In July 1975, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) launched a $24 million project to redevelop the flood-prone Rochor area in the central district of Singapore. The urban renewal project involved the building of a modern residential, commercial and recreational complex (eventually known as the Rochor Centre) on a 2.6-hectare site bounded by Ophir Road, Queen Street and Rochor Road. The complex consisted of 481 three-room and 91 four-room HDB flats spread over four 14-storey blocks each erected on a three-storey podium that together housed a total of 212 shops. On top of each podium was a large play deck that served as a recreational area for residents. The complex also had facilities such as a semi-basement carpark that could accommodate up to 400 vehicles, landscaped pedestrian malls for shoppers, and a sculptured courtyard area in the centre. In the 1980s, Rochor Centre became a popular gathering point for newly arrived Malaysians who disembarked at the nearby Queen Street bus terminal. The complex continues to function as a residential and shopping complex, with some of the shops selling Chinese lanterns and traditional ritual objects becoming tourist attractions.
