ST : Haven of arts

Mar 4, 2010

Haven of arts

Former Catholic High School gets a $2.5m makeover to house arts and lifestyle outlets

By cara van miriah

The Waterloo and Queen Street arts and cultural belt will get more vibrant as a new arts and lifestyle complex will soon open at the former premises of Catholic High School.

The upcoming arts facility, which is currently known by its address 222 Queen Street, will house The Private Museum, Art Trove private museum, Singapore Ballet Academy, School Of Thought public lecture and seminar space, dbl-0 club and Art Space, and Bobbis Pole Studio Singapore by Jitterbugs Swingapore.

The Little Art Bug art studio for children and Functional Training Institute fitness centre have moved into the revamped four-storey building.

At the end of this month, Art Trove museum will open, featuring 30 oil paintings from 79-year-old German artist Jurgen Bottcher.

Located just across the road from the Singapore Art Museum in Bras Basah Road, the property was first made available by the National Heritage Board and Singapore Land Authority in 2008.

In 1992, the Catholic High School moved from 222 Queen Street to its present location in Bishan Street 22.

Businesses were invited to submit proposals to develop and manage an integrated museum and art facility.

The site was awarded in September last year to property developer Daniel Teo & Associates for three years with an option to renew for a further two terms of three years each.

So far, the developer has sunk at least $2.5 million into refurbishing the property, which includes repainting the building's facade, restoring electrical works, changing the windows, improving sanitation facilities and installing air-conditioners.

Tenants are offered a rental rate of between $3 and $6 psf. However, only 20 per cent of the space is allocated for commercial use, such as for F&B or retail outlets. The rest is dedicated to the arts.

Mr Andrew Lau, a director of 222 Queen Street, tells Life!: 'We are looking to house about 13 tenants. Right now, the complex is 80 per cent tenanted. When the businesses are open, it will draw more traffic to the district.'

Next month, The Thought Collective (TTC) group, which runs a school at Midland House in Middle Road and Food For Thought restaurant at 8Q contemporary art space at Singapore Art Museum, will open a 150-seat lecture hall with three seminar rooms.

A spokesman for the collective says: 'The new venue will complement our restaurant to become a great place to host lectures, run a mini-film festival or hold larger-scale seminars than we could in our school or restaurant.'

In the same month, Jitterbugs Swingapore dance group will open Bobbis Pole Studio Singapore. The 213 sq m venue, which has two studios, will offer exotic dance classes.

Jitterbugs' chief finance officer Fen Tonge says: 'We also sealed the deal for the fact that dbl-0 art bar will also add to the fun factor at 222 Queen Street.'

dbl-0, which is run by entertainment company dbl O, will relocate from its current location at Robertson Walk to 222 Queen Street next month.

Various artworks will be exhibited at the new venue and visitors can also expect performing arts in the evenings.

Other businesses are drawn to the area because of the thriving arts community. Arts groups who have made their home in the area include Action Theatre, Singapore Calligraphy Centre and Sculpture Square. Mr Roy Quek, 36, one of the partners of Art Trove museum, says: 'It fits what we do as the precinct is home for the arts with many dance studios, art schools and museums here.'

Art Trove, a 278 sq m private museum, specialises in displaying the works of what it sees as underrated artists.

Little Art Bug's general manager Lee Lay Kheng sees the long-term potential of the district with the opening of the Bras Basah MRT station next month. 'It will be more accessible for people.'

The Bras Basah MRT station is just a minute's walk from the development.

But a common grouse among business owners is the lack of parking space. There are limited parking lots on the premises of Church of St Peter and Paul next to 222 Queen Street.

Visitors can also park at nearby places such as Oxford Hotel and Hotel Royal @ Queens.

caravm@sph.com.sg