GeoWorks

Nov 30, 2023

Singapore's iconic Smith Street is set to be rejuvenated with differentiated offerings and renewed experiences for locals and tourists alike. PHOTO: SINGAPORE LAND AUTHORITY https://str.sg/ifUm SINGAPORE – Smith Street, located in the Chinatown conservation area, will be rejuvenated to inject vibrancy and drive greater footfall to the area. Known for its culinary offerings, it will soon feature more diverse experiences, such as gamified tours, arts and cultural galleries, local artisans and co-living/co-working concepts, while preserving the area’s cultural and architectural heritage. The Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) jointly launched a collective tender on Nov 30 to appoint a master tenant to rejuvenate the row of shophouses from 11 to 37 Smith Street, as well as the adjacent pedestrian mall on state land. This covers a land area of 3,166 sq m and a gross floor area of 3,073 sq m. The successful tenderer will be offered an upfront tenure of five years, renewable for a second term of four years, to facilitate better resource planning. Smith Street was where Chinatown Food Street was sited. Opened in 2001 as part of STB’s efforts to revitalise Chinatown, it boasted a cluster of popular hawker food carts along a 100m stretch that was closed to vehicular traffic. It shuttered in October 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Smith Street will continue to have an array of food and beverage offerings and new dining concepts reflecting Singapore’s multicultural identity. In its early days, Smith Street was also known as Hei Yuen Kai (Cantonese for Theatre Street) for the many Chinese operas held there. The rejuvenation project aims to bring back that vibrancy with regular community programming on the pedestrian mall, and shops and restaurants on the first storey of the shophouses. Community and grassroots organisations will continue celebrating festive occasions in the street. The project will also showcase the traditional trades in the historic district with boutiques, local artisans, crafts and unique products that reflect Singapore’s cultural diversity. The upper storeys of shophouses could be used as serviced apartments, co-living and co-working spaces that allow users to immerse themselves in the precinct’s cultural heritage. The tender proposals must demonstrate sustainability goals and outcomes in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, such as infrastructure improvements, environmentally friendly practices in day-to-day business operations and programmes to raise awareness of environmental sustainability. The rejuvenation will preserve Chinatown’s cultural and architectural heritage following conservation guidelines and best practices. This will ensure that the conserved shophouses continue to retain their intrinsic character and historical value. The rejuvenation will preserve Chinatown’s cultural and architectural heritage following conservation guidelines and best practices. PHOTO: SINGAPORE LAND AUTHORITY More On This Topic