Orchard Road Redevelopment

[ignoramus]

An article in Lifestyle! of The Sunday Times featured a review of the malls in the Orchard Road vicinity. Apparently mall owners would like to see better signages for underpasses in the area, and one even wanted to see a mini tram system in the area WHICH I totally agree with. Orchard Road is long and tiring to explore all by foot. A mini tram/monorail system would reduce the fatigue of shopping in one of the world's best shopping belts and improve and enhance the Orchard Road Shopping experience.

Like how an LRT brings residents around a new town, to eat or shop or exercise, and yet connects to the MRT. A light transit system could enable shoppers to go around the shopping ''town'', to eat to shop or to drink coffee whatever, and yet connects to the MRT when they want to leave, reminds me of the KL Monorail.

Why didn't the govt even think of this in the first place. Slow man.

And the number of rail systems being constructed nowadays is becoming fewer by the year. At current, only 1 extension and 1 new line is being constructed (not including the ERL, JRL and BTL which only seem to be a reality in like over a decade's time). At its peak in like 1998, 5 new lines (SKLRT, PGLRT, NEL, BPLRT, CCL) were on the drawing boards.

[babystan03]

Originally Posted by ignoramus

An article in Lifestyle! of The Sunday Times featured a review of the malls in the Orchard Road vicinity. Apparently mall owners would like to see better signages for underpasses in the area, and one even wanted to see a mini tram system in the area WHICH I totally agree with. Orchard Road is long and tiring to explore all by foot. A mini tram/monorail system would reduce the fatigue of shopping in one of the world's best shopping belts and improve and enhance the Orchard Road Shopping experience.

Like how an LRT brings residents around a new town, to eat or shop or exercise, and yet connects to the MRT. A light transit system could enable shoppers to go around the shopping ''town'', to eat to shop or to drink coffee whatever, and yet connects to the MRT when they want to leave, reminds me of the KL Monorail.

Why didn't the govt even think of this in the first place. Slow man.

And the number of rail systems being constructed nowadays is becoming fewer by the year. At current, only 1 extension and 1 new line is being constructed (not including the ERL, JRL and BTL which only seem to be a reality in like over a decade's time). At its peak in like 1998, 5 new lines (SKLRT, PGLRT, NEL, BPLRT, CCL) were on the drawing boards.

Actually I find the walking distance acceptable(if I'm lazy, I just take a bus or the MRT)......I think perhaps they need to increase the number of underpass.....for example, Taka and Paragon.... And perhaps they could make the underpass more exciting like having a few citylink mall interconnecting to different malls........

As for the LRT thing, I think perhaps they could consider building one for the Tanglin and Scotts stretch.......Those are the 2 areas that I seldom walk to when I visit Orchard....... Since they're considering building a landmark thingy above Orchard MRT, perhaps they could consider using that as the LRT hub or something (LRT going into the landmark or something).......

[Worlds of Earth]

Ignoramus has returned.

[ignoramus]

Originally Posted by Worlds of Earth

Ignoramus has returned.

Returned since like don't know how long ago. Except that initially I felt so disconnected from SSC I didn't participate.

And my return is only on weekends for dumbass reasons. So I am only around on weekends darned.

Yea but if you want to take a bus in the opposite direction its nuts cause Orchard Road is a one way street of sorts. So its like the Sentosa Monorail experience all over again. Mono directional.

Walking is fine, I usually walk too but you gotta admit, for people unlike me who are rich and have bags to carry, walking sucks.

Slim pylons at the side of the road can support a monorail system. Buildings could be linked by skybridges or to the ground through many escalators and lifts, knowing that a lot of people will use the system because its Orchard Road, its a crowded place.

But funding, argh, no mall owner wants to coff up anything. How can we ever have a monorail system when we can't even get our underpasses done well. They are limited in numbers, cramped, not well ventilated/air conditioned, lack of escalators or slow escalators in underpasses, are boring (no shops).

Orchard Road Needs
1. Redevelopment of malls (with better and newer shops)
2. Underpasses
3. Transport system

These will definitely make Orchard Road a great shopping belt. I don't really consider it great now. Politicians talk too much. Brag too much.

Even Sengkang (A HDB ESTATE FOR US SINGAPOREANS) has better infrastructure than Orchard Road (A SHOPPING BELT FOR TOURISTS/LOCALS)
1. New HDB blocks with good looking designs and green environment
2. Overhead bridges and traffic junctions across roads and covered walkways between blocks
3. LRT for movement within a small area

[rark]

Government unveils masterplan to rejuvenate Orchard Road
By Michael Lim, Channel NewsAsia

Related News »
• Government unveils initiatives to revitalise Orchard Road


SINGAPORE : Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Dr Vivian Balakrishan on Tuesday unveiled the government's masterplan to rejuvenate Singapore's premier shopping street Orchard Road.

This includes setting up new flagship buildings which house only branded goods like Gucci and Louis Vuitton - or single products like sports goods and consumer electronics.



And expect up to 50 events like Chingay, the annual Christmas Light up and even the Lunar New Year Celebrations to be brought to Orchard Road.

There are also plans to set up an Orchard Road Business Precinct Management Corporation to oversee the reinventing, rejuvenation and promotion of Orchard Road.

Dr Balakrishnan said, "It's a vehicle which we can create through legislation, not for profit entity, in which the stake holders, the property owners and the businesses can work in partnership with government agencies to maintain upgrade and promote....business precincts." - CNA

[heirloom]

This includes setting up new flagship buildings which house only branded goods like Gucci and Louis Vuitton - or single products like sports goods and consumer electronics.

OMG DO I SMELL AN APPLE STORE!









(yes this is also an apple store - in a magnificent building on regent street)

[Charging Bull]

Government unveils masterplan to rejuvenate Orchard Road


SINGAPORE : Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Dr Vivian Balakrishan on Tuesday unveiled the government's masterplan to rejuvenate Singapore's premier shopping street Orchard Road.

This includes setting up new flagship buildings which house only branded goods like Gucci and Louis Vuitton - or single products like sports goods and consumer electronics.



And expect up to 50 events like Chingay, the annual Christmas Light up and even the Lunar New Year Celebrations to be brought to Orchard Road.

There are also plans to set up an Orchard Road Business Precinct Management Corporation to oversee the reinventing, rejuvenation and promotion of Orchard Road.

Dr Balakrishnan said, "It's a vehicle which we can create through legislation, not for profit entity, in which the stake holders, the property owners and the businesses can work in partnership with government agencies to maintain upgrade and promote....business precincts." - CNA

[babystan03]

29 March 2005

URA puts up two prime Orchard Road sites for sale
By Michael Lim, Channel NewsAsia

The Urban Redevelopment Authority has put up two sites along Orchard Road for sale.

It is the very first sale of land in the prime district in 15 years.

Interest is reported to be strong as Orchard Road is being primed for a multi-million dollar spruce-up which will add excitement to the rare property tender launched on Tuesday by the URA.

Two sites are open for bidding.

The first site at the junction of Orchard Road and Paterson Road is the bigger of the two.

With a gross floor area of over 125,000 square metres, it can accommodate a 6-storey podium above Orchard MRT Station.

Or it can house up to 2 towers with a maximum height of 40 stories - making it the tallest building along Orchard Road.

There is also an underground retail component which will be connected to the Orchard MRT Station.

It will also include a link with retail space to Wheelock Place.

The other site at the Orchard-Killiney junction has a total gross floor area of over 36,000 square metres.

Analysts say the two parcels together could fetch some S$800 million.

Nicholas Mak, Director, Research and Consultancy, Chesterton International, said: "The land parcel at Orchard Turn could fetch a total land prices of between $540m and $610m. While the one at Somerset anywhere between $145m and $165m."

URA is estimating that total development costs will hit S$1.5 billion.

It says the new developments will not create an over supply of retail space along Orchard Road.

Choy Chan Pong, Director (Land Administration), URA, said: "With respect to these 2 sites they are meant to meet the demand for retail space along the Orchard Road area. There is an indication of strong demand for shop space in the Orchard Road area because the vacancy rate is only 3.3 percent as at the end of last year. So it is clear to us there is demand for space there."

Analysts believe there will be strong interest in the two sites as they are the last sizeable plots of land left in Orchard Road. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

[RafflesCity]

Shop, entertainment space to increase 10%

30 March 05

No glut of prime retail space seen, though some malls may feel the heat

By KALPANA RASHIWALA

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ORCHARD Road's 8.6 million sq ft stock of shop and entertainment space is set to increase by about 10 per cent under plans to rejuvenate the area, with $1.6 billion worth of investments.

The plans include four new private-sector developments on sites to be offered by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Property consultants and shopping centre owners do not think there will be a glut of prime retail space along Singapore's prime shopping belt - although owners of older malls in less choice locations will feel the heat from the new competition.

There will be various committees to help fulfil the plans, which are aimed at making Orchard Road 'one of the world's greatest shopping streets', as Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Vivian Balakrishnan put it yesterday.

The plans - some parts of which were announced earlier - will include the sale of four sites for private-sector development and $40 million set aside to upgrade the public infrastructure (including benches, and installing sound and lighting systems) on Orchard Road.

In addition, a capital allowance, which hence reduces tax liability, will be available for qualifying equipment costs for flagship concept projects. The URA also earlier this month announced incentives for building owners to redevelop their sites, upgrade mall facades and link up with neighbouring properties.

Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged that plans for rejuvenating Orchard Road have been discussed before. But this time, 'we hope to see there is real money on the table, real rule changes, real tax incentives, and real land to be sold - both long-term and short term plots'.

'Now, the stage really is set for plans, imagination and investments to come in. And we should see a transformed Orchard Road in the next few years,' he added.

All, apart from about $100 million of the $1.6 billion investment figure, will come from the on-completion value of two projects on two plum sites - one is above Orchard MRT Station (dubbed the Orchard Turn site) and the other is the Glutton's Square car park next to Specialists' Shopping Centre (or the Somerset site) - to be made available for application by developers from today.

The 99-year leasehold sites being offered by the URA are expected to yield a combined retail gross floor area of at least 774,000 sq ft.

In addition, two short-term lease (up to 15 years) sites - one fronting Orchard Road next to Faber House, and the other the car park site behind Orchard Building - will add 73,000 sq ft. These sites will be offered later this year by the STB - either through tender, or a request for proposal.

Dr Balakrishnan said Orchard Road will play 'a pivotal role' in efforts to triple tourism receipts to $30 billion and double visitor arrivals to 17 million by 2015.

He also mooted for discussion the idea of setting up a Business Precinct Management Corporation for the Orchard Road area, comprising business and property owners, working in partnership with relevant government agencies to maintain, upgrade, promote and market Singapore's prime retail business precinct.

Separately, STB will chair a standing committee of government agencies to make it easier for stakeholders to raise issues and problems with the authorities.

Vivienne Tan, general manager (investment properties) at Centrepoint Properties and who is also president of The Association of Shopping Centres, said the release of the four sites was unlikely to lead to oversupply of prime retail space.

'There will always be demand for prime space on Orchard Road from international retailers,' she said. 'One of the reasons they skip Singapore is that they can't get the prime locations at the price they want.'

However, the new malls on Orchard Road will create some heat for older ones in less choice locations, which will be under pressure to spruce up, she said.

Agreeing, Knight Frank executive director Danny Yeo said: 'That prime Orchard Road shop rents have been growing 5 to 10 per cent annually for the past couple of years shows that demand is greater than supply.'

While local consumption should continue to grow at a steady clip, budget airlines will bring more shoppers from the region to Singapore, he added.

[babystan03]

March 30, 2005
More malls? Let's have year-long buzz

BUILDING new malls will add some fizz to Orchard Road, but the makeover unveiled yesterday does not go far enough to make the shopping belt an exciting place all year round, experts said.

The release of four plots of land for retail and entertainment is a great start, but more needs to be done to ensure enough activities are held to give a constant buzz, said analysts, architects, event organisers and businesses yesterday.

The new malls will bring some spark to the street, not seen since the opening of Ngee Ann City in the late 1980s, said research director Nicholas Mak of property consultancy Chesterton International.

The plots - near Orchard and Somerset MRT stations, Orchard Building and Faber House - will also plug gaps between the buildings now and provide a more 'seamless shopping experience', said retail consultant Knight Frank executive director Danny Yeo.

The new buildings may even nudge older ones such as Orchard Emerald, next to Peranakan Place, and Shaw House into overdue makeovers, said Mr Mak.

Kindling the most excitement, however, was the Government's plans for an 'iconic' building above Orchard Road MRT station.

Mr Yeo sees it as a chance to build 'a mall so visually exciting that it sets the benchmark' for others.

Former president of the Singapore Institute of Architects, Mr Edward Wong, hopes for 'a distinctive Singapore building with a skyrise garden'. This should be designed by local architects and should reflect Singapore's multiculturalism and garden city image.

The experts also welcomed the $40 million the Government will spend on pedestrian-friendly street landscaping such as lights, seats and water features.

The move to provide more and better 'urban spaces' like the one outside Ngee Ann City was welcomed by Dr Malone-Lee Lai Choo of the department of real estate at the National University of Singapore.

But building more shopping complexes may not work, she said.

'I don't think having more shops is actually such a strong idea. It will be more of the same kind, probably not what Singapore wants.'

She also said that the planned concessionary tax rate for those holding mega events may not help local arts groups and enterprises, which have much to offer to make street activities vibrant.

That worries Mr Jimmy Wong, president of the International Festival and Events Association.

Upgrading the infrastructure is the right start, but focusing only on big imported events is a mistake, he said.

'Let's say in a year, there are four mega events,' he said. 'But there are 365 days, what do you do with the rest?'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

March 30, 2005
Got ideas? Let's talk, Govt tells shopping centres

THE answer used to be 'no'. Now it's 'let's talk'.

Orchard Road shopping centres hoping to hold special events have been promised a smoother ride as part of the Government's attempt to mould the future of the famous shopping strip.

Two new bodies may be up and running soon, with a view to helping retailers turn their ideas into reality.

The Singapore Tourism Board will soon set up a standing committee to help businesses deal with operational issues.

Also, a non-profit business precinct management corporation may be established by local business and property owners in partnership with the relevant authorities. Its aim is to maintain, upgrade, promote and market Orchard Road.

At least two major retailers said they hope the new bodies will help things move faster.

Centrepoint Properties general manager for investment properties, Ms Vivienne Tan, said in the past, businesses typically had to consult several authorities to get approval, which is time-consuming and, at times, fruitless.

'You talk about cutting edge, you want to be fast. What is competition? It's really about being fast,' she said.

By the time someone with a unique idea has queued for approval to execute it, it's already too late, she said. She contrasted the situation here with Bangkok, where malls promote themselves through loudspeakers and shopping districts host events like rock concerts.

Here, she said, the Government's favourite answer to their ideas was 'no'.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, replied: 'The answer is not 'no'. The answer is 'let's discuss'.'

Dr Balakrishnan said the business precinct management corporation concept will be discussed with stakeholders over the next six to 12 months and proceed if there is a strong consensus.

'The strategic objective is to provide a vehicle for stakeholders to take ownership for promoting their business precinct and to pursue projects that add value to the precinct as a whole,' he said.

While Ms Tan is happy that a standing committee will be set up, she questioned whether it will have the 'clout' to make a difference.

The chairman and CEO of C.K. Tang, Mr Tang Wee Sung, said the new bodies should make it easier to implement creative ideas.

'I think they are very open now. Now, we can talk whereas before it was so difficult to get a hearing.'

As Dr Balakrishnan said: 'Everything is, in a sense, negotiable.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

[Worlds of Earth]

Something absolutely radical needs to be done to those ugly, outmoded office towers rising up like monstrous spikes out of the Orchard skyline. Luckily Orchard condos are mostly quite stunning; they neutralize the negative impact.

[Pengui]

I didn't know Ngee Ann City was so old that it was opened in the 80s. I thought 93 or something like that.

I'm definitely pro-more crazy malls on Orchard, at the condition that the pedestrian infrastructure is improved. This is the big problem of Orchard right now. Water features will add a lot. Some kind of LRT or tramway would also be cool.

@WoE: not only office towers. Look at the Hilton hotel for example.
(out of topic: I like your signature but I don't agree, lol )

[Worlds of Earth]

Its supposedly true! Visit the CERN website.

[Worlds of Earth]

Hilton is very ugly, yes, but it has this endearing aura to it. It merely requires a touch-up to the facade, nothing more. Or maybe a generous dash of glass.

[Worlds of Earth]

Orchard Road needs to be noisier. It needs an unbroken row of specialized stores, eateries, whatnot. It needs more huge LCD screens. It needs more engaging storefronts. It needs an even bigger bookstore, like that monster at Fuzhoulu in Shanghai. It needs bigger, taller, more imposing office blocks and towers, with better facades and architecture. It needs a more developed underpass system. It needs coconut trees. And something must really be done about the climate.

[babystan03]

April 1, 2005
A throbbing Orchard

THE best part of the Orchard Road improvement plan is not so much the signature buildings being planned for the Paterson and Killiney ends of the strip. It is the street ambience that would be generated. While ambience cannot be designed by committee, a loosening of restrictions will positively stimulate creativity, a spirit to dare. Public spontaneity will follow. This is what knowledgeable street people - retailers, event organisers, clubbers, urban planners - had to say about the sneak preview given of government plans to make Orchard Road jump. We are inclined to agree. As the occasional playwright Eleanor Wong wrote recently in The Straits Times editorial page about the mushrooming of arts edifices without parallel artistic and audience growth, this is a matter of proportional scaling. Without life and soul, what impressive structures there are will remain shells. Our one proviso is that tasteful architecture, plaza and promenade design can accentuate a shopping and entertainment district's atmosphere. The upgrade in front of Wisma Atria, where Indochine's drinks pit is, has given it a holiday air. Paragon's remake into a hall of boutiques has raised the street's ritziness. The upcoming retrofit of Lucky Plaza's facade will remove a tired 1970s look at odds with Orchard's image.

Yes, sure, but what of the throbbing street life? Experts mention store promotions, live events, parades, street acts, promenade vendors selling flowers and arty trinkets from designer carts. These perennials pop up every time talk about revitalising Orchard surfaces. This is where the government should be held to its undertaking to not reject daring ideas out of hand, but to 'discuss' them with the many enthusiasts. The new willingness to be accommodating is refreshing. Care should be taken not to suffocate it with layer upon layer of committees and advisory panels. The proposed Tourism Board liaison committee to navigate businesses' operational requests and proposals through the bureaucratic maze is quite enough. Centrepoint Properties' head of investment properties, Ms Vivienne Tan, notes that competition is about being fast. It is not about businesses being subjected to multiple applications with different state agencies, with approval not assured. She will get a round of 'hear, hear' from her peers. Speaking of which, what has been the outcome of a suggestion to bathe Orchard with a splash of neon?

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

[redstone]

No school today?

[babystan03]

April 4, 2005
Orchard Rd needs 'brag' factor

WHEN tourist Helen Duck was shopping in Orchard Road last week, she was impressed by the ease with which she could find a public toilet.

The Irish housewife, who was here for the first time with her husband and three children, aged seven, nine and 12, was also delighted with the MRT system.

She was even more enthusiastic about the helpfulness of the people whom she asked for directions.

'It's been really easy to get about. People have been really nice,' said the 42-year-old, who lives in Abu Dhabi.

Like other tourists who are taken with the greenery, the Peranakan heritage buildings, and the cleanliness, Mrs Duck echoes what retailers and developers have been saying: Orchard Road has a lot to offer.

The president of The Association of Shopping Centres, Ms Vivienne Tan, pointed out that the country's premier shopping street also boasts lots of good eating places and level roads, which are lacking in two other shopping havens, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

She added: 'And in Singapore, you can trust what you are getting. If you walk into the Ralph Lauren in Bali, you are not very sure the items are really Ralph Lauren.'

But tourists are unlikely to be aware of all this unless Singaporeans tell visitors about it, said Ms Lau Chuen Wei, the executive director of the Singapore Retailers Association.

She and other developers said that otherwise, no number of iconic buildings will enable the shopping belt to help draw 17 million tourists, double the number now, by 2015.

She said: 'What we're looking for is a little bit of the 'brag' factor.'

Even the tropical weather can be a boon.

Architect John Ting said that with shady walkways, Orchard Road can be a enjoyable stroll, unlike cold countries where shoppers usually stay indoors.

He said: 'It's uniquely tropical, and people from temperate countries can actually experience the walk itself, not just the shopping centres.'

For Mrs Duck, that the street lacks big brand names does not matter. She already had her eye on a few outfits in Robinsons and hats in a small store at Specialists' Shopping Centre.

She said: 'You don't want to get from here what you can get in London's Oxford Street.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

April 4, 2005
Go on, dress 'em up!

TO HELP Orchard Road make its mark, The Straits Times suggests facelifts for these six tired-looking buildings along the shopping street.

# Tong Building

Where: Next to Paragon

What's good: Its Rolex boutique on the ground floor

What it has: 18 floors of offices

# 268 Orchard Road

Where: Next to Heeren

What's good: Citibank, Jack's Place restaurant

What: 20 floors of offices

# Orchard Shopping Centre

Where: Next to Specialists' Shopping Centre

What's good: Chinese restaurant Lei Garden and convenience store 7-Eleven

What: Nine floors with such outlets as a karaoke pub and a Japanese restaurant

# Urban Warehouse

Where: The former OG Building

What's good: Bargains

What: Eight floors of goods resembling what OG used to offer, at bargain prices

# Midpoint Orchard

Where: Next to Urban Warehouse

What's good: Electronic goods and beauty services

What: Six floors of shops

# Le Meridien Shopping Centre

Where: Dhoby Ghaut end of Orchard Road

What's good: A flea market on weekends, Internet cafes and a food court

What: Two floors of shops below Le Meridien Hotel

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

[Charging Bull]

Major makeover for Orchard Road as S'pore ups ante for tourist dollar






SINGAPORE: Singapore's famous shopping Orchard Road strip is set to undergo a makeover worth nearly US$1 billion as part of the city-state's efforts to become one of the world's premier retail havens.

The ambitious revamp comes as the tiny Southeast Asian nation faces fast-rising competition from other regional cities for the shopping tourist dollar, with Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Macau all offering increasingly attractive alternatives.



Spearheading the Orchard Road upgrade will be the construction of a 218-metre tall skyscraper that authorities say will be the landmark structure for the two-kilometre-long street.

The skyscraper, to be the tallest on Orchard Road, will boast a 360-degree public observation deck at the top and a 3,000-square-metre public event space.

Four plots of sites in the precinct have also been put up for tender to be developed into mega shopping malls, while more underground walkways will be built to link existing shopping centres.

"We envision Orchard Road as one of the worlds greatest shopping streets and a unique lifestyle destination with exciting retail, dining and entertainment," Vivian Balakrishnan, Second Minister for Trade and Industry, said recently when details of the revamp were unveiled.

The upgrade plans kicked into motion with the tenders and the government hopes to begin renovations quickly, however an exact timeframe will not be determined until investors submit their plans.

Association of Singapore Attractions chairman Francis Phun told AFP the revamp was timely as Orchard Road, long a magnet for international bargain hunters, was in danger of becoming just like any other shopping street in Asia.

"I think what we need is more surprises ... when you shop at other places like Hong Kong and Bangkok, they have a huge variety of goods," Phun said.

Tourism is a vital cog in Singapore's famously efficient economy, with the sector accounting for three percent of the city-state's annual gross domestic product, and Orchard Road has been one of the most important components.

Government statistics show 76 percent of visitors to Singapore visited Orchard Road in 2003 and spent 206 million dollars on shopping.

Last year was particularly strong for the tourism sector, with a record 8.3 million visitors, or six percent of all visitors to the Asia-Pacific region, descending on the city-state, according to the Singapore Tourism Board.

The tourists injected almost six billion dollars into the economy.

However Singapore has lofty ambitions and is aiming to triple tourism receipts to 18 billion dollars and double arrivals to 17 million by 2015.

Elsewhere in Asia, Macau is counting on its growing array of glitzy Las Vegas-style casinos to lure tourists while Hong Kong will in September be able to boast of having its own Disneyland theme park.

Dr Balakrishnan signalled Singapore was very much aware of the growing competition when he announced the revamp.

"Many cities are attempting to undergo this transformation... London, Paris, New York or even closer to home," he said.

"We must continue to build on Orchard Road's strengths and harness its enormous potential. Orchard Road will play a pivotal role in the achievement of these goals (boosting tourism numbers)."

Foreign tourists wandering along Orchard Road recently said they were already very impressed with what was on offer, with Irishman Donal Barry telling AFP he preferred the Singapore experience to similar retail strips in Europe.

"There's better shopping here," Barry told AFP, explaining he preferred the variety of shops and the clean environment.

Australian tourist Carol Cutler expressed similar positive sentiments, although she expressed concern the trees and greenery that are a feature of Orchard Road will be lost in the upgrade.

"I like the space, the plants and the trees ... I don't know if you need any more malls," she said. - AFP

[babystan03]

Business Times - 21 Apr 2005

Projects on STB's plots may be up within 2 years

By KALPANA RASHIWALA

SINGAPORE Tourism Board (STB), which is anticipated to release two short-term-use sites in the Orchard Road belt this year, says it expects the new developments to be up within the next one to two years.

This is on the assumption that the sites, to be offered on leasehold tenures of up to 15 years, are taken up this year. The developments are expected to be low-rise, as the maximum gross floor area allowed will be equal to the site area itself.

'A wide range of businesses have indicated interest, ranging from fashion, jewellery, flagship stores to sports and entertainment. They include both foreign and local investors, who may or may not already have a presence in Singapore,' said the board's director of tourism shopping, Sulian Tan-Wijaya.

The two sites' locations have been made public earlier. The more prominent of the two plots, measuring 20,344 sq ft, is next to Faber House. It is designated for multi-concept lifestyle establishments, flagship stores or galleries.

'These could be by new brands or established ones such as Niketown, Apple, Massimo Dutti, H&M, Samsung or Sony,' said Ms Tan-Wijaya.

She cited an example of a multi-concept establishment that could be suitable: Giorgio Armani's three-storey store in Milan, which - as well as selling jeans and items for the home - has a flower shop, a cafe serving Mediterranean food, a sushi bar, an art gallery, a bookshop, and a Sony gallery.

The second site, of about 50,590 sq ft, is located at the carpark behind Orchard Building. It will be for entertainment and retail use. Examples include street fashion retail, indoor theme parks and entertainment centres, cyber gaming centres, and cinemas or theatres.

'These establishments will be youth-oriented given the plot's location in the Youth district and proximity to the Youth park, Orchard Cineleisure and Heeren, which are popular youth hangouts,' said Ms Tan-Wijaya.

STB declined to specify exactly how it will award each site. But it will be either through a request for proposal, or a two-envelope tender system. The latter requires tenderers to submit their concept proposals and bid prices in two separate envelopes.

Submissions will be short-listed based on acceptable concepts, before the site is awarded to the highest bidder.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.