After reconstruction, The Clifford can fill the supply gap in Raffles Place market | Lianhe Zaobao

With the completion of The Clifford in 2028, the supply of Grade A office buildings and retail space in the central business district is expected to increase by 46%. Currently, the owner is actively planning the composition of future tenants and retailers, aiming to bridge the gaps in the existing market supply and create a service experience for tenants that is guest-oriented. Built in 1977, the Clifford Centre began reconstruction in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2028, at which point the building will be named The Clifford. This new building will be 35 stories high and have four underground levels, providing direct access to Raffles Place MRT station. The owner of The Clifford, Singapore Land Group, held a media briefing on Wednesday (March 4) to introduce the design concept of the new building. The new building will be approximately 220 meters tall, offering views of the Marina Bay area. The net lettable area of the new building will reach 405,000 square feet, which is 46% more than the Clifford Centre. Of this, the office space will occupy 21 floors with a net lettable area of 360,000 square feet, representing an increase of about 60% compared to the original office space. The remaining space will be used for retail and dining purposes. In response to a question from Lianhe Zaobao regarding how the current macro environment affects tenant mix planning, Singapore Land's commercial director Eric Wu stated that the focus in designing the tenant mix is to address the lack of service offerings in the Raffles Place area. "Due to geopolitical influences making the macro environment uncertain, we need more time to plan. Rushing to decide on the composition of retail categories is not the best choice. The new building will only be completed in 2028, giving us time to plan, explore retail concept options, and identify potential tenants." Further Reading Clifford Centre Reconstruction Launches, Offering Over 400,000 Square Feet of Rental Space The company's head of sustainability and architectural design, Wang Zhenfeng, also mentioned that businesses cannot control the macro environment and can only focus on delivering confident products. Wang Zhenfeng stated, "By designing space specifications and obtaining sustainability certifications, we believe these measures will empower us to withstand risks and attract suitable tenants." The Clifford will be the first commercial building in Raffles Place to obtain three Platinum certifications for green buildings, and the building is expected to be over 40% more energy-efficient than typical office buildings, helping to meet tenants' increasing emphasis on green indicators for Grade A office buildings The neighboring New World Tower has just completed its asset enhancement. Wu Baoling said that the two different asset positions are distinct and will not cause direct competition, but rather can play a complementary role