Ex-Orchard Towers resident shares what it's really like to live in the 'shady' part of town
Famed for sex and violence, Orchard Towers is one of the spiciest parts of Singapore.
It's even more surprising that it's located in the very heart of Orchard Road; and it begs the question: Would you put up with the seedy bits, to live in such a prime area?
This week we asked A, who once resided in the (in)famous Orchard Towers:
The appeal of Orchard Towers
If you can ignore the sleaze and reputation, Orchard Towers has some strong points going for it.
A, for instance, lived in a massive 3,789 sq ft penthouse unit in Orchard Towers – a size that is almost unheard of among newer residential projects today.
A says that the locale at Orchard Towers is also an attractive one, even though he has since moved to Queenstown. He says that Orchard Towers did offer a lot more convenience, even if Queenstown is a lot more peaceful.
"For food, there was the food court in the commercial block opposite, and some standalone eateries like Isle House that serves delicious local fare," he says, "As well as an Indian restaurant where I can get a quick teh peng from.
"There are some really good eateries on the upper floors too, such as the famous Thai restaurant. Sometimes, I'll head over to Forum to take out McDonalds, and I also really like the ramen at Uma Uma Ramen. There's also a revamped Starbucks at Delfi Orchard to chill in.
"Right next door, there's Claymore Connect, a local mall that houses a California Pizza Kitchen among other F&Bs, and now it has a really decent Cold Storage with a salad bar."
*California Pizza has now been replaced with a Japanese restaurant.
As for retail, we probably don't need to explain this location is as good as it gets – for A, the "neighbourhood mall" was nothing less than the ritzy ION Orchard.
An interesting point raised by A is that, while Orchard Towers is in the heart of the concrete jungle, it still has its unique outdoor appeal.
He notes that going for a late-night run along Orchard Road is surprisingly nice, when the malls are closed and the crowds have vanished. It's certainly not an experience many have had (and we imagine it's especially nice with Christmas lights).
That said, A also reminds us that Orchard Towers is a pure apartment complex, not a condo. That means no common facilities like pools, gyms, etc. Even the car park isn't included.
How visible is the vice at Orchard Towers?
A says that the vice is contained in the building itself; you won't see any spillover even in immediate neighbouring buildings, like Palais Renaissance, Forum, or Delfi Orchard.
The area where the vice is visible would be the front of Orchard Tower's commercial segment (the residential component is located further back). A says that:
"At the front of the commercial blocks, you'll see women standing around, and some people smoking (there's now a designated smoking zone next to the taxi stand).
"The vice is also limited up to the zebra crossing between both blocks. Once you enter the residential block, there really isn't much shady stuff going on there. There's a hardware shop on the right, and a bar on the left…but there are no vice activities going on as far as I can see.
"When I was there, there was a Guardian and a Jasons supermarket, though they've been gone for a while now (interestingly, the Jasons supermarket is replaced by a classy French restaurant, but you can only enter via the back of the residential block).
"I can really appreciate the good work of the security guards at Orchard Towers. They always ensure that suspicious people do not enter the residential lift lobby, which does require card access – not just for the entrance, but to even activate the lift."
A also points out the residential component has been renamed, to protect its image. It is now known as One Claymore instead of Orchard Towers (as its address is 1 Claymore Drive).
However, A opines that they should remove the neon nightclub signage on the front of the residential block, to help with the overhaul.
There are also ways for residents to avoid the vice spots if they don't feel comfortable walking through them.
"The fastest path home from the MRT is to walk past the Thai Embassy, so you would have to cut through the commercial block to get back," A says,
"You could also walk through Palais Renaissance, or take the walkway between Palais Renaissance and the Thai Embassy instead of the commercial block which is less crowded.
If you really want to avoid any element of the crowd, you'd have to go through Claymore Road on the north side of the residential block, then take the back entrance. It's a much longer journey though, and an uphill one at that; so it's not worth bypassing the commercial block area altogether."
The vice crowds may be less troubling if you're a guy
"I've read an article in the Straits Times about how someone didn't wish to visit their mother staying at Orchard Towers because they don't like being solicited for business by women there," A says.
"Never happened to me, and I am a guy – if you're looking straight and uninterested, the women there generally wouldn't bother with you.
So, unless you're a Caucasian (because you're likely a tourist), smiling at them, or dressed in work attire with a flustered face and looking interested, you're pretty much left alone. I can't say the same if you're female though, my mother mentioned being hugged randomly once by a stranger."
The appearance is worst in the early mornings and evenings when the vice starts
A says that before the pandemic in the early mornings – before 8am – Orchard Towers "looks like it had a hangover".
You may see some people lying on the steps, or wandering about in a daze.
Between 8am and 6pm, Orchard Towers looks like any older strata title mall. However, even then, the vice trade doesn't fully stop – during the day, there are still sleazy massage shops that are open, and some of the workers do solicit.
It's around 6pm or after, however, before the vice activities spill out to the front of the commercial block, and the pubs roar to life.
A says that Orchard Towers is "definitely noisier" at night:
"In the commercial block, certain bars have loud bass playing which adds a lot of life to the area. People are seen touting visitors into the bars (women in particular stand at the escalators to talk you into a bar establishment).
"There are a lot of tourists that come visit too, so they're just walking around, visiting the bars for a drink or there to partake in said vice activities (usually it's a mixture). It's very lively but not unwelcoming at all."
Fret not, Geylang will always welcome you with open arms!