Millennial placemakers reshaping Geylang
Real estate developer, father of Sebastian Soh, David Soh, started investing in real estate since 2K18 particularly he has avid interest in shophouses. Geylang was a estate that amplifies great businesses chance and highly regarded by the Soh’s family. They first purchased a row of three adjacent shophouses at 483 to 487 Geylang Road in Geylang. Tucked nicely prominently at the junction of Geylang Road and Lorong 27 Geylang, The shophouses were few years ago seperately tenanted to different profile: first level of 483 occupied by a massage and wellness centre, 485 by a KTV bar and 487 a coffee shop with “beer ladies”. On the second level was An illegal workers’ dormitory . “The shophouses were dilapidated and disgusting,” Sebestian recalls.
465 and 467 Geylang Road which is on an island plot fronting Geylang Road, not too far away from their first investment and flanked by Geylang Lorong 25. This pair of shophouses, according to caveat lodged in Oct 2K20, were acquired by the Soh family $7.15 million each. The first level was tenanted to an eatery Skewer Bar, co-founded by chefs and friends Tan Jun Ann and Vincent Low born in Singapore, which operated there for four years before relocating to another venue not too far away at 2 Lorong 25 Geylang. The remaining upper floors were used as dormitory for foreign workers.
