Major Overhaul for Iconic CBD Building to Begin in 2023, Impacting Affordable Dining
SINGAPORE: Clifford Centre, located in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District (CBD), will close by the end of 2022 for a significant refurbishment, with work set to commence in 2023. The closure will affect office workers who rely on the building’s affordable food and drink options, as several F&B tenants will be relocating.
The Singapore Land Group (SingLand), which owns the 29-storey building in Raffles Place, is assisting its tenants in finding new spaces within its other properties. One notable tenant, The Real One Teh Tarik & Indian Food, will be relocating to the nearby CIMB Plaza on December 15, moving from Clifford Centre where the stall has been paying S$6,000 a month in rent. The new location, however, will cost S$9,500 a month. Despite this, the stall owner noted that rent at Clifford Centre has only increased “marginally” over the last decade.
The redevelopment of Clifford Centre will include a 36% increase in its gross floor area, expanding to 492,000 sq ft of office space and 52,000 sq ft of retail space. Originally built in 1977, the building will undergo extensive renovations under plans announced in May 2022. Following the redevelopment, the building’s height may increase up to 50 storeys, in line with the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Master Plan 2019, which allows for a gross plot ratio of 15.
The planned refurbishment will undoubtedly change the landscape of the CBD, with office workers expressing concern over the loss of affordable dining options. Many hope that the tenants will eventually return once the building reopens.
