Arc 380 Developer-Tong Eng Brothers
Tong Eng Brothers
Teo Thye Chor and his younger brother Thye Hong came to Singapore from the Hui Ann District of Fujian, China. In the 1940s, they founded Tong Eng Brothers Pte. Ltd. Initially, the company dealt in the trading of electrolytic tinplates used for can and bottle cap production. After the war, the business expanded further into the manufacturing and trading in non-ferrous metal. The company became the leading stockist of electrolytic tinplates in Singapore and a significant regional steel trader.
Thye Chor and Thye Hong believed in the future and growth of Singapore and in the 1950s, Thye Chor diversified into property development. Tong Eng Brothers were the first to develop a 5.5 acre industrial estate in Little Road in the Paya Lebar area. The company also sold many parcels of land for use as petrol stations, to the major oil refining companies Shell, Esso and Mobil, at hefty profits.
In the 1960s, the company built hundreds of houses and apartments in Tong Eng Heights (now known as Changi Heights) and Changi Grove to rent to the British Forces. Their earlier projects also included West Sea Garden in Pasir Panjang, Tong Kong Garden in Upper Paya Lebar and shophouses along Upper Paya Lebar Road. Up to the time of Thye Chor’s passing in 1968, the Company owned up to 100 acres of land for development. Over the last 50 years, the group has owned and developed more than a hundred acres of land, encompassing office, retail, landed housing and apartment projects.
Upon succeeding his father, Thye Chor’s eldest son Tong Wah set his sights on amalgamating Tong Eng’s office, which consisted of three shophouses along Cecil Street with many of the adjoining pre-war shop houses, to form an island site, and develop it into a 26-storey office building now known as Tong Eng Building.
Today, Tong Eng Brothers and its group of companies continue to be active in the property market developing many residential and commercial developments in Singapore. Some of the past notable projects include Greenbank Park, Green Meadows Condominium, Kew Cottages, Serenade Gardens, Trendale Tower, Serangoon Plaza, Stratton Park, Belgravia Park, Hertford Collection and Stratton Green including current projects such as Tropika East, Goodwood Grand, Poets Villas, Three Balmoral, Centrium Square, Wilshire Residences and Belgravia Villas