Trendale Tower relaunched at S$168 million guide price

Knight Frank is marketing the 21,709 square foot Cairnhill site at about S$2,248 per square foot per plot ratio, including a 7% bonus gross floor area for balconies. The development could be rebuilt as either a new residential project or a long-stay serviced apartment under the Serviced Apartment 2, or SA2, scheme, with the Urban Redevelopment Authority said to have indicated support for that use subject to approval.

That optionality is part of the appeal. Singapore’s property market has shown that capital tends to gravitate toward assets with multiple exit routes, whether that means selling units, operating serviced accommodation or holding a freehold block for recurring income. In a market where buyers are increasingly focused on flexibility and yield, that kind of redevelopment potential can be worth as much as the land itself.

The timing is also telling. Trendale Tower has been marketed before, including in 2022 at a higher S$178 million guide price, and even earlier in 2018 at about S$163.5 million, without finding a buyer. Yet the surrounding Newton precinct is being refreshed, with roughly 5,000 new homes planned across nearby subzones, and recent state land tenders in the area have drawn solid bidding interest. That suggests there is still appetite for well-placed sites, even if developers are not throwing money at every opportunity.

For investors, the real story is not just one building changing hands. It is the continued competition for limited prime real estate in Singapore, where land scarcity, urban renewal and income-generating uses can support long-term value creation. If the tender succeeds by Oct. 23, it would be another reminder that central Singapore remains a durable store of wealth. If not, it will still underline how disciplined buyers have become in a market that rewards patience more than speculation.