“We thought, after two years of study, they might change their minds,” said Jan Pek, who owns the Handlebar biker’s bar at Gillman Barracks. They did not. On July 10, the government confirmed that the former military site off Alexandra Road will make way for housing once the tenancies run out in 2030.
Pek opened Handlebar at the site in 1999 and has built what she calls a loyal customer base over nearly three decades. She is 57. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone,” she said. “I don’t think we have the energy to rebuild and continue, or work for the next 10 years to be able to break even.” She told The Straits Times she may have to close for good if she cannot find a new location, and she hopes the authorities will help businesses in the area relocate.
What is planned
The Housing and Development Board finished environmental and heritage studies before the decision. Singapore first said in March 2024 that it was looking at a residential neighbourhood there. HDB now plans to largely retain four clusters it describes as the most historically and architecturally significant parts of the site, though at least 10 hectares of forest could be cleared. Retained buildings may be put to use for shops and amenities for the new residents.
No timeline for the housing has been set. The Singapore Land Authority says the site has 11 arts tenants and 13 food and beverage or lifestyle tenants, and their tenancies expire progressively by the second quarter of 2030. The authority said development plans will not shorten any of them.
The housing site covers about 40 hectares and takes in more than the galleries and bars. The Academy of Singapore Teachers on Malan Road, ISS International School and an archery range sit inside it. Ministry of Education staff at the academy will leave by the end of 2026.
The people who built it
Gillman Barracks was a British military garrison before it became an arts precinct in 2012. Tenants say the community took years to grow. Theresia Irma, general manager of Mizuma Gallery, said people once felt intimidated walking into the galleries, but she now sees more young people and families on weekends. “It’s great to have a place like this to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city,” she said.
The money side is harder. Ewan Wong, who runs lifestyle operations for byDIDI, said the group has put a six-figure sum into the Southern Depot and is worried about getting it back. A shortened timeframe, he said, already means a loss of at least 30 to 40 per cent on its initial capital spending. Uncertainty has also made it harder to bring in partners.
Colin Wan of the non-profit Art Outreach is searching for a new space and finding little. “A lot of the industrial places, they are not very accessible,” he said. “But if you go to non-industrial spaces, then the rent will be too high.” Audiences at Art Outreach during last year’s Singapore Art Week doubled from 2024.
Roger Yip, 34, co-founder of the bar Hopscotch, said his company knew when it signed its 2021 lease that the land was slated for development. The lease ends in 2028, and he said he would “certainly” extend it if allowed.
Stephanie Fong, founding director of FOST Gallery, which has been at Gillman since 2012, put it plainly. “I have always known that we are living on borrowed time,” she said. She is urging people to visit while they can. Gillman Barracks will anchor the arts district for Singapore Gallery Month in August.
Sources
- Gillman Barracks businesses to wait and see, as tenancies wind down ahead of redevelopment
- Gillman Barracks tenants disappointed as site set to make way for housing after 2030
