A National Framework for Place Management and BIDs in Singapore (2010 to 2012)

Client: 
Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore  

Having seen the exponential growth of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and other public/private models of place management for urban areas that has occurred in North America and Europe over the past 10-20 years, the Singaporean government began exploring with interest how they could bring these models to Asia. In 2010, the national government released a call for proposals to work with them for 18-months to establish the first place management initiative in Singapore and to write national legislation to allow for the creation of BIDs.

Centro Inc. partnered with a UK-based place management firm, and was awarded the contract in November 2010. We are proud to have formed the first public/private sector working group to focus on place management in Singapore. We have also recently finalized a strategic plan for the Singapore River area of the city, and have created new service-delivery structures that leverage public and private sector resources. We also formed the structure for new BID legislation, which went into formal legislative review and establishment in summer 2012.

Working in Singapore required extensive research on Singapore and Asian economic and trade markets, taxing structures and schemes, and investment strategies by stakeholders in the study areas. We have undertaken significant international research to explore a variety of different special district taxation and place management models to ensure a well-thought out approach for Singapore that fits uniquely into their national context.