General Info

[Flyboy 2000]

If it were to close, the smart business man would start buying up spots in Far East Plaza and Lucky Plaza and open up bars at reduced rents. Just shift the crowd down to another area and let that be the new hub.

Yes, I think Far East Plaza especially could be well suited to this, but maybe also some smaller bars on the top floors of Lucky Plaza. Not sure they'd be anything as big as your classic OT places, more like a smaller downmarket Brix. First KL's Beach Club shuts down, and now OT might follow. Sad times and yet another reason to hate on COVID!

[BigFourth]

Heard that orchard towers is kicking again with filthy Chinese masseuses soliciting single guys and explicitly offering HJ's to bypassers. Only this time they are much more desperate for obvious reasons.

Any on-ground info?

I live in Singapore near OT. What I found is the girls Hang out on the side of the building and conduct their business on the street. Not too many and not too late. I picked up a lovely Vietnamese gal this weekend this way this past weekend.

[Dg8787]

My interpretation of the article is that they are selling both buildings with the intention of having them demolished and replaced with one new complex. The large floor plate would be a great incentive to developers. Usually the value of two adjacent properties together is more than the sum of their individual values.

Of course to sell for the highest price would be to paint its value as a redevelopment project.

As around the world the true need for retail and office space post covid is unknown at the moment.

[Drbombay]

Sadly I'm not sure that's true. They shut down Paramount & it wasn't replaced, they shut down Duxton Hill & it wasn't replaced, they shut down Joo Chiat & it wasn't replaced & they moved all the girls from the streets of Geylang & they didn't pop up elsewhere. Orchard Towers is a unique instituion & it's highly unlikely to be replicated if it goes.

If it were to close, the smart business man would start buying up spots in Far East Plaza and Lucky Plaza and open up bars at reduced rents. Just shift the crowd down to another area and let that be the new hub.

[Night Shift]

LOL, something about "putting vampires in charge of the blood bank" springs to mind!

Seriously through, what do people think will become of all the bars if OT as we know it vanishes? Hard to imagine they will find another convenient space in Singapore where so many bars can be clustered together, maybe some might relocate to different premises but others might just shut down entirely. I'm sure the past 18 months hasn't been good for them anyway, financially, they might already be on the edge.

A couple of Filipino's from some of the BMD bars were in touch over the course of last year, most were hanging on hoping OT would open up again. Even a musician friend who played at one of the bars there stuck it out in Sg the whole of last yr till a few months back and has since moved back to Manila. All not good signs that OT is opening up like before anytime soon.

https://coconuts.co/singapore/lifest...towers-baliba/

[AussieGaigin]

I am not sure if eliminating the bars would be the business plan. Probably raising the bar's rent is more in the cards. To empty out the bars and pay for new tenant improvements to retenant could prove to be rather pretty costly.

The bars can maintain a profitable venture as long as they don't run scams.

My interpretation of the article is that they are selling both buildings with the intention of having them demolished and replaced with one new complex. The large floor plate would be a great incentive to developers. Usually the value of two adjacent properties together is more than the sum of their individual values.

[Flyboy 2000]

I am not sure if eliminating the bars would be the business plan. Probably raising the bar's rent is more in the cards. To empty out the bars and pay for new tenant improvements to retenant could prove to be rather pretty costly. The bars can maintain a profitable venture as long as they don't run scams.

They can, but you'd think a new owner would be disposed to pulling down OT as it is and replacing with the usual mix of shopping mall, commercial space and private condos, and renaming it in the process because the name Orchard Towers is pretty 'tainted' among locals.

[Dg8787]

LOL, something about "putting vampires in charge of the blood bank" springs to mind!

Seriously through, what do people think will become of all the bars if OT as we know it vanishes? Hard to imagine they will find another convenient space in Singapore where so many bars can be clustered together, maybe some might relocate to different premises but others might just shut down entirely. I'm sure the past 18 months hasn't been good for them anyway, financially, they might already be on the edge.

I am not sure if eliminating the bars would be the business plan. Probably raising the bar's rent is more in the cards. To empty out the bars and pay for new tenant improvements to retenant could prove to be rather pretty costly.

The bars can maintain a profitable venture as long as they don't run scams.

[The Tanuki]

Sadly I'm not sure that's true. They shut down Paramount & it wasn't replaced, they shut down Duxton Hill & it wasn't replaced, they shut down Joo Chiat & it wasn't replaced & they moved all the girls from the streets of Geylang & they didn't pop up elsewhere. Orchard Towers is a unique instituion & it's highly unlikely to be replicated if it goes.

Note that I didn't specify a building / location earlier. My comment was that the demand continues and thus we'll note that "where there's a willy, there's a way. " It just remains to be seen how the demand gets satisfied. Should be interesting to follow, albeit very remotely in my case.

TT.

[Mondeoman]

That would be a crying shame if it got sold and repurposed, but once the circuit breaker is gone, life will pop up again somewhere. The demand doesn't stop. Hehehe.

Sadly I'm not sure that's true. They shut down Paramount & it wasn't replaced, they shut down Duxton Hill & it wasn't replaced, they shut down Joo Chiat & it wasn't replaced & they moved all the girls from the streets of Geylang & they didn't pop up elsewhere. Orchard Towers is a unique instituion & it's highly unlikely to be replicated if it goes.

[Flyboy 2000]

With all the money mongers have saved from the lockdowns, they can all form a partnership and buy OT!

LOL, something about "putting vampires in charge of the blood bank" springs to mind!

Seriously through, what do people think will become of all the bars if OT as we know it vanishes? Hard to imagine they will find another convenient space in Singapore where so many bars can be clustered together, maybe some might relocate to different premises but others might just shut down entirely. I'm sure the past 18 months hasn't been good for them anyway, financially, they might already be on the edge.

[Dg8787]

I hope not, but looks like they're trying to make a go of selling OT.

https://officefinder.com.sg/orchard-...-en-bloc-sale/

With all the money mongers have saved from the lockdowns, they can all form a partnership and buy OT!

[The Tanuki]

I hope not, but looks like they're trying to make a go of selling OT.

https://officefinder.com.sg/orchard-...-en-bloc-sale/

That would be a crying shame if it got sold and repurposed, but once the circuit breaker is gone, life will pop up again somewhere. The demand doesn't stop. Hehehe.

All in all, I enjoyed OT from the Harry's that used to be there on the street. Great place to watch the working girls running in and out, and really it was a very good place to hook up with girls who weren't into the craziness inside OT, which was a big plus for me personally. Also the music was quite good. Ah, the good old days, right?

TT.

[Night Shift]

I hope not, but looks like they're trying to make a go of selling OT.

https://officefinder.com.sg/orchard-...-en-bloc-sale/

[Dizaster]

Heard that orchard towers is kicking again with filthy Chinese masseuses soliciting single guys and explicitly offering HJ's to bypassers. Only this time they are much more desperate for obvious reasons.

Any on-ground info?