The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has announced that Tanjong Katong Complex, a commercial mall located at 845 Geylang Road, has been put up for sale. A Concept-Price tender to sell the 141,388 sq ft commercial site was launched on Oct 18. However, the sale of the land is subject to a 30-year lease.

The Concept-Price tender is a two-envelope system that judges applications based on their proposed concept for the site before the tender price is known. Successful concepts will then be evaluated based on their tender amounts.

The announcement of the sales tender was made by Maliki Osman, minister in the prime minister’s office and chairman of the Geylang Serai cultural belt steering committee, on Oct 18.

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The government’s intention to sell Tanjong Katong Complex is a reversal of its previous plan to renovate the commercial property. In 2021, it announced that the mall would be closed the following June for planned renovations that were supposed to take place in 2023.

Tanjong Katong Complex is a four-storey mall at the junction of Sims Avenue and Tanjong Katong Road. Built in 1982, the development has a gross floor area (GFA) of 204,514 sq ft. According to the latest Master Plan, the site has a plot ratio of 4.2, which translates to a maximum allowable GFA of 324,704 sq ft.

This means that the successful bidder could be allowed to build an annex building on the plot’s eastern edge, up to a maximum of five-storeys in height, to fully realise the site’s usable area, says SLA.

According to the conditions of the tender, the new development will retain its original name and will not be demolished during the 30-year lease.

SLA has also identified iconic design elements of the existing Tanjong Katong Complex which will be preserved. These include the slanted columns of the building’s façade facing Tanjong Katong Road and the four cylindrical-shaped structures at each corner of the building.

The winning concept must also demonstrate that it will retain the cultural heritage and historic connection to the Malay community, says SLA. Therefore, the tender requirements include setting aside 38,750 sq ft on the fourth floor of the existing Tanjong Katong Complex building for use by Medaki and MUIS – institutions that Osman describes as “critical to the Malay community”.

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A further 25,833 sq ft is required for the relocation of the Geylang East Public Library, and 16,146 sq ft of commercial space is reserved for Malay cultural trades and Malay entrepreneurial incubation spaces. These reserved spaces have been excluded from the sale.

In addition, 9,687 sq ft has been set aside for two outdoor public plazas. The government says that the People’s Association (PA) will work with the successful tenderer to host community events such as exhibitions, concerts, and the annual Geylang Serai Hari Raya Bazaar.

We want to make sure that we retained the heritage of the building, yet at the same time provide greater space for private operators who have experienced running malls to inject fresh ideas, said Osman at the launch of the tender.

The refreshed commercial spaces in Tanjong Katong Complex have been approved for services and amenities such as retail, restaurant, medical clinic and supermarket use. However, spa and massage establishments, night clubs, pubs, bars and the sale of alcohol will not be allowed on the site.

The rejuvenation of the Tanjong Katong Complex is part of the government’s broader plans to transform the Geylang Serai cultural belt, which were initially unveiled in 2018.

The tender for the sale of Tanjong Katong Complex will close on February 25, 2025. SLA plans to award the tender in 1H2025 and expects the completed development to open in 1H2029.

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