To move away from its illustrious history, Orchard Towers will undergo a two-year makeover to change its image completely.

According to CNA, a new external facade and cladding are in the works, and family-friendly tenants are moving into the 18-storey building.

Such businesses include furnishing stores, pharmacies and eateries. Dance studios and tuition centres have registered their interest in the space.

CNA stated that the building's management hopes to attract startups and young entrepreneurs to the infamous building to "inject new blood and bring a different crowd to the vicinity."

In addition, new tenants told CNA that they are attracted to Orchard Tower's revitalising efforts, upgrading plans, and affordable rent, which is 15 per cent lower than other buildings along Orchard Road.

Orchard Tower's colourful history

It's no secret that Orchard Towers has a controversial history and was often associated with nightlife, prostitution and even murders. It was sometimes known as the "Four Floors of Whores".

The building opened in 1975 and was meant to be a family-friendly retail hub. However, in the 1980s, nightclubs and massage parlours popped up, with many of these establishments promoting vice activities.

In 2002, a British financial adviser, Michael McCrea, was convicted of murdering his driver and the driver's girlfriend in his apartment.

McCrea had the help of his girlfriend, and the bodies were stuffed into the back of a car and abandoned in the car park at Orchard Towers.

In July 2019, Orchard Towers witnessed another murder, leading to the arrest of six men and two women.

The police were alerted at 6:45am and found a man lying on the floor motionless.

A video circulated on social media during that time showed a man lying in a pool of blood close to the entrance of Orchard Towers.

Several people were seen helping, by using tissues to stem the wounds on his neck.

They could also be heard shouting for an ambulance and asking the victim to "breathe slowly" and "hang in there".

Closure of nightclubs over "concerns"

In 2022, it was reported that 12 commercial units had been notified that their respective public entertainment licences would not be renewed beyond May 2023.

A police spokesperson shared that the "law and order situation in Orchard Towers remain of concern and has not improved over the years".

They noted a "consistently high volume of and strong feedback from nearby residents and neighbouring developments on concerns over public safety, vice activities and nuisances".

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) then extended the public entertainment licenses till July 2023 after an appeal was made by the operators and the Singapore Nightlife Business Association to help businesses make alternative arrangements.

On Aug. 1, 2023, SPF announced that all public entertainment operators in Orchard Towers had ceased, except for one outlet.

One outlet had its licence extended as it filed a statutory appeal, which granted the outlet a two-month extension of its licence until September. 30, 2023 or until the Public Entertainment Appel Board decides, whichever comes first.

As such, by Oct. 1, 2023, there were no more night-time entertainment at Orchard Towers.

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