Golden Mile Complex just might have a fighting chance in surviving the rapid waves of Singapore’s constant urban redevelopment. Slated to undergo an en bloc sale after its owners agreed to sell it off, the brutalist beauty off Beach Road is currently being considered for conservation.
A spokesperson from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) revealed to Coconuts Singapore that it has received a proposal to conserve Golden Mile Complex. Said proposal involves adding a new block next to the building while retaining the existing 16-story structure, The Business Times found out.
“URA has assessed the building to have heritage value, and is in the process of engaging the stakeholders to explore options to facilitate conservation,” the URA spokesperson noted to Coconuts Singapore, adding that further details are unable to be disclosed due to ongoing discussions.
Earlier in August, over 80 percent of the iconic step-terraced property’s owners signed a collective sale agreement, pushing to sell off the prime real estate to interested buyers with a reserve price of S$800 million. Formerly a glorious residential hot spot due to its clever design and glorious views of the Kallang Basin, it fell into disrepair after fires, violence and poor maintenance soured its image. Now, it holds a reputation for being a haven for authentic Thai food, shady KTV bars, and uh, glory holes.
Since the news of its impending demolition, a group of local architects and heritage specialists in Singapore have combined forces to petition URA to consider conservation statuses to Golden Mile Complex and People’s Park Complex in Chinatown, also due for a potential en bloc sale. Both buildings are post-independence landmarks and its owners have shown intentions to sell the properties instead of preserving architectural history.
“Modern architecture, dating from our recent past, is a significant aspect of our built heritage, and we have selectively conserved a number of such buildings,” assured the URA spokesman.
“Where there are strong support and merits for conservation, we will work with the relevant stakeholders to facilitate the process.”
