| Orchard Towers | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Commercial, Residential |
| Architectural style | High-rise |
| Location | Orchard Road, Claymore Road, Singapore |
| Coordinates | |
| Opening | 1975 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 79 m (259 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 18 |
| Design and construction | |
| Management | Chesterton International |
Orchard Towers (Chinese: 豪杰大厦) is a 18-story office building in Singapore located on the corner of Claymore Road and Orchard Road. Construction was completed in 1975. The first five floors are a combination of bars and retail outlets with the remainder leased as offices. During the day the building functions as a retail and office style building, but the building is best known as a landmark[1] entertainment complex famously described as the "Four Floors of Whores" or simply the "Four Floors".[2][3][4] In addition, one of the towers houses 58 freehold condominium residential units.
There are various bars and clubs catering for many tastes. Rather than acting as a group of conventional brothels, Orchard Towers serves as an establishment where clients are able to meet and pick up prostitutes. These prostitutes are mostly freelancers who are in Singapore on tourist visas and thus working illegally, and the complex is thus regularly raided by police.[5] They are primarily from Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, Ukraine and a few from mainland China and South America.
One of the more popular bars is "Ipanema". It is well frequented by both locals and foreigners alike. There are large plasma screens for watching sports, a regular Filipino band playing international music, stage entertainment and pole dancing which is unique to Orchard Towers. There is also a pool table which is the norm in most Singapore bars. Other bars are Harry's Bar, Top 5 (formerly known as Top 10) and Naughty Girl. The only country music bar in Singapore 'Country Jamboree' is located on the 2nd floor. Although a source of attraction to many locals, foreigners, especially military personnel on shore liberty must beware of some levels, which occupy she-males and transvestites.
A "Jason's Supermarket" is in the basement of Orchard Towers (Unit #01-01). Jason's Supermarket is owned by the Cold Storage Supermarket Chain. A DBS ATM is located at the entrance of the 2nd tower and an ANZ ATM is located at the first floor of the 1st tower. 7-11 has a store in the 1st tower facing Orchard Road.
On 15 May 2007, media reports suggested that the management of Orchard Towers, Chesterton International, has elected a sale committee at its annual general meeting to study the possibility of a collective sale of the property.
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Located on level 4 was a cinema in the 1980s. The cinema is now occupied by the bar TOP 5.[6]
On 2 January 2002 Michael McCrea (also known as Mike Townsend), a British expatriate in his 40s murdered his driver friend Kho Nai Guan (46) and the latter's girlfriend Lan Ya Ming (30) in his apartment in Pinewood Garden.[7] Audrey Ong had helped McCrea in the murder. After the murders, the bodies of the two deceased were left inside a silver Daewoo Chairman 400 which was abandoned on the 6th story of the Orchard Towers car park. Peter Chong discovered the car on 7 January 2002 and informed the car parks security guards, who informed the Singapore police.
On 7 February 2003 Audrey Ong was sentenced to 12 years in jail for the murders. On 27 September 2005 Michael McCrea was extradited to Singapore on Singapore Airlines Flight SQ228. He was sitting in a jail in Melbourne, Australia. On 29 June 2006 Michael McCrea was sentenced to 24 years in jail for the murders.