Saturday, July 28, 2007

A new lease of life

The Original Boon Tiong Flats (Front)


The Original Boon Tiong Flats (Back Facing)

Taken for granted and treated as USELESS, these building are now in the spotlight again! Though old, they can still be useful and can be called upon to help Singapore retain her economic competitiveness!

See the excerpts from the mainstream newspaper reports:

From the Straits Times :
THE Housing and Development Board (HDB) is taking steps to increase the supply of flats amid growing demand.....The HDB is also working on a pilot project to lease vacated flats under the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) to the public in the short term......Next month, the HDB will call a tender for a managing agent to lease out 120 vacated Sers flats in Blocks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 at Tiong Bahru Road.

From TODAY newspaper:
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will lease 120 flats meant to be demolished under its en bloc scheme for public housing. HDB said the vacated flats in Tiong Bahru Road, part of the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) scheme, will be rented out to the public on a short-term basis......Mr Eugene Lim, assistant vice-president at ERA Singapore said, "The first batch is in Tiong Bahru Road. The location is quite central and would appeal to those looking for locations near the city. The Sers flats are in serviceable condition. As a short-term solution, it will work."

The Original Boon Tiong Flats (Back Facing)


The Original Boon Tiong Flats (Back Facing)


The Original Boon Tiong Flats (Back Facing)


The Original Boon Tiong Flats (Back Facing)

The NEW Boon Tiong Flats.

(Most of the residents in those short blocks in front moved into these few brand new tall blocks after SERS)

3 comments:

pinto said...

Hi Alvin,

Just want to say that I'm really impressed with your effort here.

You truly have a great feel for Tiong Bahru, and it shows! If I were ever to buy buy a flat there, or know someone who wants to - you're the man. =)

Cheers,
Kenneth

SGalf said...

Hi Kenneth,

Thanks for your compliments.

I sort of grew up in Tiong Bahru as my parents left me at my grandma's place during the day time. (The place they turned into the Lotus Block of the Link Hotel).

Though my work, I discovered that most people pop into the estate looking for a home because they thought it was just a convenient location and nothing more to that.

So I thought I needed to let them know that this is not ONLY "just a great location" but it is also a place that has an interesting past despite it's seemingly sleepy and laid back atmosphere.

I also hope that by getting more and more people becoming aware of this estate, it will increase the probability that the HDB side of the Tiong Bahru Estate will eventually be conserved.

It is the ignorant that are calling for the place to be demolished and I don't blame them as they do not share the kinda love I have for this estate.

So I guess the best way to get them to know it is to talk about it so that they can also see and feel for the place....like I do.
:-)

pinto said...

Thanks for sharing that, Alvin. I hope that your passion rubs off on the powers-that-be. =)

Keep up the posts!