Chinatown Business Association wins tender to manage iconic Smith Street in Chinatown
According to SLA, the revitalised Smith Street are going to see a brand-new line-up of way of living practices and eating experiences. It claims that CBA’s proposal of “separated way of life ideas, complementary programs and enhancements to the general public scope aims to further promote regional Chinese heritage and build up the identity of the area”.
She adds that CBA is going to introduce “uniquely Singaporean F&B offerings and worldwide food offerings for either residents and tourists to experience at Smith Street”.
The tender was examined based on cost and the quality of each submitted idea. It drew in 5 different prospective buyers the minute the tender closed in March, involving CBA which submitted the winning offer of $123,000. As the master lessee, CBA will handle the buildings for 5 years plus a second term of four years.
The Chinatown Business Association (CBA) has won the tender for a row of legendary shophouses around Smith Road in Chinatown. CBA contains stakeholders operating in Chinatown, such as business leaders, grassroots leaders, Chinese clan organizations, hoteliers, hawkers and sellers.
Lim claims that the tender movement was “very challenging” but CBA gained from its energetic visibility in the district for over 20 years. “Over the 2 decades, we have actually built and nurtured partnerships, and this has actually bought us a deep-rooted link to the ground,” she claims. The organisation has indeed arranged past event such as wide-scale festival parties such as Five Footway Celebration and Dumpling Festival, to themed markets, street activities, occasions and workshops.
“This experience is special to CBA, and we want to utilize on our relationships in the area and expertise of Chinatown Singapore’s heritage and society to inject even more excitement to Smith Road and Chinatown Singapore,” claims Lim.
“Visitors to Chinatown Singapore can eagerly anticipate even more curated offerings and backgrounds for both residents and travellers upon the completion of the Smith Street restoration venture. We are looking to bring in much more engaging and experiential neighborhood programs, along with even more diverse offerings such as imaginative way of life, retail and co-living/co-working approaches, whilst preserving and commemorating the area’s cultural and building ancestry,” says Lim Yick Suan, managing director, Chinatown Business Association.
The Botany at Dairy Farm condominium
The tender to appoint a sole master renter to manage the historic row of shophouses at 11 to 37 Smith Street was mutually launched by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) back in November last year.
Noontalk Media sent the highest bid of $180,000, followed by runner-up CBA. Other bids ranged from $108,174 from Benlo Ventures to $68,177 from ABR Holdings and a $53,000 quote from IGYM Fitness.
The master occupant are going to take on the combined management of the shophouses and a surrounding State land story, which have a total acreage of 34,066 sq ft and an approximated gross flooring area of 33,065 sq ft.
