Marina Square closure: 5 things about the 40-year-old mall

SINGAPORE – Marina Square shopping centre will close on March 31, 2027, for a redevelopment that will include features such as luxury residences, serviced apartments and offices with a gross floor area of more than 360,000 sq m.

The revamp, slated for completion in 2031, will also have a 304-key hotel that will place guests close to the Marina Bay area, property developer Singapore Land Group (SingLand) said in a statement on Sept 1.

Here are five things to know about the 40-year-old mall that was built on partially reclaimed land.

1. Originally called ‘Marina Centre’

The Marina Square complex of three hotels and a two-level shopping mall was completed in 1986 and opened officially in 1988.

Once dubbed the “largest shopping complex in South-east Asia”, the project was then one of three giant complexes built on the partly reclaimed area around the Beach Road and Bras Basah Road intersection.

It was originally named “Marina Centre” but was changed to “Marina Square” in late 1983 as it occupied only a part of the 50ha reclaimed land known as Marina Centre, the now-defunct newspaper Singapore Monitor reported in May 1985.

2. Great vantage point

The current Marina Square is flanked by three hotels – Mandarin Oriental Singapore, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay and Pan Pacific Singapore.

Accessible by the City Hall, Esplanade and Promenade MRT stations, the mall is a stone’s throw away from Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, the Singapore Flyer and the Gardens by the Bay.

It also serves as a vantage point for several major events held in the vicinity.

Spectators keen on a piece of Formula One action stood on the four-storey staircase at Marina Square to catch a portion of the race circuit opposite the Esplanade.

People with no tickets to the National Day Parade at Marina Bay gathered and watched the parade from a staircase in Marina Square.

3. Iconic steps

The steps leading to Marina Square used to be a popular meet-up place in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

It was also a spot where people just sat and chilled while enjoying the sunset.

4. Food paradise, playgrounds, cinemas and more

The mall currently houses more than 200 shops comprising F&B, fashion, children and lifestyle concepts over five levels.

It launched a food wing branded as The Dining Edition in July 2013 as part of its redevelopment. The Dining Edition has restaurants, bistros and a food hall.

A new wing was completed in the last quarter of 2015 and features a brand new facade, an Outdoor Piazza and The Roof Garden at Level 3.

Some retail concepts in the new wing include Pororo Park, an indoor edutainment playground with a cafe and a toy store, and Kiztopia, an indoor playground with 18 play zones.

Marina Leisureplex, an addition to Marina Square, was opened in 1996, with cinema operator Golden Village (GV) as its anchor operator with six screens. GV vacated the space in 2014 and moved to Suntec City the same year.

5. Home to retail giants

Marina Square’s anchor tenants during the late 1980s and 1990s included department stores Tokyu and Metro.

John Little relocated its flagship store to Marina Square in 2007 before it was closed in 2015.