Tanjong Katong Complex put up for sale; some tenants will have to specialise in Malay trades

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has put Tanjong Katong Complex up for sale on a 30-year lease, with the tender open for about four months from Friday (Oct 18). 
The building is a familiar landmark within the Geylang Serai area. When rejuvenated, Tanjong Katong Complex will have “dedicated spaces for Malay trades” to preserve the area’s rich cultural value, said SLA.
“The successful tenderer will oversee the management of the property, and dedicate space to tenants specialising in Malay trades to ensure the continued focus on celebrating, supporting, and sustaining Malay heritage trades and values,” said SLA.
Dr Maliki Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and chairman of the Geylang Serai Cultural Belt Steering Committee, said that many young people set up shops at annual Ramadan bazaars, and he hopes parts of Tanjong Katong Complex can be used to nurture some of these businesses. 
For example, there could be three-month leases for people to try out their business ideas.
“We want to create a vibrant space that young Malay entrepreneurs feel like, TKC is also a place for me to try my business,” he told reporters at a media briefing.
At least 1,500 sq m of space must be allocated to Malay cultural trades and entrepreneurial incubation spaces. This is the same amount of space that was previously taken up by Malay businesses.
“If the ecosystem evolves and it … attracts a lot more young Malay trades, all well and good, because we do want that to happen,” Dr Maliki added.
The complex will also house the MENDAKI headquarters, an Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) office and a public library. 
Iconic features of the building will be retained, including the slanted columns facing Tanjong Katong Road, and four cylindrical shaped structures at each corner of the building.
This initiative aligns with the “broader vision” to transform the Geylang Serai area, said SLA.
Having important Malay/Muslim offices in Tanjong Katong Complex will underscore the commitment to making Geylang Serai a distinctive cultural belt, Dr Maliki said.
“(We want to) see a vibrant precinct that is attractive enough for people from all walks of life – the Malay community sees it as the heart of the community, yet it is the pride of all Singaporeans,” he added.
The developer must also provide outdoor public plazas for community events such as exhibitions, concerts and bazaars, as well as improve connectivity for pedestrians. 
The minimum gross floor area is 19,000 sq m, which is the existing floor area of Tanjong Katong Complex. Developers can propose an annexe building of up to five storeys, with a total maximum gross floor area of 30,166 sq m.
In 2021, SLA announced that the complex would be closed for major upgrading from the second half of 2023. Since then, SLA and other agencies have studied different options and decided to put the building up for sale.
“We thought that might give new life and new perspective,” said Dr Maliki, who added that a private operator is likely to be more effective than government officials in putting together a tenant mix. 
“Business people know how to run businesses well enough,” he said. “We curate the parameters broadly and clearly for them, (then) we leave it to them.”
With a good understanding of the culture and history, what comes out should be something quite different from the neighbouring Paya Lebar Quarter, he added.
Mr Wang Wei, director of land sales at SLA, said MUIS, MENDAKI and the library are “building blocks” for the rejuvenated Tanjong Katong Complex. “These are the pluses that will really make this building very distinctive, and we really hope that the prospective tenderer will come in, recognise these attributes and hence, curate accordingly.”
The tender will close on Feb 25, 2025. Those interested will have to submit a concept proposal and a tender price to SLA.
The concept proposals will first be evaluated before the bids for shortlisted proposals are considered. The highest bid will win the tender, and it should be announced by the first half of 2025.
SLA said it expects renovations at Tanjong Katong Complex to be completed by the first half of 2029, three years later than initially announced. 
“Although there’s been (a) slight delay, it is a worthwhile time spent to reflect on what better outcomes we can look out, for compared to our earlier iteration,” said Dr Maliki.