Marina Bay Financial Centre - Over 65% Of Phase 1 Leased Out

Source : The Business Times, September 11, 2008

BHP Billiton and Macquarie take up total of more than 216,000 sq ft

The first phase of Marina Bay Financial Centre is 65.6 per cent pre-leased, almost two years ahead of its completion in Q2 2010. Two big names from Australia, BHP Billiton and Macquarie Group, are among the latest tenants announced by the consortium developing the mega project.

The BHP Billiton deal confirms a BT story last month.

The resources giant will lease 142,000 sq ft on levels 44 to 50 of MBFC's Tower 2 under the project's first phase, while Macquarie will take more than 74,000 sq ft on levels 16 to 18 of the same tower. Both tenancies are for 10 years, with options for renewal and expansion.

Murex Southeast Asia, which is involved in software development for trading, risk management and processing, has leased about 25,000 sq ft on level 19 of Tower 2 under a six-year tenancy agreement.

With the latest signings, the total 2.92 million sq ft of Grade A office space in both phases of the MBFC development is 61 per cent pre-committed.

The project is a symbol of Singapore's ambition to be a leading financial centre.

The office component of MBFC's Phase 1 comprises Tower 1, fully let and anchored by Standard Chartered Bank, and Tower 2, which is now 45 per cent pre-leased. The second phase, slated for completion in Q2 2012, consists of Tower 3, which is 55 per cent pre-committed and anchored by DBS Bank with a 700,000 sq ft lease.

MBFC marketing agent CB Richard Ellis's executive director Moray Armstrong said that while overall office leasing momentum in Singapore has eased in the past few months, the latest signings at MBFC are 'a good indicator that demand for quality office space remains in positive territory'.

'There is, of course, some caution among occupiers, but across the majority of our client base we sense there is underlying confidence in Singapore's relative position,' he said.

The MBFC project also includes two residential developments and 119,000 sq ft of retail space. The project is being developed by a consortium comprising Hongkong Land, Keppel Land and Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong (Holdings)/ Hutchison Whampoa.