17 Aug 2008
John Burton
Singapore has taken on the appearance of a vast building site. Old apartment blocks are being torn down to make way for futuristic condominiums, including one in the shape of a huge sail. A new financial district in central Singapore is rising next to the city-state’s first casino resort complex, to be operated by Las Vegas Sands.The boom in construction, which rose 17 per cent between April and June, reflects a recent surge in property prices, including a 70 per cent increase in homes since 2005. Residential and office rents also jumped nearly 70 per cent last year. Prime office rentals are now the highest in Asia, beating traditional leaders Tokyo and Hong Kong, according to Colliers International.
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