Two new hotels in Far East Square revamp
Far East Organization plans to develop two hotels within its Far East Square project in the China Square location. A 37-room designer boutique hotel will be converted from some of the offices on the upper floors of the conservation shophouses, while a new 28-storey hotel with 292 rooms will rise on a vacant spot within the site. Far East will have to pay a differential premium to the state before it can begin work on the high-rise hotel.
Plans for the hotel were revealed in a release yesterday issued by Far East and two neighbouring landlords in the China Square area - Frasers Commercial Trust (FCOT) and Great Eastern - when they announced their collaborative plans to revitalise the downtown heritage area, which is sandwiched between the old financial district and the historic Chinatown area.
The trio unveiled their "China Square Precinct Master Plan", which will integrate Far East Square, China Square Central (owned by FCOT) and Great Eastern Centre into a precinct known as "China Place".
With connectivity as a key theme of the Master Plan, the first phase of development will feature a $14 million covered linkway that the trio will build to connect their three properties as well as the future Telok Ayer MRT station. The linkway costs will be split equally among the three partners. Work on the linkway is slated to begin next month and be completed by February next year.
As a tribute to the area's history, a "Heritage Trail" will feature locally commissioned heritage sculptures that are with Singapore Tourism Board's existing heritage markers.
Source: Business Times – 17 May 2012