60 years of Our Singapore Housing

Margaret Drive is located at Duchess Estate in Queenstown where the past SIT flats were built back in the 1950s. However, the estate was only completed in 1970 because some of last SIT flats were under construction when HDB took over the construction of flats in 1960. For the first 10 years of HDB, newer and high-rise flats together with a cinema, shopping complex and food centre were being built which even gained reputation for its famous food stalls. Unfortunately, these old flats and amenities were demolished in 2011 in order to rejuvenate Dawson Estate. The newly completed Tah Chung Emporium, 1967 Block 39A where the bird-singing corner used to be located built in 1969 The iconic Block 6C where ramps were installed for skateboarders to practice and hang out Another 12-storey block within the vicinity of Margaret Drive, 1969 Margaret Drive Food Centre once famous for its long-serving Sin Kee Chicken Rice, Popiah and Fishball Noodles

Mei Ling Street Estate was the sixth neighborhood built in Queenstown in the late 1960s. The site of land at Mei Ling and Stirling Road used to be a Chinese cemetery until the graves were exhumed to make way for new flats. Unlike the 3-room standard flats built in other districts of Queenstown, the newer Improved flats with a kitchen extension and a separate bathroom and toilet were the second batch of flats built after Toa Payoh. By 1970, public facilities like the Swimming Complex, Japanese Garden and Stadium were built for the convenience of residents who can do their healthy exercises and breathe in fresh air. There used to be one-room flats in Mei Ling Street which they have been demolished in the 1990s to make way for newer and bigger executive flats. Today, the executive flats are worth at least $1 million. Newly constructed 16-storey 3-room flats, 1968  When lifts used to stop at alternate floors of the block Newly completed 2-room flats, 1968 The 1-room ...

Blessed Sacrament Church under construction, 1965

In 1964, HDB launched the Home Ownership for the People Scheme in order to encourage Singaporeans to own their own homes and enable low income Singaporeans to purchase flats at affordable prices instead of renting. The then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew mentioned that a high home ownership rate would lead to the country becoming more stable. Singaporeans who registered for a flat will have to go through a balloting exercise where a Member of Parliament (MP) will be officiating this event. Purchasers were given their registration numbers which are balloted against the addresses of flats. The first flats to be sold under this scheme are located at Commonwealth Estate in Queenstown including "Chap Lak Lau" as the 3 blocks of flats at Commonwealth Close are 16-storeys high. 2-room flats costs $4900 while the 3-room flats cost $6200. Balloting in progress 10-storey flats at Commonwealth Drive Chap Lak Lau in Commonwealth Close with the VIP Block at Block 81 A...

The design of flats built during the first Five-Year Plan(1960-65) were simple and functional in order to build as many homes for a growing population that resulted from a baby boom with more than 50,000 babies born each year. These flats were fitted with basic amenities like piped water and electricity. Most of the flats were built in slab blocks with the units accessible by a common corridor with more than 10 units on each level of the block.

Queen's Close and Queen's Crescent flats were built in 1961. It was the fifth neighbourhood to be built at Queenstown. These flats were of H-shaped design with 7 storeys tall. However, these flats were left standing for around 30 years before they were demolished in the 1990s to build more new houses due to redevelopment plans. Queen's Crescent flats under construction Queenstown Neighbourhood V at Quuen's Crescent HDB terrace houses at Queen's Crescent The completed H-shaped 7-storey blocks at Queen's Crescent The earliest flats at Queenstown were built in Princess Estate in Strathmore and Dawson Road in the 1950s when HDB's predecessor, the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) flats were located. After HDB took over the construction of public housing flats, 3 blocks in Stirling Road at Block 45, 48 and 49 were built in 1960. In the next 5 years, new flats at Tanglin Halt, Commonwealth and Queen's Close were completed. ...

These flats at Stirling Road in Queenstown are the oldest flats built under HDB after it's founding in 1960. The 3 blocks standing at 7 storeys high located at Block 45, 48 and 49 are currently still around today.