roads were Kampongs and terrace houses. It was also known for big bungalows for the rich. Larger and grander seaside mansions dotted the coastline, giving their occupants unobstructed views to the sea and the beach front.

kopiluver

October 2nd, 2007, 10:32 AM

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20071001/ln-building2.jpg

Damn... missed my house!

Charging Bull

October 2nd, 2007, 11:30 AM

More info:-

http://yesterday.sg/detail/take_a_walk_of_katong_joo_chiat_area_part_2/

http://yesterday.sg/detail/take_a_walk_of_katong_joo_chiat_area_part_1/

kopiluver

October 2nd, 2007, 11:43 AM

Singapore
Published October 2, 2007

URA aims to conserve up to 228 Katong/Joo Chiat buildings
More developers, owners expending resources to buy and restore their old buildings: Mah Bow Tan

By ARTHUR SIM

THE East Coast may be a hive of new construction activity right now, but the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is also working to keep some old buildings conserved for posterity.

AHA winners: The National Parks Board's Visitor Centre on Pulau Ubin (above) by architects/engineers CPG Consultants and contractor Precise Development, and the National Museum of Singapore by architects CPG Consultants with W Architects, engineers CPG Consultants and contractor Sato Kogyo

Minister of National Development Mah Bow Tan revealed yesterday that the planning authority was looking at conserving up to 228 buildings in the Katong/Joo Chiat area. The URA is seeking feedback from the owners.

The area already has 700 gazetted conservation buildings. Most of the additional buildings under consideration are shophouses or terrace houses. The addition will make Katong/Joo Chiat one of the larger clusters of conserved residential buildings.

Click here for the full text of Mr Mah's speech

Mr Mah said: 'The aim of this conservation proposal is to complete conservation of the street block and add to the critical mass of heritage buildings and rich architectural diversity in Katong and Joo Chiat.'

Mr Mah was speaking at the presentation ceremony of the URA Architectural Heritage Awards (AHA) 2007. Awards were presented to the owners, architects, engineers and contractors of six buildings. These were:

National Museum of Singapore;

The 1930s holiday home on Pulau Ubin of the former chief surveyor, Landon Williams;

Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa;

National University of Law, Bukit Timah Campus;

13 Martaban Road, Balestier;

and 62 Niven Road, Mount Sophia.

Since the awards' inception in 1995, a total of 77 buildings have received the AHA.

Mr Mah said: 'Increasingly, more and more enlightened developers and owners have willingly expended resources to buy and restore their conservation buildings for the benefit of the larger society and our future generations.'

One such person is Lyn Lee, who together with her husband bought a house on Tembeling Road six years ago for about $800,000 and then spent another $500,000 on restoring it. This house and others like it on the same road are now being considered for conservation - and Ms Lee is all for it.

Getting conservation status will increase the value of the building as its future is guaranteed. But more important for Ms Lee is that the conservation status means owners who want to alter their homes beyond conservation guidelines will not be allowed to do so.

'Right now, there is a beautiful symmetry to the street,' she explained. This sense of identity of place is exactly what URA hopes to do by restoring or creating 'markers' in housing estates as well. Mr Mah also said that apart from plans to rejuvenate Queenstown, the government is proposing to build a 4.9km promenade to link Punggol Point and Sungei Serangoon to enhance the 'rustic coastal character'.

Other areas being looked at include Woodlands, Siglap Village and Upper Serangoon Road. Mr Mah said these projects could be completed by around 2009-2010.

kopiluver

October 4th, 2007, 02:44 PM

hmmm...I find that Katong has a bit of the Holland V feel...but less Westernised...but I'm not too familiar with the locale..

http://bp2.blogger.com/_IIxuDLjFOuQ/RdeosmZjdoI/AAAAAAAAAJU/1QraNegECLw/s320/101_2091.JPG
My Kampung... Katong Laksa anyone? I prefer the one near Chin Mee Chin Kaya Toast!

http://bp3.blogger.com/_IIxuDLjFOuQ/Rdf1r2ZjejI/AAAAAAAAAT4/n_vTQgfDBo4/s320/101_2110.JPG
Kaya toasts here also beats Ya Kun & Killiney "pants down"!

http://bp2.blogger.com/_IIxuDLjFOuQ/RdemxmZjdnI/AAAAAAAAAJM/lvMcUh2w8Cw/s320/101_2023.JPG
Love to own the Red House Katong Bakery but still boarded up...

Maybe put a kopi museum there!

N.B. pics from http://yesterday.sg/detail/take_a_walk_of_katong_joo_chiat_area/

RafflesCity

January 29th, 2008, 05:31 PM

^^

Good idea for a 'kopi' museum or a museum related to traditional Singapore-style confectionaries. The red house bakery will still be retained but will form part of a new complex (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=14619676&postcount=14)

Keeping and Rejuvenating Katong and Joo Chiat

In keeping with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s continuing commitment to protect Singapore’s built heritage, more buildings in nostalgic Katong and Joo Chiat have recently been proposed for conservation. Relive the charms of this sensory and memory-rich area with Skyline!

True blue architecture buffs, heritage lovers, ardent foodies, and well-informed Peranakans all know this area well. We are talking about the lovely, delightful district of Katong and Joo Chiat, in the eastern part of Singapore.

Renowned and loved for its diverse and interesting mix of architecture, history, culture, activities and established Eurasian and Peranakan communities, the Katong/Joo Chiat area was regarded as an attractive residential suburb as early as the 1920s. The types of homes range from rows of colourful and distinctive shophouses to kampongs, and terrace houses to grand seaside mansions dotted along the coastline.

More may be conserved for posterity
Recognising the inimitable character and rich heritage of the Katong/Joo Chiat area, URA had already, by 2003, gazetted for conservation some 700 buildings and 15 bungalows located primarily along key roads in the area.

As public feedback has been showing greater support for conservation, URA has correspondingly stepped up its reviews for the remaining unprotected buildings in the area. These reviews will evaluate whether more buildings should be conserved to retain the uniqueness and further enhance the character of this district.

In September 2007, URA identified another 228 more buildings for conservation. These include shophouses and terrace houses which will add to the critical mass of heritage buildings in the area, and detached buildings and churches which have become familiar local landmarks and identity markers for the community over the decades.

URA has approached the building owners for feedback on the conservation proposal and this will be considered together with other factors in the final evaluation of whether the buildings will eventually be conserved.

Thumbs-up for keeping history intact
Ms Tan Ah Nie, 72, owner of 257 Tembeling Road, beamed at knowing that the spacious shophouse where she has lived since World War II is being considered for conservation. The longest-time resident along her street, she said, “I am used to this area. All my friends are here. Agents are knocking on my door, but I don’t think I will sell my house.”

Also expressing his support for the proposal, Mr Patrick Wee, owner of 24 Chapel Road, said, “I am not in for the money, but it’s my interest in conservation. It’s about owning a piece of history and living in it. Conservation is important. Once our heritage is gone, we can’t get it back.”

http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline07/skyline07-05/text/05.htm

RafflesCity

January 29th, 2008, 05:34 PM

These buildings featured in URA's web magazine have been proposed for conservation:

101-113 Everitt Road
This row of seven splendid Late-style terraces is almost wholly intact, and the units have been lovingly maintained over the years. They feature rich architectural details, distinctive plaster mouldings and intact forecourt and gate posts, and are excellent manifestations of the rich Peranakan heritage found in the area.

http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline07/skyline07-05/images/pg5_everitt.jpg

14-40 Chapel Road
These 14 Transitional-style terrace houses feature distinctive verandahs with geometrically designed cross-balustrades. Some of the forecourts with the original gate posts remain. They are familiar markers to the community here, and a pleasant surprise for the visitors discovering the gems in the area.

http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline07/skyline07-05/images/pg5_chapel.jpg

169-181 Onan Road
These seven rare single-storey terrace houses rest on concrete stilts. They boast triangular pediments and are decorated with plaster mouldings. The original architecture, with its Corinthian columns and moulded parapet are still in place.

http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline07/skyline07-05/images/pg5_onan.jpg

253-271 Tembeling Roadand 1-19 Cheow Keng Road
Tembeling Road and Cheow Keng Road comprise two rows of Transitional shophouses built in the later period. These terraces have three French windows on the upper storeys. The street blocks also feature pre-cast concrete vents above the transom panels to aid natural ventilation.

http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline07/skyline07-05/images/pg5_tembeling.jpg

St. Hilda’s Church, 41 Ceylon Rd
Built in 1949 and designed in a simple English parish church style, the single-storey chapel is charming and human in scale. With steep pitched roofs, it features a Victorian-style conical tower at one end. The church is simply adorned and lined with large windows along its length. Simple circular windows featuring stained glass can be found near its main entrance.

http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline07/skyline07-05/images/pg5_sthilda.jpg

Bethesda (Katong) Church, 17 Pennefather Road
Built in the mid-1930s in the style of a humble parish church, this single-storey church has a symmetrical plan and cruciform shape with hipped gable roof. The timberlouvred transom panels are an adaptation to suit the local climate.

http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline07/skyline07-05/images/pg5_bethesda.jpg

25 Still Road South
This bungalow, together with the one on opposite side at 26 Still Road South (which is already gazetted for conservation), was built in the ornamentated Victorian style with a slight Indian influence. When it used to face the sea, it was an excellent example of a grand weekend Katong bungalow from the pre-war years. The villa was converted into the “Grand Hotel” in 1947.

http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline07/skyline07-05/images/pg5_still.jpg

RafflesCity

November 24th, 2008, 03:05 PM

Shophouses in Katong to become hotel

24 Nov 08

$12m project involves a row of nine pre-war Peranakan-style units

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20081123/ST_IMAGES_JTSANTA.jpg

A ROW of nine pre-war shophouses, in the Peranakan enclave of Katong, are to be converted into a 'character' hotel aimed at leisure and business travellers.
Construction of the $12 million hotel on East Coast Road will start early next year and end in 2010.

Santa United International Holdings, a home-grown firm that started in the petroleum trading business but now boasts a growing hotel arm, will develop the project.

It will turn the property into the 67-room Santa Grand Hotel East Coast, keeping the conserved Peranakan-themed facade in the process.

The hotel will cover a land area of 1,150 sq m and will have a total gross floor area of 3,091 sq m.

This will include a new five-storey extension with 750 sq m of gross floor area at the back of the two-storey shophouses.

Some back portions of the shophouses will give way to the new block.

There will be a lap pool on the roof and a cafe, a restaurant and two shop units on the ground floor, where there will be alfresco sitting.

Santa United managing director Ng Cheng Lock told The Straits Times that he wanted to turn the property into a hotel because it is a rare stand-alone row of conserved shophouses situated in a charming area with a rich historical and cultural value.

Katong is home to many well-known eateries, particularly those serving Peranakan cuisine. And it was the place where Singapore's wealthy elite set up homes in the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries.

When the opportunity to buy the row en bloc arose more than a decade ago, MrNg jumped at it. He paid about $17 million then as it was at the height of the property market, he said.

The hotel, near the Holy Family Church, will be a cosy character establishment, rather than a hip or upscale boutique one like Hotel 1929, he said.

While Mr Ng considered putting a hotel on the site a few years ago, work began on plans and paperwork only a year ago.

Provisional permission from the Urban Redevelopment Authority came about two months ago in a ruling that included changing the land use from 'commercial' to 'hotel' and the go-ahead for the extension.

Some of the 12 tenants occupying the shops or the offices have already moved out. Santa, which also operates from the shophouses, is in the process of moving to a new office in Changi South.

The Hotel Licensing Board said Santa Grand Hotel East Coast will be subjected to a new hotel ruling that requires hotels along Joo Chiat Road and its surrounds to be let only at full-day rates from next year.

But Mr Ng is unperturbed as the firm plans to charge a daily rate of about $200. Other hotels in the Santa group also now charge daily rates, he said.

Santa owns five hotels under the Santa brand name and manages Victoria Hotel.

It started with Santa Grand Hotel Aljunied, known formerly as Sunwell Hotel, in Geylang a decade ago, and the group now has Santa Grand Hotel in West Coast and Santa Grand Hotel in Little India.

Its 80-room Santa Grand Hotel Bugis - located in two buildings, one a new development and the other a conservation house - is set to open early next year.

But the hotel in East Coast Road will be its grandest property, said Mr Ng.

Santa, which employs 130 people, recorded a turnover of about $70 million last year. Its hotels has some cross-over clients from its petroleum trading business, he said.

By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent
Straits Times

redstone

November 24th, 2008, 04:20 PM

Sounds so christmasy. :lol:

Hope can take pics before the transformation

redstone

November 24th, 2008, 04:21 PM

This looks freshly painted

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/joo5.jpg

Where is this?

RafflesCity

November 25th, 2008, 03:28 PM

^^

Somewhere in the area but I can't remember the exact street name. I wonder what is the progress on the Red House bakery...

spikeshamz

January 17th, 2009, 10:28 AM

URA to conserve 100 buildings in Katong, Joo Chiat area
By Cheryl Frois, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 16 January 2009 2047 hrs

Photos 1 of 1

SINGAPORE: The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will conserve 100 buildings in the Katong and Joo Chiat area.

These comprise 95 shophouses and terrace houses, three bungalows and two churches - the St Hilda's Church and Katong Bethesda Katong Church.

These buildings will complement some 700 buildings already conserved in the area since 1993.

They were selected based on their architectural merit, cultural, social and historical significance.

URA also considered feedback from building owners, members of the public and the Conservation Advisory Panel.

- CNA/yt

RafflesCity

August 12th, 2009, 11:11 AM

Joo Chiat shophouses sold for S$25.6m to World Class Land

11 Aug 09

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpc8eJIC.jpg

SINGAPORE: A cluster of 18 shophouses fronting Joo Chiat Road and Onan Road has been sold to property developer World Class Land for S$25.6 million.

This translates to S$410 per square foot on the existing gross floor area of the properties.

World Class Land is a unit of public-listed Aspial Corp.

The freehold site consists of two back-to-back rows of nine shophouses, each three-storeys tall.

The total gross floor area of the 18 shophouses is estimated to be about 62,500 square feet.

Under the 2008 Master Plan, these shophouses are gazetted as conservation buildings.

In a statement, Aspial said it plans to develop a mixed commercial and residential project at this newly-acquired site.

The costs of the acquisition and development will be funded internally and through bank borrowings.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/448216/1/.html

RafflesCity

November 10th, 2009, 05:21 AM

New owners will spend $55m to redevelop the property

10 Nov 09

(SINGAPORE) A consortium of investors - including CapitaLand's former head of retail Pua Seck Guan - has signed a deal to buy Katong Mall from Tuan Sing Holdings for $247.6 million.

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2009-11-10/BT_IMAGES_UMPROP.jpg

The deal marks one of the largest investment transactions in Singapore's property market this year.

Katong Mall was acquired by Tuan Sing in June 2008 through a collective sale deal. The property group paid $219 million for the site then.

The consortium of investors - which comprises no more than six parties and includes corporate investors, institutional investors and Mr Pua - is acquiring Katong Mall via Perennial Katong Retail Trust, a private property trust set up for the purpose of buying the mall.

The transaction is expected to be completed by end-January 2010. The sale was brokered by Landmark Property Advisers.

Katong Mall, located at the junction of East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road, is a four-storey building with three basement levels and with remaining lease of about 70 years. The new owners will spend $55 million to redevelop the property, which is expected to increase the mall's net lettable area by about 20 per cent, from 172,170 square feet to over 206,000 sq ft.

Works, which are expected to last for 12 to 15 months, will commence sometime next year upon approval from the relevant authorities.

'Katong Mall has immense potential to become a thriving lifestyle-cum-food and beverage hub in the Katong and Marine Parade precincts,' said Mr Pua. 'The mall enjoys an excellent location and is well-supported by large affluent population catchments from the surrounding Marine Parade, Katong and Joo Chiat areas.'

In addition, Katong Mall presents 'significant value creation opportunities' which can be harnessed through good asset planning, appropriate repositioning and optimal tenancy remixing, he added.

There are already new tenants lined up.

The BreadTalk group has expressed keen interest in taking up leasable space at the revamped Katong Mall to house a series of its brands, such as Food Republic, Din Tai Fung, BreadTalk, Toast Box and Ramen Play.

Mr Pua's Perennial Real Estate, a Singapore-registered real estate company, also has a majority stake in the company that will manage the mall.

Tuan Sing said that after taking into account the relevant acquisition cost, the book value of Katong Mall came to $194.8 million as at end-September 2009.

The expected gain from the transaction is estimated to be about $42.7 million, or 3.75 cents per ordinary share.

By UMA SHANKARI
Business Times