As per the Tiong Bahru Masterplan, many positive changes have occurred.
Over the past decade, Tiong Bahru has been transformed from a sleepy mature estate to Singapore’s favourite hipster hotspot, and one of the most sought-after residential areas on the island.
Tiong Bahru belongs to the Bukit Merah Planning Area and is located in between Queenstown and Redhill. Before its development into a housing estate, it served as the site of a number of cemeteries until it was earmarked for development in 1925.
Many of the present-day Tiong Bahru flats were built in the distinctive Streamline Moderne style, while shophouses were constructed in the Straits Settlements style that is now iconic in Singapore.
Until 1939, land in the area was expensive and only the wealthy were able to afford residences there. However, from 1936 to 1954, about 2,000 units of three to five storeys each were built to tackle the housing shortage, and the area became much more affordable. Tiong Bahru Market, which was built in 1955, became a landmark in the area. It was replaced with a new building in 2006.
What’s in Tiong Bahru
Today, Tiong Bahru is known for its fashionable cafes, bars and independent boutiques, which have turned it into a lifestyle hotspot that appears frequently on Instagram feeds. Residents also enjoy a slew of amenities such as a shopping mall and park.
At Delta Sports Complex and Swimming Complex, residents enjoy the use of the ActiveSG gym, hockey pitch, sports hall and swimming pools at low prices.
Tiong Bahru is one of the most convenient residential neighbourhoods in terms of transportation options and distance to the CBD.
Tiong Bahru MRT station is on the East-West MRT Line. Outram Park MRT station, which connects commuters on the East-West Line to the North-East Line and North-South Line, is just one stop away.
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Tiong Bahru in the next 10 years
Although Tiong Bahru is a mature estate, there are numerous upgrading plans on the drawing board, according to the URA Master Plan 2014.
A slew of new facilities is being developed at the Outram Medical Campus, including the upcoming Outram Community Hospital, which is expected to open its doors in 2020, and will join the National Heart Centre and The Academia, which houses research labs and training and education facilities.
The upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line on the MRT network will offer greater connectivity via Outram Park MRT interchange and Havelock MRT station. The TEL will be opened in stages beginning in 2019.
Finally, the Bukit Merah Planning Area will be connected by the upcoming cycling network, which will link it to the city and neighbouring towns.
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