Smith Street in Chinatown set for rejuvenation, with more curated offerings beyond retail, dining
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Smith Street, located in the Chinatown conservation area, will be rejuvenated by the Chinatown Business Association to inject vibrancy in the area and drive greater footfall there.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
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SINGAPORE – Visitors to Chinatown in the next few years can look forward to more curated offerings and experiences for both locals and tourists with the rejuvenation of Smith Street.
There will be more engaging and experiential community programmes, and diverse offerings such as creative lifestyle, retail as well as co-living and co-working concepts, while the area’s cultural and architectural heritage will be preserved and celebrated.
On Aug 14, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Urban Redevelopment Authority and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) awarded to Chinatown Business Association (CBA) the tender to refurbish and transform the shophouses from 11 to 37 Smith Street and the adjacent pedestrian mall on state land
The project has a total land area of 34,076 sq ft and an estimated gross floor area of 33,081 sq ft. CBA will be offered an upfront tenure of five years, renewable for a second term of four years, to facilitate better resource planning.
The association told The Straits Times that details of the new offerings will be announced later.
The tender, which was launched on Nov 30, 2023, and closed on March 20, attracted five bidders, including CBA which submitted the winning bid of $123,000.
Noontalk Media submitted the highest bid of $180,000. The other bids were $108,174 from Benlo Ventures, $68,177 from ABR Holdings and $53,000 from IGYM Fitness.
“CBA’s proposal of differentiated lifestyle concepts, complementary programmes and enhancements to the public realm aims to further promote local Chinese heritage and strengthen the identity of the area,” SLA said.
As a non-profit organisation with a diverse group of stakeholders, CBA has worked with its members and partners to contribute to the vibrancy of the Chinatown precinct, SLA added.
CBA was set up by Chinatown stakeholders, drawn from a cross-section of businesses, grassroots leaders and retailers, to serve and promote the business and community interests of stakeholders in the area.
Its executive director Lim Yick Suan told ST that it is in the process of reaching out to its partners and key stakeholders to kickstart the Smith Street Rejuvenation Project.
“CBA has been active in the precinct for over 20 years,” she said. “We have built and nurtured relationships, and this has afforded us a deep-rooted connection to the ground.”
In the past two decades, CBA has also taken on the mantle to promote the culture and heritage of Chinatown Singapore, with efforts ranging from wide-scale festival celebrations such as Five Footway Festival and Dumpling Festival, to themed markets, street activities, events and workshops.
“This experience is unique to CBA, and we hope to leverage our relationships in the community and knowledge of Chinatown Singapore’s heritage and culture to inject more vibrancy to Smith Street and Chinatown Singapore,” she added.
Ms Lim also said that given Singapore’s reputation as a food haven, CBA will be bringing in uniquely Singaporean food and beverage (F&B) as well as international food offerings, for both locals and tourists.
The Chinatown Food Street, which opened in Smith Street in 2001 as part of STB’s efforts to revitalise Chinatown, shuttered in October 2021
The Chinatown Food Street, which opened in Smith Street in 2001 as part of STB’s efforts to revitalise Chinatown, shuttered in October 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Mr Gordon Ang, marketing director of Kele Singapore, which is known for its pineapple tarts, said Chinatown has become quiet after the food street’s closure. He hopes that with the rejuvenation, the local F&B industry can step in to revive the food street and revitalise Chinatown.
“For now, locals and tourists have no compelling reason to visit Chinatown,” said Mr Ang, who has been running a flagship shop in Smith Street for seven years. “So far, we don’t have a food street known for local delicacies and food souvenirs.”
He added: “I hope Chinatown will be a must-visit for those who wish to find out more about our culture and heritage.”
Mr Govinda Singh, Colliers’ head of hotels and leisure and real estate advisory, said it was “no surprise” that the tender was awarded to a bidder who arguably knows the precinct well enough to rejuvenate it.
“Whilst not the most competitive bid, it does suggest that the plans proposed may well have been more aligned with SLA’s intentions for a more vibrant and inclusive area,” he told ST.
It would be interesting to see if the plans are strong enough to return the precinct to its bustling heyday, he added.
“This would ideally entail an eclectic mix of shops, attractions and F&B which appeals to both locals and tourists day and night, at various price points, blending seamlessly into the architectural and cultural heritage of the area,” he said.
Mr Alan Cheong, Savills Singapore’s executive director of research and consultancy, said it was a good call to select CBA for the rejuvenation task.
The key for CBA is to push for heavier foot traffic from complementary or non-competitive uses, and not supply the same goods and services that will compete with its members’ businesses in the vicinity. For example, organising cultural events and experiential programmes can create demand for the F&B offerings there, he said.
“CBA need not be a profit maximiser,” he noted. “As they represent businesses’ interests in the area, all they need to do is to earn a positive cash flow but, in return, create synergistic value for their members’ operations there.”
