SINGAPORE — Marina Square, one of Singapore’s best-known downtown shopping destinations, will close on March 31, 2027 for a sweeping redevelopment that will add luxury homes, serviced apartments, offices, a new hotel and major public spaces to the Marina Bay precinct. But behind the ambitious transformation, some tenants say the announcement has left them scrambling for answers about leases, relocation costs and what happens next.
Singapore Land Group (SingLand) confirmed on September 1 that Marina Square Shopping Mall will shut to facilitate construction, with the overall redevelopment expected to be completed by 2031.
The project marks one of the biggest transformations in Marina Square’s four-decade history.
Yet for several businesses inside the mall, the bigger immediate story is not what Marina Square will eventually become — but how little time they feel they have to prepare.
CNA reported that several business owners said they learned on Tuesday morning that the entire mall would close in March 2027, with some saying worried customers contacted them before they received an official notice from mall management.
That has created particular uncertainty for businesses whose leases extend beyond the mall’s scheduled closure date.
TENANTS FACE QUESTIONS OVER LEASES AND RELOCATION
Among those affected is Stoneage Collection owner May Teo, whose business has operated at Marina Square for 22 years.
According to CNA, Teo had heard talk of redevelopment for about a year, but said earlier enquiries did not produce confirmation that the project would proceed on this timeline. Her lease reportedly runs until September 2027 — roughly six months after Marina Square is due to close.
Prestique Studio owner Joraine Tan faces a similar issue. The trampoline fitness business has a lease extending to December 2027 and will have to search for another location.
Tan told CNA that her company had not been offered a relocation option at the time of the report and wanted more details from the landlord to properly plan its exit.
A manager of 3D-figurine business Sharewow also said the company was uncertain about what would happen to its lease. The shop opened only in 2024, meaning its investment in fitting out the Marina Square premises would have had a relatively short lifespan before the closure.
SingLand, responding to CNA’s questions, said it had communicated the redevelopment plans to tenants and would work with them during the transition.
The developer said it was committed to a fair and considerate process and would discuss timelines, next steps and issues involving the reinstatement of tenants’ premises.
As of September 1, however, no broad public compensation package for tenants whose leases extend beyond March 31, 2027 had been announced.
SOME BIG TENANTS WERE ALREADY PREPARING TO LEAVE
Signs that major changes were approaching Marina Square had emerged even before Tuesday’s announcement.
The Business Times reported in August that DP Architects and PSB Academy were already preparing to move out ahead of the redevelopment.
DP Architects, which occupies about 45,000 sq ft at Marina Square, was reported to have leased a similarly sized space at SingPost Centre near Paya Lebar MRT station.
PSB Academy, meanwhile, occupies about 136,000 sq ft at Marina Square and is relocating its operations to SingPost Centre and two properties in Tai Seng.
Both were expected to leave Marina Square during the first half of 2027.
The contrast is striking: while some large institutional tenants had relocation plans developing before the formal closure announcement, some smaller retail operators told CNA they were still trying to determine their next move after learning of the March deadline.
WHAT WILL REPLACE THE CURRENT MARINA SQUARE?
The redevelopment goes far beyond a conventional shopping-mall renovation.
SingLand describes the project as Singapore’s first “hyper-mixed development”, bringing housing, hospitality, offices, retail, recreation, wellness, culture and public spaces into one connected Marina Bay complex.
Three new towers will be integrated with the site.
A 49-storey residential tower rising more than 190 metres will contain 204 luxury homes, including three- to five-bedroom apartments and penthouses.
A separate 24-storey serviced-apartment tower will contain 260 units, while a new 19-storey mixed-use tower will house a 304-room hotel and approximately 13,000 sq m of premium Grade A office space.
Operators for the new hotel and serviced apartments have not yet been appointed.
The redevelopment follows SingLand receiving written permission from Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority under the Strategic Development Incentive scheme on August 31, 2026.
The site will have approximately 362,493 sq m of gross floor area under the approved redevelopment framework.
MARINA SQUARE ITSELF IS NOT SIMPLY BEING DEMOLISHED
For shoppers worried that Marina Square will vanish completely, there is an important distinction.
SingLand says a significant portion of the existing mall structure will be adaptively reused rather than simply demolished.
More than 76,000 sq m of the four-storey mall will undergo an extensive asset-enhancement programme.
The redesigned retail component is expected to feature more restaurants and food-and-beverage concepts alongside sports, wellness and lifestyle businesses, landscaped areas and pet-friendly environments.
The mall is envisioned as the central link connecting hotels, residences, offices, serviced apartments and public spaces across the new development.
THREE FAMILIAR HOTELS WILL STAY OPEN
Marina Square’s closure will not mean the shutdown of the entire complex.
Pan Pacific Singapore, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay and Mandarin Oriental Singapore will remain fully operational throughout the redevelopment, according to SingLand.
The developer says it will work with stakeholders to preserve accessibility and provide clear routes for hotel guests and other visitors during construction.
That means visitors could see a dramatically different Marina Centre during the construction years, with the retail mall closed while its three established hotels continue operating.
NEW PARKS, WALKWAYS AND A MORE CONNECTED MARINA BAY
The redevelopment will also reshape the surrounding public realm.
A 6,500 sq m public park is planned above Stamford Canal, complete with greenery, play areas and spaces for events.
More than 4,000 sq m of privately owned public space will connect directly with the upcoming NS Square.
Plans also include a 700 sq m event venue called The Cube, a 300 sq m central atrium known as The Oculus, sheltered pedestrian connections and an elevated botanical loop linking Marina Square with nearby destinations including One Raffles Link, Millenia Walk and Suntec City.
THE END OF ONE MARINA SQUARE ERA
Marina Centre was completed in 1986 as one of the earliest major developments in what would eventually become today’s Marina Bay district.
Marina Square became part of Singapore’s rapidly changing retail landscape and has undergone major upgrades before, including a S$100 million refurbishment that began in 2004 and was completed in 2006. Singapore’s National Heritage Board records the complex as one of the major shopping, hotel and recreational developments built on reclaimed land during the expansion of the city centre.
Now, almost 40 years after Marina Square’s beginnings, another transformation is approaching.
SingLand says the mall will remain open for business until March 31, 2027 and plans events and marketing activities in the months before the shutdown, including celebrations tied to Marina Square’s 40th anniversary.
For shoppers, that creates several more months to revisit a familiar Singapore landmark before construction begins.
For tenants, however, the countdown carries far higher stakes.
Some are searching for new locations. Others are calculating the cost of moving. And businesses with leases stretching months beyond the closure date are still waiting to learn exactly how those agreements will be handled.
Marina Square’s future may now be much clearer.
For some of the businesses that helped build its past, what happens after March 31, 2027 is not.
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