195 Pearl's Hill Terrace's Lease Extended Till Mar. 2028

The lease of creative art and culture enclave, 195 Pearl's Hill Terrace (195 PHT), will be further extended till March 2028.

195 PHT, which occupies the historical Upper Barracks building, was originally set to close in March 2025.

In May 2024, the lease was extended to March 2026, according to The Straits Times.

The master tenant, Jerry Tan, has leased the gazetted building from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) since 2007, and he has been renting the spaces out to subtenants, ST reported.

The rental for units start at S$500 and has attracted takers even though its future was uncertain.

New flats to be built there

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) had announced plans to build public housing flats on Pearl's Hill in 2024.

It would be the first new public housing flats in Chinatown in 40 years.

Tenants were initially expected to move out by March 2025 to make way for URA's development plans.

Tenants, however, had voiced their frustrations about having to find a new space and losing their arts community, which has been serving Singapore's nascent creative and start-up class.

According to ST, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam visited 195 PHT in 2024 and asked relevant agencies to assess the lease and find alternatives for the tenants.

Shanmugam had said the place “makes for a better soul for Singapore”.

195 PHT is home to local businesses, such as bars and cafes, as well as tattoos, ceramics and jewellery studios.

195 PHT took to Instagram to express their gratitude, saying:

"Thank you everyone for helping to make this happen. From @kultyard who set the vibes everyday to Jerry Tan (the landlord) who kept rents manageable to the tenants of past and present, who are all crazy enough to start a creative business in Singapore, you are vital to the curation of culture that cannot be imitated. You have a seat at the big table, you have the power of influence outcomes, take it.

To everyone that hosted an event at 195 PHT, thank you for bringing life to our space no matter how big or small it was, your efforts mattered and while I may not have been able to document everything, between word of mouth, dinner table conversations and media publicity, it all came together to keep 195 PHT alive in our hearts for this win for the independent arts of Singapore.

If it's one thing we do best, it's that we survive. Majulah Singapura."

Top image from @kultyard and @195pearlshillterrace on Instagram.