There are four low-rise blocks of public housing, not more than five storeys high, at the junction of East Coast Road and Siglap Road. These flats were built in 1962 by the Housing and Development Board (HDB), one of their first public housing, for the affected residents of a big fire at Siglap.
Sparked off by firecrackers near the famous Siglap Market during the celebration of the Chinese New Year in 1962, the flames quickly spread to the nearby kampong and engulfed 50 attap houses. With hundreds of residents in the vicinity left homeless, the HDB moved in quickly to build the Siglap blocks at the site of the destroyed kampong to house the victims.
When the flats were completed, they were standing near the the coastline. The sea and beach, however, had disappeared when East Coast was being reclaimed in the mid-sixties.
Block 1 to 3 are owned by the residents, whereas Block 4 is a block made up of rental units. All the blocks are without lifts, and consist of two-bedroom units.
The region around East Coast Road is considered a prime area as it is largely made up of private housings and condominiums. These four blocks of flats are the only public housing here, with the nearest public estates of Marine Parade and Bedok more than 1km away. Thus it is inevitable that this small aging neighbourhood, with mostly elderly residents, will be selected for the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS).
Many residents have made this quiet neighbourhood their homes for decades, and have expressed reluctance to move. However, they are expected to shift out before 2015 to their new replacement flats at Chai Chee Road.
The nine rental shops and an eatery at this small estate will also be affected by the SERS program. One of the shops, a traditional barber shop, has been operating here for 42 years. With declining business and poor health, the 61-year-old barber is considering retirement in another three years’ time when the estate is due for demolition.
For other public housing affected by SERS, read Singapore En-bloc Flats.
Published: 28 November 2011
Updated: 19 May 2013
i used to play around this location as my dad owned a shop there previously.. sold it to a couple of doctors who are using it as a clinic.. “siglap medical clinic” nostalgic..
I believe there could be some more of such few storey flats in commonwealth area…
As kids, my classmates and I use to go this place for bicycle repairs.
There were zinc room houses and small shops – those were the good old days.
In the late fifties there were kampong attap houses and the sea came in where Marine Parade Road is: and I used to go there to pick seashells and watched the Malay & Chinese fishermen row out to sea in their sampans in early evenings. The beach was so pristine then .
In the sixties there was a Malay barber shop at the corner of the block and occasionally I saw former MP Rahim Ishak there having a crop. Those were happy and sleepy old days.
I did that too…
Used to swim in the sea and fish at the jetty at Marine Parade in the ’50s. We walked from home in Tembeling Road. Taking shortcuts to the beach, it would take only 5 minutes. Parkway Parade is now on the site where we swam. We also have fond memories of the kachang puteh man and the fruit seller (drinks, too) on the other side of the road. 10 c for a cone of nuts.
Many thanks for a most enjoyable site.
I rented a flat here a few years ago. The flats are not two-bedroom flats, but two-room flats: one hall, one bedroom (plus one kitchen, one bathroom). However there is one unit where someone has bought adjoining flats and renovated them into a larger unit.
I’m enjoying exploring your blog. Thanks for the meticulous and tireless work!
I often been to East Coast Road but I cannot find the flats. Where is it?
Corner of Upper East Coast Road and Siglap Road. Opposite Siglap Centre and kitty-corner from the new Siglap V (under construction).
I remember those flats as we used to live at Jln Tua Kong which is in Siglap. Mum and I would go to the Siglap market (wet one) which was opposite the road from these flats. Remember these flats particularly as Dad was supposed to have applied for them but did NOT. Mum reminded him of his ‘error’ many times!
Our house was at 846 East Coast Rd by the huge angsanna tree , It then became the PAP house…used to rents the bicyles & galavented all over Siglap kampong…
Siglap market had wonderful food at the back of the wet market
I think there is a mistake. SIT had closed down in 1961. Could these flats built by HDB? They look like HDB’s design.
Thanks.
It’s funny that I have categorised this under HDB at http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/from-villages-to-flats-part-2/ yet made the mistake here…
Finally it’s time to say goodbye….
http://business.asiaone.com/news/property/hard-old-timers-say-goodbye
The fire that destroyed 50 attap houses at Siglap on 5 February 1962, the first day of Chinese New Year, and ultimately led to the construction of these low-rise HDB flats to house the victims
The newly built flats in the 1960s… Things didn’t change much in the past 50 years