The current site of South Beach was the headquarters for the local military forces and the place for the very first enlistment for National Service in 1967. The 3 military blocks, 1, 9 and 14 and the neighbouring NCO (Non-Commissioned Officers’) club are heritage buildings. The NCO club, next to block 14 was well known for having a Olympic sized swimming pool and popular with officers from the army, air force and navy. The massive land reclamation had transformed Beach Road, a tranquil seaside neighbourhood to become a vibrant commercial district. It was also famous for the iconic Raffles Hotel.
The 3 army blocks and the NCO Club were given conservation status in 2000, when the Beach Road Camp was handed over to the Urban Redevelopment Authority. South Beach Consortium won the tender for the site in 2007 and developed it into a 3.5ha mixed-use property that includes residences, a hotel and offices and restaurants while preserving the four heritage buildings.