Singapore’s skyline may be getting newer by the day, but that also means more of the island’s familiar corners are slowly disappearing.
Just last month, the government announced plans to redevelop 2 well-known historical sites in the west – Gillman Barracks and Maju Forest. The plans have since sparked heated debate among Singaporeans over what we stand to lose in the name of development.
Of course, redevelopment is nothing new, especially in our land-scarce nation, where space has to be balanced against the needs of a growing population. But with the days of some familiar landmarks now numbered, here are the places in Singapore set for redevelopment that you can still visit before the bulldozers roll in and turn them into memories.
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If you’re tired of the usual MacRitchie Treetop Walk and Bukit Timah Hill treks, Maju Forest is a great spot to explore for a more offbeat hiking trail in Singapore.
Tucked away in Clementi, this 23ha secondary forest is home to 286 plant species and 113 animal species, so there’s plenty to look out for along the way. Unfortunately, the forest recently made headlines after the Government unveiled conceptual plans in July 2026 to clear 15ha of it for public housing.
Despite concerns over wildlife displacement and the loss of the forest’s cooling benefits, redevelopment will still go ahead, with measures in place to minimise its environmental impact. That said, there’s no confirmed timeline for the redevelopment yet, so head down sooner rather than later if you want to explore the trail before it changes.
To explore the full 1.5km trail, take a short bus ride from Exit A of King Albert Park MRT Station and alight at the Opp Maju Camp stop. Be sure to wear suitable footwear, as the trail can get quite muddy with fallen trees scattered along the way.
Keep an eye out for remnants of the old train tracks and abandoned railway tunnel from the former Jurong Railway Line, and you should be able to complete the trail in around an hour.
Image credit: Ravish M via Google Maps
Heritage enthusiasts were dealt a double whammy when, on the same day Maju Forest’s redevelopment was announced, the government also unveiled plans to transform Gillman Barracks into a mixed-use residential neighbourhood with both public and private housing.
Built in 1936, the compound first housed British infantry units during World War II and later served as a Singapore Armed Forces camp, before being repurposed in 2012 as a contemporary art and lifestyle cluster.
The 40ha site comprises 86 buildings across 7 clusters, with 25 tentatively slated for retention.
Image credit: C via Google Maps
For now, the future of Gillman Barracks’ 24 tenants remains uncertain, with their leases set to expire progressively by the 2nd quarter of 2030. But there’s no need to wait till then to explore the vibrant arts scene that shaped the enclave, which is home to prominent Asian and international art galleries such as Mizuma Gallery, Ames Yavuz, and Ota Fine Arts.
You can also grab a bite at restaurants like Hopscotch and The Blackbird, or stroll around and admire the colonial-era buildings that give the place its distinctive character.
Image credit: GoAheadGroupFan via Google Maps
Dubbed Singapore’s “furniture wonderland”, Tan Boon Liat Building is a one-stop destination for all things home furnishings. The 15-storey building near Havelock MRT Station houses over 30 furniture shops and showrooms, so you could easily spend an afternoon browsing for that dream sofa or dining table.
It was built in 1976 after a fire ravaged the old warehouses that had stood on the site since 1961, which belonged to the family of prominent Peranakan businessman and philanthropist Tan Boon Liat.
Inside the Journey East showroom.
Image credit: Journey East
In July 2026, the building’s conditional en bloc sale to a unit of Kingsford Group for $950M was announced, with the property likely to be demolished and redeveloped.
While a move-out date has yet to be announced, you can still visit some of the building’s most notable tenants, including Journey East, which has been selling vintage furniture there for over 30 years, and Soul & Tables, known for its eco-friendly solid wood pieces.
Besides furniture, you can also pick up premium handwoven textiles from the likes of Hassan’s Carpets, as well as lighting fixtures from Gamut and Royal 1956.
One of Singapore’s first wet markets, Tanglin Halt Wet Market opened in 1967 and has since become an icon of Queenstown, Singapore’s 1st satellite town. Its most distinctive feature is its barrel-vaulted roof, which creates a curved silhouette and high ceilings that allow natural light to filter through.
The market is set for redevelopment as part of the area’s wider rejuvenation under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), first announced in 2014. A new integrated hub is being built in 2 phases since 2024, bringing up to 5,500 HDB flats, a hawker centre, and a polyclinic to the area.
Once the 1st phase is completed, the existing Tanglin Halt Market will be redeveloped, with its stallholders eventually moving into the new hub.
Foodies will find plenty of well-loved stalls here, many of which have been drawing diners back for generations. You might even recognise some of the names that have built up a cult following over the years, including Guangzhou Mian Shi Wanton Mee, Wei Yi Laksa & Prawn Noodle, and the famous Tanglin Halt Original Peanut Pancake.
For those who have fond memories of jumping around what is essentially a snowy playground, this one is going to hurt. After 26 years of giving Singaporeans their closest taste of winter, Snow City will shut its doors for the last time on 30th September 2026, as the attraction makes way for the redevelopment of the wider Jurong Lake District.
While its parent attraction, Science Centre Singapore, will be relocated to a brand-new site near Chinese Garden as the surrounding area is transformed into a regional hub and commercial centre, Snow City will be closing down for good.
With no new home in sight, some of its most beloved experiences will soon become memories. These include sliding down the 120m-long, ice-covered Glacier Luge on a small plastic sled, as well as bumping around on Drift on Ice, Singapore’s only ice-based bumper car arena.
As a fitting farewell, Snow City is holding a promotional campaign, One Last Snowfall, where you can enjoy a discounted Snow Play package at $19 for adults and $16 for children, about 30% off the usual price. The package includes 1 hour of snow play and a single ride on Drift on Ice, giving visitors one final chance to enjoy a snow-filled outing before its closure.
As a young student growing up in the early 2000s, you might remember trodding through the Road Safety Community Park in East Coast Park, where you were taught to look both ways and raise your hand before crossing the road. A learning journey to this mini-town was a nostalgic rite of passage for many Singaporeans growing up, with its simulated network of roads, zebra crossings, traffic fixtures, and mock buildings offering a hands-on way to learn about road safety in a realistic.
The site first opened in Kallang Park in 1961 as the Road Safety First playground, which closed in 1967 before eventually reopening at its current home in 1981. But after decades of use, the park has inevitably begun to show its age.
In December 2023, the Singapore Police Force announced plans to redevelop and modernise the site to better reflect Singapore’s roads today. The revamped park will also adopt a more family-friendly approach, allowing children to learn about road safety alongside their parents.
Despite showing its years, the park still retains much of its charm today. Take a walk around the circuit, and you will spot faded road markings, peeling paint, and other weathered elements scattered throughout. These little signs of wear and tear are a reminder of the generations of students who have walked, cycled, and played here over the years.
Image credit: Lim Mike via Google Maps
Established in the 1980s, East Coast Seafood Centre was once a go-to destination for special occasions, renowned as a popular waterfront seafood dining hub.
Set along the breezy coastline of East Coast Park’s Area E, the site holds a special place in Singapore’s F&B history as the birthplace of JUMBO Seafood, which opened its inaugural outlet here in 1987 and has since grown to 19 outlets locally and overseas.
Seaside view of Long Beach Seafood.
Image credit: Long Beach Seafood
They are among the tenants that had to vacate the area as part of NParks’ redevelopment plans announced in May 2026, which aim to “rejuvenate the facility and surrounding areas to enhance the experience of park visitors.”
The redevelopment will mark the end of an era for pioneer seafood institutions, including JUMBO Seafood and Long Beach Seafood, the only 2 restaurants still operating at the centre today.
While Long Beach Seafood will relocate to Coastal PlayGrove further down East Coast Park, JUMBO Seafood has yet to confirm its new location, with both restaurants expected to vacate the premises by the end of September 2026.
At first glance, Queenstown Library might seem like just another old neighbourhood library, but this unassuming building has quite a few historic milestones under its belt.
Opened in April 1970, it was the country’s 1st full-time public library, while also breaking new ground as the 1st fully air-conditioned branch and the 1st to computerise its loan and membership services.
The library will have its last day of operations on 31st August 2026, as it undergoes a facelift under the National Library Board (NLB)’s transformation plans, before reopening in late 2028. Fun fact: it’s been gazetted as a conserved building, so its iconic facade and architectural features will be preserved, while the interior undergoes a complete overhaul.
Image credit: Andrew Tan atomi Singapore via Google Maps
To celebrate the memories attached to the library, NLB is holding a series of activities before it closes, including an Ixora flower plush-sewing workshop from 2pm to 5pm on 19th August. Families can join a storytime session on 22nd August, from 10.30am to 11am, while movie buffs can catch a movie screening from 3pm to 5pm on the same day. Registration is only required for the sewing workshop.
Alternatively, you can simply wander through the library and soak in its retro details beneath the dim fluorescent lights, or settle down for one final reading or study session.
Sometimes, you don’t realise how much you miss a place’s old-school vibes until it’s gone through a brand-new transformation. That’s what makes these places worth seeing in person while you still can – not just for what they are today, but for the stories and quirks they have picked up over the many years.
If you have been meaning to visit any of the places on this list, now is the time to finally stop putting it off.
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Cover image adapted from: Lim Mike, GoAheadGroupFan, Nope Thanks via Google Maps
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