Conserved Orchard Road property up for first price and quality tender: SLA

THE Singapore Land Authority (SLA) on Tuesday said it would conduct the first-ever price and quality tender for the conserved state property at 26, 28, 30, 32 and 36 Orchard Road for commercial use.

This means that bids for the property will be assessed more holistically, with half the overall score for the bid price and half for the quality of the concept.

"Awarding the tender based on a price and quality evaluation serves to support diversified and creative use of state properties and the introduction of new business concepts," it said.

The property located along Orchard Road was gazetted for conservation in November 2000 due to its rich and diverse architectural style ranging from ornate and decorative classical features to simple Art Deco style.

Built after World War I, this last remaining street-block of buildings along Orchard Road is differentiated by its unique facades framed by circular columns with Corinthian Capital.

The quality of the proposed concept will be a key consideration in determining the winning bid and the site may not be awarded to the operator that submits the highest bid price, SLA said.

By doing so, SLA hopes to provide an expanded range of use for state properties, and to encourage greater entrepreneurship, while ensuring that heritage buildings are well preserved to benefit the community. This would strike a balance between preservation and functionality, it said.