oldest estate in singapore

spore123 · February 20th, 2007, 02:45 PM

happy new year everyone!

was wondering if anyone knew what the oldest housing estate is in singapore? HDB and private (non-landed housing).

sorry if this has been asked and answered before!

arthur · February 20th, 2007, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spore123

happy new year everyone!

was wondering if anyone knew what the oldest housing estate is in singapore? HDB and private (non-landed housing).

sorry if this has been asked and answered before!

think is either toa payoh or queenstown.

Sailover · February 20th, 2007, 05:10 PM

HDB should be TPY.

Maverick713 · February 21st, 2007, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arthur

think is either toa payoh or queenstown.

Why not Tiong Bahru or Bukit Ho Swee?

RafflesCity · February 21st, 2007, 01:55 AM

Actually yah now that Tiong Bahru is mentioned, I think it is the oldest one.

However I wonder which is the first full estate to take off the ground with independent Singapore. Maybe Toa Payoh?

Maverick713 · February 21st, 2007, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RafflesCity

Actually yah now that Tiong Bahru is mentioned, I think it is the oldest one.

However I wonder which is the first full estate to take off the ground with independent Singapore. Maybe Toa Payoh?

Toa Payoh is the first "New Town", completely planned from ground up with full facilities like a stadium, pools, parks, bus interchange, retail shops etc.

Dounut · February 21st, 2007, 03:49 AM

Bukit Ho Swee has the first HDB flat, while Toa Payoh is the first "Town" being built.

But how come after so many years, it's still a "New Town" ? ?

spore123 · February 21st, 2007, 02:56 PM

so how old is old? is bukit ho swee more than 30 years old? what about toa payoh?

wondering how old will the government allow the buildings to get? seems that most buildings are torn down quite quickly and nothing has even remotely approached the 99 year limit.

shao_ye · February 21st, 2007, 05:14 PM

actually this is abit confussing... for Housing Estate: Queestown, Toa Payoh and Bukit Ho Swee goes into the list... Tao Payoh is considered as the first NEW TOWN, whereas Queestown i'm not sure, but it came before Tao Payoh during the 1960s if i'm not wrong... And Bukit Ho Swee flats came after the huge fire, which is what year you might want to check it out... as for Tiong Bahru, i dont know whether it's consided as housing estate at that time...

99 years is a limit but redevelopment is very common, thus i guess most dont last for 99 years...

Maverick713 · February 22nd, 2007, 10:30 AM

Quote:

And Bukit Ho Swee flats came after the huge fire, which is what year you might want to check it out... as for Tiong Bahru, i dont know whether it's consided as housing estate at that time

Bukit Ho Swee may not be the oldest HDB estate in Singapore as it was built only in 1963, after the big Bukit Ho Swee fire in 1961 displaced 16,000 people from the squatter settlement:

Queenstown was already a huge housing estate in the fifties (earlier than Bukit Ho Swee). 14 storey flats in Queenstown, 1956 (I used to visit these tall flats until the 90s when they were demolished):

Queenstown, 1962

spore123 · February 22nd, 2007, 01:36 PM

great old pics!

if the govt demolishes your HDB and they give you a new one as a replacement - how many years on the 99 year lease do you have? do they start again at 99? or do they count the earlier years as part of it?

RafflesCity · February 22nd, 2007, 01:37 PM

Interesting finds there!

I got a feeling the blocks in the 1st 3 pics are still around cos the hilly landscape looks familiar.

If I not wrong they would be the HDB blocks behind Meraprime.

Maverick713 · February 22nd, 2007, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RafflesCity

Interesting finds there!

I got a feeling the blocks in the 1st 3 pics are still around cos the hilly landscape looks familiar.

If I not wrong they would be the HDB blocks behind Meraprime.

Yes you are right. Those should be the Jalan Bukit Ho Swee part of Tiong Bahru, behind the Meraprime/Beo Crescent/Jalan Klinik area.

The HDB blocks were built on the site of the big fire which burned all the way through the slums until it stopped strangely before the Zion Road/Havelock Road temple presently opposite Holiday Inn. It was said that this temple was well-respected by worshippers because the fire "could not touch it" as it was "protected by the gods".

Maverick713 · February 22nd, 2007, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spore123

great old pics!

if the govt demolishes your HDB and they give you a new one as a replacement - how many years on the 99 year lease do you have? do they start again at 99? or do they count the earlier years as part of it?

The govt do not actually give you a new flat as a replacement - you have to purchase it at a special discount from the market price minus the compensation given for your old flat. Since it is bought new by yourself, it is a new 99 years lease for your new flat.

shao_ye · February 22nd, 2007, 06:46 PM

great information!

Maverick713 · February 23rd, 2007, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shao_ye

great information!

This is just the tip of the iceberg, or the appetizer.

If anyone is interested to see a lot more similar pics, there is a really massive historical thread started only a week ago on 15th Feb 07 but it has already attracted more than 660 replies: http://www.mycarforum.com/forum/Othe...re..._P1754510

redstone · February 23rd, 2007, 11:28 AM

The block with roundish corridors stood on the "gap" between the 40 storey flats.

wangwang · February 27th, 2007, 05:54 PM

Wow, it sure brings back memories -
the building with the rounded corridors was the highest SIT flat ever built,
and it was named Forfar House, and it faced Ballater Square, all names of town in Scotland with connections to the UK Royal family.

At 14 storeys, it was built without having any piling done, because its staggered shape was self supporting!

I grew up across the road at Stirling Road.

and was very sad to see it go a few years ago - apparently many residents did not want to be rehoused.

redstone · February 28th, 2007, 09:21 AM

Sad to hear it had been demolished... Was one of the first old flats to go under SERS. The "shape"of the old building can still be seen as the gap between the 40 storey flats.

spikeshamz · March 3rd, 2007, 06:17 PM

Its great to see those pictures, I used to stay in one of the block in the picture . It at Mei Ling street at Queenstown. Fond memories when I was young there

February 20th, 2007, 02:45 PM	#1
spore123 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 275 Likes (Received): 0	oldest estate in singapore happy new year everyone! was wondering if anyone knew what the oldest housing estate is in singapore? HDB and private (non-landed housing). sorry if this has been asked and answered before!

February 23rd, 2007, 11:28 AM	#17
redstone The Uninspired Architect Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 14,068 Likes (Received): 0	The block with roundish corridors stood on the "gap" between the 40 storey flats. __________________ http://redstonean.deviantart.com/

February 27th, 2007, 05:54 PM	#18
wangwang Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: singapore Posts: 34 Likes (Received): 0	14 storeys Forfar House Wow, it sure brings back memories - the building with the rounded corridors was the highest SIT flat ever built, and it was named Forfar House, and it faced Ballater Square, all names of town in Scotland with connections to the UK Royal family. At 14 storeys, it was built without having any piling done, because its staggered shape was self supporting! I grew up across the road at Stirling Road. and was very sad to see it go a few years ago - apparently many residents did not want to be rehoused.

February 28th, 2007, 09:21 AM	#19
redstone The Uninspired Architect Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 14,068 Likes (Received): 0	Sad to hear it had been demolished... Was one of the first old flats to go under SERS. The "shape"of the old building can still be seen as the gap between the 40 storey flats. __________________ http://redstonean.deviantart.com/

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February 20th, 2007, 05:10 PM	#3
Sailover Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 129 Likes (Received): 0	HDB should be TPY.

February 21st, 2007, 01:55 AM	#5
RafflesCity By Spirit Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S I N G A P O R E Posts: 26,215 Likes (Received): 2	Actually yah now that Tiong Bahru is mentioned, I think it is the oldest one. However I wonder which is the first full estate to take off the ground with independent Singapore. Maybe Toa Payoh?

February 21st, 2007, 03:49 AM	#7
Dounut Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 26 Likes (Received): 0	Bukit Ho Swee has the first HDB flat, while Toa Payoh is the first "Town" being built. But how come after so many years, it's still a "New Town" ? ?

February 21st, 2007, 02:56 PM	#8
spore123 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 275 Likes (Received): 0	so how old is old? is bukit ho swee more than 30 years old? what about toa payoh? wondering how old will the government allow the buildings to get? seems that most buildings are torn down quite quickly and nothing has even remotely approached the 99 year limit.

February 21st, 2007, 05:14 PM	#9
shao_ye Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 676 Likes (Received): 0	actually this is abit confussing... for Housing Estate: Queestown, Toa Payoh and Bukit Ho Swee goes into the list... Tao Payoh is considered as the first NEW TOWN, whereas Queestown i'm not sure, but it came before Tao Payoh during the 1960s if i'm not wrong... And Bukit Ho Swee flats came after the huge fire, which is what year you might want to check it out... as for Tiong Bahru, i dont know whether it's consided as housing estate at that time... 99 years is a limit but redevelopment is very common, thus i guess most dont last for 99 years...

February 22nd, 2007, 01:36 PM	#11
spore123 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 275 Likes (Received): 0	great old pics! if the govt demolishes your HDB and they give you a new one as a replacement - how many years on the 99 year lease do you have? do they start again at 99? or do they count the earlier years as part of it?

February 22nd, 2007, 01:37 PM	#12
RafflesCity By Spirit Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S I N G A P O R E Posts: 26,215 Likes (Received): 2	Interesting finds there! I got a feeling the blocks in the 1st 3 pics are still around cos the hilly landscape looks familiar. If I not wrong they would be the HDB blocks behind Meraprime.

February 22nd, 2007, 06:46 PM	#15
shao_ye Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 676 Likes (Received): 0	great information!

March 3rd, 2007, 06:17 PM	#20
spikeshamz Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Singapore, Lyon Posts: 1,120 Likes (Received): 1	Its great to see those pictures, I used to stay in one of the block in the picture . It at Mei Ling street at Queenstown. Fond memories when I was young there