For many years, the historic site of the Johore Battery in Changi lay abandoned and increasingly decrepit. Now, after ten months of redevelopment, the area is home to a pair of bars and dining facilities.
(The development of Changi continues. Image courtesy of Andrew Yee, via Singapore Tourism Board.)
Armed with a budget of $200,000, Cosford Holdings set about rejuvenating the site. Francis Ng, who owns the company, aimed to turn it into a rustic area for entertainment. He explains that the area was practically empty at first, and there was “just a monster gun and a rundown house infested with termites and a leaking roof.”
Built in 1939 by the British, the Johore Guns aimed to defend Singapore against invasion. The old models were destroyed when the Japanese invaded in 1942, but have been rebuilt as an attraction for diners. The restaurant, called Bunker, allows patrons to examine a 15-inch shell designed for the massive artillery piece, as well as examine a nearby ammunition bunker.
Only a few hundred metres from Bunker, a Chinese seafood restaurant is also set to open in the coming weeks. Situated at the Abingdon Work Release Camp, the eatery was ‘tricky’ to retrofit, admits owner Mr. Ng, as the historic zones of the area could not be disturbed in order to comply with the rules of the SIA tender. He added that the site will soon see the addition of a souvenir shop.
Optimistic about the potential of this relatively untouched region, he feels that the lack of a city environment, such as high-rise buildings, will attract consumers looking for peace and quiet away from the centre. If the plans for the areas redevelopment are successful, it could see a boom in Changi’s lifestyle establishments, similar to the gentrification of now-upmarket zones like Dempsey and Rochester Park.
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Related Categories: Daily Property News and Updates, Non-Residential
Tags: Changi, commercial property, Cosford Holdings, dempsey, Johor, Johore, Johore Battery, Johore Guns, Real Estate, Rochester Park, singapore property, Singapore real estate
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