Singapore's Tourism Board has opened a tender to redevelop the historic 37 Emerald Hill site into a hotel and lifestyle destination, a heritage-anchored project that could reshape one corner of Orchard Road once it's built.

TL;DR

  • STB launched a tender on 16 September 2026 for 37 Emerald Hill, a 1.04-hectare heritage site near Somerset MRT, to become a hotel, dining and lifestyle destination.
  • Three heritage buildings on site, dating to 1925, 1930 and 1956, must be conserved; homes, offices and schools are explicitly banned from the plan.
  • Proposals are due 16 March 2027, so this is one to watch rather than visit anytime soon; construction and opening would follow years after that.

What is 37 Emerald Hill and where exactly is it?

The 1.04-hectare (10,415 sq m) site sits at the corner of Somerset Road and the Emerald Hill Conservation Area, a nine-minute walk from Somerset MRT and close to The Heeren and Design Orchard. Built in 1925, it housed the Singapore Chinese Girls' School until 1994 and later Chatsworth International School from 1998 to 2020. STB is now inviting local and international developers to submit redevelopment proposals.

What can be built there, and what's banned?

Under the tender terms, the winning proposal can include hotels, restaurants, bars, retail, fitness centres and medical clinics, within a maximum gross floor area of 16,664 sq m on a 50-year lease with an optional 20-year extension. Residential units, offices, serviced apartments and schools are explicitly excluded, keeping the site firmly in the visitor and lifestyle lane rather than becoming housing or office space.

Why does the site's heritage status matter?

Three existing structures, the Main Block (1925), the Principal's House (1930) and the Song Ong Siang Block (1956), must be conserved under any winning bid. That means whatever eventually opens will be built around, not instead of, the site's original architecture, similar to how other Orchard-area heritage buildings have been folded into new retail and hospitality uses rather than demolished.

When could this actually open?

Not soon. Submissions close on 16 March 2027, roughly six months after the tender's 16 September 2026 launch. STB has not published a construction timeline or opening date, and none is confirmed; based on typical mixed-use redevelopment timelines in Singapore, a finished project is more likely years away than months.

What does this mean for Orchard Road?

STB's Director of Land & Concept Development, Ashlynn Loo, said the agency envisions 37 Emerald Hill "becoming a distinctive landmark that strengthens Orchard Road's position as an iconic lifestyle destination," tying the project to the country's tourism growth ambitions through 2040. For now it's a tender, not a done deal, but it adds to a string of recent efforts, including STB and Grab's precinct campaign, aimed at pulling visitors deeper into Orchard Road's side streets rather than just its main strip. Readers curious about how other Singapore neighbourhoods are being reshaped by new openings can see a similar pattern playing out in Joo Chiat (https://hotinsg.com/joo-chiat-in-2026-singapores-most-interesting-neighbourhood-and-the-places-making-it-that-way/).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I visit 37 Emerald Hill now?

Not as a finished attraction. STB is only at the tender stage, with proposals due 16 March 2027, so any redevelopment and eventual opening is still some years off.

What could actually be built on the site?

Hotels, restaurants, bars, retail, fitness centres and medical clinics are permitted. Homes, offices, serviced apartments and schools are explicitly excluded from the tender.

What happens to the old heritage buildings?

The Main Block, Principal's House and Song Ong Siang Block must be conserved under the winning proposal, per STB's published tender terms.

Sources and method

This article draws on the Singapore Tourism Board's press release dated 16 September 2026 announcing the 37 Emerald Hill tender, and independent reporting by Yahoo News Singapore dated 17 September 2026, which added site history, heritage building details and tender terms not in the STB release. No figures or quotes beyond those published in these sources are used. Once new hotels or dining concepts are confirmed for the site, our roundups of new restaurant openings (https://hotinsg.com/15-must-try-new-restaurants-in-sg/) and hotel launches (https://hotinsg.com/new-hotspot-alert-jungle-ballroom-at-mondrian-singapore-duxton/) are where we'll cover them.