Shenton Way

Last updated
Shenton Way
Road
Singapore - Shenton Way IMG 9664.jpg
TE19 Shenton Way MRT Exit 1 (before opening) 20211118 133300.jpg
Skyscrapers above Shenton Way (top) and Shenton Way MRT station (bottom)
Shenton Way
Location in Singapore
Coordinates: 1°16′40″N103°51′02″E / 1.2778°N 103.8505°E / 1.2778; 103.8505
Country Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore
Planning Area Central Area
Boundaries Boon Tat Street, Raffles Quay, Commerce Street and Keppel Road

Shenton Way is a major trunk road serving Singapore's Central Area and is most commonly known for the commercial skyscrapers flanking both sides of the road. The road is a one-way street that starts at the junction of Boon Tat Street, Raffles Quay and Commerce Street before ending at Keppel Road.

Contents

History

Planning and construction

In January 1948, the British colonial government announced a development scheme in the Telok Ayer reclamation area, consisting of the development of 250,000 square feet (23,000 m2) of state land and the extension of Raffles Quay from Boon Tat Street to Prince Edward Road. [1] The construction of the Raffles Quay extension was also recommended to the government in a special committee's report in September 1948, [2] to improve connectivity between the central area and the harbour and to allow for the development of reclaimed land between Tanjong Pagar and Finalyson Green. [3] Work on the extension's first phase between Raffles Quay and Prince Edward Road had commenced by December 1950, while construction of the second phase linking Prince Edward Road to Singapore Harbour was expected to commence in 1951. [4]

The first section of the road was opened to traffic in August 1951 by the then-Governor of Singapore Franklin Gibson. Consisting of two 27 feet (8.2 m) carriageways, the road was named "Shenton Way" after Shenton Thomas, to show appreciation for his service to Singapore during his tenure as Governor. [3] Plans for the second phase of construction, connecting the initial section with the harbour, were submitted for approval in July 1951, [5] and it was completed in 1952. [6]

Initial development plans

In February 1952, the colonial government initiated a development scheme in the area, offering 17 plots of land along Shenton Way and Robinson Road for sale on 99-year leases. These plots were leased out on the condition that ten-storey buildings with a uniform exterior design and finish, and conforming to government regulations on their construction and use, were built on them within a four-year window. [7]

The plots were auctioned off to developers in March 1952 at over $3,900,000, in what the Straits Times described as a "record auction". [8] Nevertheless, problems soon arose with the scheme, as several developers were unable to have their building plans approved since the minimum building cost of $1,000,000 set by the lease conditions exceeded the $50,000 limit under the Control of Building Ordinance. [9] Development resumed after the government announced the loosening of most restrictions set by the ordinance, [10] but hit another snag when developers were unable to find solid rock for foundations. [11] A diamond-headed drill from Britain and a specialist from Australia was brought in by a developer to assist in the process, [12] finding solid rock and underground water under the site. [13] The depth of the rock, along with the underground water, necessitated the use of more expensive precast piles, driving up building cost. [14]

By September 1953, only two developers had started construction, while several others were contemplating abandoning development, owing to the onset of a recession, and high construction costs. [15] Subsequently, in June 1954, the government took back 11 of the auctioned plots from the developers, as the developers had not commenced construction within the stipulated two-year period. [16]

New development plans for the area were announced by the government in January 1956, comprising the construction of the Singapore Polytechnic and of government offices. [17] Work on the polytechnic commenced on in August 1956, [18] and it started classes in November 1958, [19] but the government office project was cancelled by the government in April 1958, due to a trade recession. [20] In addition, the Trade Union House, the National Trades Union Congress's headquarters, was built along Shenton Way from 1962 to 1965. [21]

Subsequent development

By 1963, much of the land in Singapore's central business district, between Raffles Place, High Street, and North Bridge Road, had been developed, and according to The Straits Times, property developers had asked the Singapore government about development of the Shenton Way area. In response, in October 1963, the government announced plans to allow private interests to develop a site along Shenton Way, beside the Trade Union House, for "administrative uses". [22] The site, subdivided into four plots, was let out on 99-year leases in 1964. [23]

Since the 1950s, Shenton Way has become known as Singapore's Wall Street, especially after commercial developments and government offices were built there from the 1970s onwards and continues to be a prime commercial address on par with that of Raffles Place today.

Public transport

Buses

The Shenton Way Bus Terminal is located at 31 Shenton Way.

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

The road is directly served by its namesake Shenton Way station on the Thomson–East Coast line (TEL), located on Park Street next to the Asia Square building. Other stations within the vicinity include Downtown station on the Downtown line (DTL) and the upcoming Prince Edward Road station on the Circle line (CCL), located at the end of the road towards Keppel.

Buildings along Shenton Way

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ang Mo Kio</span> Planning Area and HDB Town in North-East Region ----, Singapore

Ang Mo Kio is a planning area and residential town situated in the North-East of Singapore. Located approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) north of the Downtown Core district, Ang Mo Kio is the 3rd most populated planning area in the North-East Region and ranks 8th in terms of population in the country overall. The planning area is located at the south-western corner of the North-East Region, bordered by the planning areas of Yishun to the north, Sengkang to the north-east, Serangoon to the east, Bishan to the south and the Central Water Catchment to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City Hall MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

City Hall MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the North South line (NSL) and East West line (EWL). Situated in the Downtown Core district of Singapore, it is underneath Stamford Road near the road junctions with North Bridge Road and St Andrew's Road. The station is near landmarks such as the City Hall, Raffles City, the Padang, St Andrew's Cathedral and The Cenotaph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raffles Place MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Raffles Place MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the North South Line (NSL) and East West Line (EWL) in Singapore. Located in the Downtown Core, the station is underneath Raffles Place, the centre of Singapore's financial district, south of the Singapore River. The station serves various landmarks including Merlion Park and the Asian Civilisations Museum and various commercial buildings such as One Raffles Place and OCBC Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outram Park MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Outram Park MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station in Singapore. The station is on the East–West, North East and Thomson–East Coast lines, and located on the boundary of Bukit Merah and Outram planning areas, near the junction of Outram Road, Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road. It is the closest MRT station to Singapore General Hospital, the Police Cantonment Complex, Outram Community Hospital and the Health Promotion Board. Included in the early plans of the MRT network in 1982, it was constructed as part of the Phase I MRT segment from Novena, and was to be completed by December 1987. Following the opening of the Thomson–East Coast Line on 13 November 2022, Outram Park station became a triple-line interchange, joining the Marina Bay and Dhoby Ghaut stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marina Bay MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Marina Bay MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the North South (NSL), Circle (CCL) and Thomson–East Coast (TEL) lines in Singapore. Located in the Downtown Core district near Marina Bay, the station serves the Marina One Residences, Marina Bay Suites and the Marina Bay Financial Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Coast Park</span> Beach park in the eastern part of Singapore

East Coast Park is a beach and a park on the southeastern coast of Singapore. It stretches along the south of Marine Parade, Bedok and Tampines. It was opened in the 1970s, after the Singapore government had completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong, from Kallang to Changi. While serves the needs of communities in the east, other Singapore residents do visit the park for sports, recreation, and food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AXA Tower</span> Commercial in Downtown Core, Singapore

AXA Tower, also known as 8 Shenton Way and formerly The Treasury and Temasek Tower, is the 16th-tallest skyscraper in the city of Singapore, at 234.7 m (770 ft), and the tallest cylindrical building in the world. It is currently in the process of demolition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UOB Plaza</span> Commercial offices in Downtown Core, Singapore

United Overseas Bank Plaza is a commercial complex that consists of twin tower late-modernist skyscrapers in Singapore. UOB Plaza One was one of the three tallest in the city, sharing the title with the OUB Centre and Republic Plaza, although it is now the second tallest since the completion of Tanjong Pagar Centre in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic Plaza (Singapore)</span> Commercial property, Retail in Raffles Place, Singapore

Republic Plaza is a skyscraper in Downtown Core, Singapore. It comprises two towers and a 10-storey podium. The first tower, Republic Plaza I, has 66 floors and a height of 280 metres (920 ft), and has a varying octagonal-cross section, while its interior allows for flexible space usage by tenants. The second tower, Republic Plaza II, is 23 stories tall, while the podium contains a three-floor retail area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orchard MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Orchard MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the North South (NSL) and Thomson–East Coast (TEL) lines. Situated along Orchard Boulevard and underneath ION Orchard, the station serves various commercial and retail developments of the Orchard Road shopping district, including Liat Towers, Ngee Ann City, Wheelock Place, Wisma Atria and Shaw House, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bugis MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Bugis MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the East West (EWL) and Downtown (DTL) lines. Situated in Bugis, Singapore, the station is underneath the junction of Rochor Road and Victoria Street. Various developments surrounding the station include Bugis Junction, Raffles Hospital and the National Library. The station is also close to Kampung Glam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Library, Singapore</span> Singapores national public library

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanjong Pagar MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Tanjong Pagar MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the East West line located at Maxwell Road between the junctions of Peck Seah Street and Cecil Street in Downtown Core, Singapore. The station was built in the 1980s, and was opened in December 1987. Taking its name from Tanjong Pagar Road, which is located near the station, it is located near Tanjong Pagar Complex, the AXA Tower and International Plaza.

The Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) is a former government organisation that was responsible for urban planning and urban renewal in Singapore. Formally established in 1927 under the Singapore Improvement Ordinance, it was modelled after similar organisations in India. The SIT initially carried out back lane improvement schemes and marking out unsanitary buildings for demolition, but began constructing public housing from 1935. After 1945, the SIT initially focused its efforts on the repair of its residential developments. It resumed constructing public housing in 1947 but was unable to keep up with demand. The SIT was also involved in the development of a "Master Plan", which set out Singapore's developmental direction, from 1952 to 1958. In the late 1950s, plans were set out to replace the SIT with two departments—housing and planning—culminating in two bills that were passed in 1959. With the establishment of the successor organisations by the government of Singapore, the Housing and Development Authority and the Planning Authority, in 1960, the SIT was dissolved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicoll Highway</span>

Nicoll Highway is a major arterial road in Singapore which links the junctions of Guillemard Road, Sims Way and Mountbatten Road in Kallang to the junctions of Esplanade Drive, Raffles Avenue and Stamford Road in the city. En route, it passes through the areas of Kallang, Kampong Glam and Marina Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore Conference Hall</span>

The Singapore Conference Hall is a multipurpose building located in Shenton Way of Singapore. It was gazetted as a national monument on 28 December 2010.

Swan & Maclaren Architects is a Singaporean architectural and industrial design firm. One of the oldest architectural firms in the country, it was formerly known as Swan & Maclaren and Swan & Lermit, and was one of the most prominent architectural firms in Singapore when it was a crown colony during the early 20th century. The firm has designed numerous iconic heritage buildings in Singapore as well as Malaysia.

Van Kleef Aquarium was an oceanarium located along River Valley Road, at the foot of Fort Canning Hill, in Singapore. Fully air-conditioned, the aquarium had 6,500 animals at the time of opening, which were housed in freshwater, seawater, and swamp tanks respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Raffles Place</span> Commercial offices, Retail in Downtown Core, Singapore

One Raffles Place is a skyscraper in Downtown Core, Singapore. The development comprises two towers and a podium. The 280 m (920 ft) tall Tower One and the 38-storey Tower Two house offices, while the podium contains retail space. Initially conceived in the late 1970s as Overseas Union Bank Centre, the headquarters of Overseas Union Bank (OUB), work on the building began in 1981, while construction of the superstructure subsequently commenced in October 1984. Costing S$486 million to build, OUB Centre opened in two phases in June and December 1986, and 90% of its office space was occupied upon opening. At the time of its completion, The Business Times claimed that the complex's tower was the tallest in the world outside the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenton Way Bus Terminal</span> Bus terminal in Downtown Core, Singapore

Shenton Way Bus Terminal is a bus terminal in Singapore. It is located along its namesake road, Shenton Way, in Downtown Core. The first iteration of the bus terminal was opened on 20 June 1987, before being relocated twice in order to make way for other development works. The bus terminal was first moved to Palmer Road in 2010, before being shifted to its present location along Shenton Way in 2017.

References

  1. ↑ "1,000,000 sq.ft. of offices planned". The Straits Times . Singapore. 15 January 1948. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  2. ↑ "Colony Redevelopment Scheme". The Straits Times. Singapore. 6 September 1948. p. 5. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  3. 1 2 "Governor opens Shenton Way". The Singapore Free Press. Singapore. 3 August 1951. p. 1. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  4. ↑ "$1,000,000 face. lift for waterfront". Malaya Tribune. 28 December 1950. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023.
  5. ↑ "An 'impressive facade' wanted". The Straits Times. Singapore. 22 July 1951. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  6. ↑ "Extension To Shenton Way". Singapore Standard. Singapore. 5 September 1952. p. 3. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  7. ↑ "Multi-million $ skyline planned for city". Singapore Standard. Singapore. 7 February 1952. p. 3. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  8. ↑ "Bank bids $742,000 for a lease on Crown land". The Straits Times. Singapore. 7 March 1952. p. 5. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  9. ↑ "Shenton Way: buyers have paid $3.9 m." The Singapore Free Press. Singapore. 30 July 1952. p. 1. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  10. ↑ "Shenton Way men will try again". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 7. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  11. ↑ "Shenton Way is facing a new crisis". The Straits Times. Singapore. 26 August 1952. p. 4. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  12. ↑ "Special drill for Shenton Way site rock foundation probe". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 5. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  13. ↑ "He drilled for rock and found sweet water". The Straits Times. Singapore. 31 December 1952. p. 8. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  14. ↑ "Big water menace under Shenton Way sends costs soaring". The Straits Times. Singapore. 26 June 1953. p. 8. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  15. ↑ "Shenton scheme may flop". The Singapore Free Press. Singapore. 23 September 1953. p. 17. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  16. ↑ "Shenton Way skyscraper scheme flops". The Straits Times. Singapore. 6 June 1954. p. 3. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  17. ↑ "Poly will be at Telok Ayer". The Straits Times. Singapore. 4 January 1956. p. 5. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  18. ↑ "Poly building to start soon". The Straits Times. Singapore. 2 April 1956. p. 4. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  19. ↑ "300 poly pioneers start classes". The Straits Times. Singapore. 4 November 1958. p. 9. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  20. ↑ "Colony shelves five major projects". Straits Budget. Singapore. 23 April 1958. p. 10. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  21. ↑ "$4m. Trade Union House to be ready for NTUC meet". The Straits Times. Singapore. 28 June 1965. p. 4. Archived from the original on 24 December 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  22. ↑ Chia, Poteik (18 October 1963). "Hotels with a view for Shenton Way". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 11. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.
  23. ↑ "Tenders called for purchase of state land". The Straits Times. Singapore. 15 April 1964. p. 11. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023– via NewspaperSG.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.