SINGAPORE - Nightlife destination Clarke Quay is refreshing its tenant mix to have day and night offerings after a year-long revamp.
CapitaLand, which owns and manages the property, said on Tuesday (July 26) that the $62 million revamp will begin in the third quarter of 2022 and be completed in the third quarter of 2023, with Clarke Quay to be operational throughout.
Clarke Quay is owned by CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust and managed by CapitaLand Investment.
Work on the historical area includes upgrading cooling systems and repainting its conservation buildings.
New tenants will join the fold, adding day activities as well as breakfast and lunch options when the revamp - which comes as tourists return to Singapore - is completed.
They include music store Swee Lee, a grocery with in-store dining by FairPrice Finest, and a beauty salon and pottery-themed cafe Catching the Waves by Initia Group.
To attract crowds in the day, existing key tenants Zouk Group and 1-Group will expand their day-to-night offerings, said CapitaLand.
Slingshot, a thrill ride that catapults riders almost 70m into the air and reaches a speed of 160kmh, will give adrenaline junkies something to look forward to.
CapitaLand said it has pre-commitment from tenants and leases in advanced negotiations for more than 70 per cent of Clarke Quay's net lettable area from the revamp's completion date.
About 34 per cent of the total project cost will go towards green features, said CapitaLand, which added that the revamp is expected to meet the Building and Construction Authority's Green Mark GoldPlus certification standards.
These features include a more energy-efficient chiller and a new canopy.
CapitaLand said the canopy can reduce solar heat gain by up to 70 per cent while letting daylight through.
A new multi-directional fan will be installed to improve air circulation, cutting energy usage by more than 50 per cent compared with the current single-directional fan. The new fan also has a mist cooling function that lowers temperatures by about 2 deg C without leaving water droplets on surfaces, said CapitaLand.
It added that the refreshed property will be branded CQ @ Clarke Quay.
Rejuvenation works will be led by local firms Meta Architecture and Formwerkz Architects.
The firms' plans are focused on uncovering the area's history and telling hidden stories, said CapitaLand.
The facade of Block B's warehouses will be repainted according to its original colours, while visitors can find out more about Clarke Quay's history through heritage panels, cast-iron manhole covers and bronze plate tiles.
Read Bridge, which connects Clarke Quay to Boat Quay, will have upgraded steps that double as seats, along with a new accessibility ramp and lookout points.
In future, Clarke Quay will also be connected to residential development CanningHill Piers - which is being built by CapitaLand Development and City Developments on the former Liang Court's site and should be completed in 2025 - by a riverfront promenade situated on an existing road that separates the residential development from the river.
Swee Lee chief executive Kuok Meng Ru said its new outlet, spanning about 6,000 sq ft, will open in mid-2023.
“Given its central location, international recognition and historical significance, we saw the repositioning of CQ @ Clarke Quay as an exciting opportunity to expand Swee Lee’s footprint at home in Singapore,” he said.
He added that the new showroom will have a wide range of notable brands, and also have a click-and-collect counter that integrates online and offline shopping. Besides musical instruments, the store will have music lifestyle products and Swee Lee Social Club, a cafe and social event space.
A FairPrice spokesman said on Wednesday that the FairPrice Finest outlet will have a diverse range of products such as organic and deli foods at competitive prices, as well as basic daily essentials that are priced the same across all other FairPrice-operated supermarkets.
More details will be shared later in the year, he added.
