2 bidders for one-north hotel site
25 Jan 05
By ALEXANDRA HO
PONTIAC Land Group and United Engineers Development are in the running to develop a hotel planned for one-north, the mixed development site of a hotel, offices, homes and shops near Buona Vista MRT.
This was disclosed at JTC Corporation's launch of the invitation for private sector participation to build, own and run a condominium - the first residential development - at one-north.
The 99-year-lease condominium will form part of the district called Central Xchange, an integrated work, learn, live and play area. JTC envisions it to be a vibrant area with lively public spaces, busy street life and work-live apartments. To integrate the condominium seamlessly with the community, it will be fenceless but will employ high-tech features for security. JTC also said it is unlikely to have standard condominium facilities such as a swimming pool.
The condominium site occupies 1.6 hectares of land, with a gross floor area of 39,655 square metres to fit in 350 to 400 units. The winning developer will have to integrate two colonial buildings, Slim Barracks, into their design. Bids for the condominium close on April 15.
As for the hotel development, JTC chief executive officer Chong Lit Cheong said that the bids are still under evaluation. But he reiterated that the hotel will be a business hotel, with prices at the three to four star range.
Mr Chong called Pontiac Land's bid 'quite interesting'. 'As part of their proposal, they also have a retail and residential type of land next to the hotel site, a bit of mixed use,' he revealed.
Pontiac Land is no stranger to the hotel business. Its hotel properties in Singapore include The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, and The Conrad Centennial. The group is also jointly developing a resort on Sentosa with Thai developer City Realty.
The other bidder, UE Development, told BT that besides the hotel, the development might include service apartments and F&B components, such as restaurants.
UE Development is tying up with local architects to come up with a futuristic design that would also be ecologically harmonious with the site's green surroundings. Its group managing director, Jackson Yap, said there are plans for the hotel to be an 'intelligent building'.
'Being an engineering company, we are able to incorporate some of the latest technology in terms of IT, telecommunications. We will also try to do some of the building control systems,' said Mr Yap, who is also chief executive officer.
If its bid succeeds, it will be UE's first foray into hotel operation although the company runs service apartments UE Square and Park Avenue Suites. Mr Yap said the hotel is likely to operate under the Park Avenue Suites brand name.
The winning bid will be revealed by mid-April, while JTC targets a ground-breaking of the hotel by the middle of this year.
25 Jan 05
By ALEXANDRA HO
PONTIAC Land Group and United Engineers Development are in the running to develop a hotel planned for one-north, the mixed development site of a hotel, offices, homes and shops near Buona Vista MRT.
This was disclosed at JTC Corporation's launch of the invitation for private sector participation to build, own and run a condominium - the first residential development - at one-north.
The 99-year-lease condominium will form part of the district called Central Xchange, an integrated work, learn, live and play area. JTC envisions it to be a vibrant area with lively public spaces, busy street life and work-live apartments. To integrate the condominium seamlessly with the community, it will be fenceless but will employ high-tech features for security. JTC also said it is unlikely to have standard condominium facilities such as a swimming pool.
The condominium site occupies 1.6 hectares of land, with a gross floor area of 39,655 square metres to fit in 350 to 400 units. The winning developer will have to integrate two colonial buildings, Slim Barracks, into their design. Bids for the condominium close on April 15.
As for the hotel development, JTC chief executive officer Chong Lit Cheong said that the bids are still under evaluation. But he reiterated that the hotel will be a business hotel, with prices at the three to four star range.
Mr Chong called Pontiac Land's bid 'quite interesting'. 'As part of their proposal, they also have a retail and residential type of land next to the hotel site, a bit of mixed use,' he revealed.
Pontiac Land is no stranger to the hotel business. Its hotel properties in Singapore include The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, and The Conrad Centennial. The group is also jointly developing a resort on Sentosa with Thai developer City Realty.
The other bidder, UE Development, told BT that besides the hotel, the development might include service apartments and F&B components, such as restaurants.
UE Development is tying up with local architects to come up with a futuristic design that would also be ecologically harmonious with the site's green surroundings. Its group managing director, Jackson Yap, said there are plans for the hotel to be an 'intelligent building'.
'Being an engineering company, we are able to incorporate some of the latest technology in terms of IT, telecommunications. We will also try to do some of the building control systems,' said Mr Yap, who is also chief executive officer.
If its bid succeeds, it will be UE's first foray into hotel operation although the company runs service apartments UE Square and Park Avenue Suites. Mr Yap said the hotel is likely to operate under the Park Avenue Suites brand name.
The winning bid will be revealed by mid-April, while JTC targets a ground-breaking of the hotel by the middle of this year.