Executive Summary:
ARC 380 is a 16-storey freehold office-and-retail development located at 380 Jalan Besar, near the Lavender Street junction. Positioned in Singapore’s city-fringe commercial district, it combines practical office functionality with lifestyle-driven amenities such as communal sky terraces, a gym, swimming pool, Level 1 F&B options, and nearby retail conveniences. With Bendemeer MRT and major expressways close by, ARC 380 offers both accessibility and workplace convenience. In this article, we examine its amenities in detail, explain why they matter to investors and occupiers, and assess how they can contribute to long-term usability, tenant appeal, and asset value.
1. Accessibility & Transport
Why it matters: Ease of commuting and connectivity strongly affect employee satisfaction, client access, and operating costs. High proximity to public transit and convenient road access improve talent attraction and resilience. Parking and drop-off affect daily convenience, and compliance with accessibility requirements (ramps, lifts, toilets) is required for inclusivity.
- Transit (MRT/bus): ARC 380 is ~500 m (7 min) from Bendemeer MRT (DTL). Farrer Park, Boon Keng, and Lavender MRTs are ~3–47min drive (or 7–15 min walk). ≤500 m to MRT/DTL (for prime grade offices) is ideal; nearby bus stops on Jalan Besar/Lavender provide local links.
- Parking: ARC 380 provides 83 carpark lots, including 2 handicapped lots, as well as 18 bicycle lots and 16 motorcycle lots. While useful, this parking provision is relatively modest for a 16-storey office building and may be limited during peak occupancy. By comparison, suburban office buildings commonly provide around 1–2 carpark lots per 100 sqm, while CBD buildings may offer fewer due to stronger public transport access. No EV charging facilities are currently available, which may be a consideration for future-ready tenants. Parking charges are S$1.50 for the first hour and S$1.30 for every subsequent half hour, with charges capped at around 7 pm.
- Drop-off & Accessibility: ARC 380 features a sheltered grand drop-off area along Jalan Besar that leads into an elegant, marble-lined lobby. The building also offers concierge services and secure access-card-controlled lifts, creating a professional and well-managed arrival experience. Additionally, ARC 380 also provides common handicapped toilets on every office level, while ramps and lift access are expected to comply with Singapore’s accessibility requirements
2. Building Infrastructure
Why it matters: Core infrastructure (HVAC, power, lifts, IT) underpins daily operations. Adequate capacity and redundancy improve uptime. Poor infrastructure causes downtime, tenant complaints, and higher costs.
- Air-conditioning: ARC 380 is equipped with a central chilled-water air-conditioning system for normal office operating hours. For businesses that require cooling beyond standard hours, the building also provides air-conditioned ledges where individual condensing units can be installed for independent after-hours air-conditioning use.This setup gives occupiers greater flexibility, especially for companies with extended working hours, weekend operations, or specific cooling requirements. Any after-hours central air-conditioning usage or additional installation requirements should be confirmed with the building management.
- Lifts & Vertical Transport: ARC 380 is served by five passenger lifts, one service lift, and a dedicated carpark lift, providing efficient vertical access throughout the building. For a 16-storey commercial development, this lift provision is generally in line with typical office standards, where one lift for every three to four floors is considered reasonable. During peak periods, tenants should still assess lift waiting times, with a good benchmark being under 60 seconds.
- Ceiling & Floor Plate: ARC 380 offers a generous floor-to-floor height of approximately 4.9 metres, which typically allows a clear ceiling height of around 3.2 metres after installing a drop ceiling. This creates a spacious office environment and provides flexibility for lighting, air-conditioning ducts, and cabling. The building also features efficient column-free floor plates of about 940-950 sqm, allowing tenants to plan open layouts, collaborative work areas, or private office configurations with minimal obstruction.
3. Food & Convenience
Why it matters: On-site dining and services reduce off-site lunch breaks and improve work-life balance. Lack of options leads to worker frustration.
- On-site F&B: ARC 380 offers a convenient range of food options on Level 1, making it easy for tenants and visitors to access meals without leaving the building. Current dining choices include Songane Korean, Prince Noodle, Wanton Fu, Eizou Sakaba, Baan Kanom Thai, and Blue Bay Seafood Hotpot, offering a mix of Korean/Japanese/Thai cuisine, noodles, wanton dishes, and seafood hotpot. This variety supports daily workplace convenience, particularly for employees who prefer quick lunch options or casual meals in-house. The presence of on-site F&B also adds vibrancy to the ground floor and improves the overall tenant experience by reducing the need to travel elsewhere during lunch breaks.
- Nearby dining/retail: Within a 7- to 12-minute walk from ARC 380, tenants have access to a wide range of dining and retail options. Nearby malls such as City Square Mall (8 mins), Aperia Mall (12 mins), and Jalan Besar Plaza (7 mins) offer supermarkets, cafés, casual eateries, fast-food outlets, and food courts. City Square Mall, for example, includes NTUC FairPrice, Don Don Donki, and a variety of F&B options, making it convenient for both daily meals and errands.
- In addition to the malls, the surrounding shophouse areas along Tyrwhitt Road, Foch Road, and Jalan Besar provide a diverse mix of independent cafés, local eateries, and well-known food establishments. These include Chye Seng Huat Hardware, an industrial-chic café in a former hardware store, Ponggol Nasi Lemak, Kok Kee Wanton Noodle, New Udon Mookata and other neighbourhood dining options. This strong food and retail ecosystem adds vibrancy to the location and gives employees plenty of choices for lunch, coffee breaks, informal meetings, and after-work meals.
4. Wellness & Lifestyle
Why it matters: Modern tenants value amenities that support health and work-life balance. Good wellness features boost employee morale and retention.
- Gym & Pool: ARC 380 offers a well-rounded wellness and lifestyle environment anchored by its roof terrace, which includes a gymnasium and a 25-metre swimming pool. These amenities add lifestyle value for office occupiers and improve the building’s appeal to tenants who prioritise employee wellness, after-work convenience, and a more engaging workplace experience.
- Green & Social Spaces: The development also features communal sky terraces on the office floors, as well as a landscaped Level 4 sky terrace with BBQ pits. These outdoor spaces function as social breakout areas where employees can take informal meetings, relax between work sessions, or hold small team gatherings. Their value depends on regular upkeep, comfortable seating, greenery, shade, and overall cleanliness.
- Shower & End-of-Trip: For end-of-trip convenience, ARC 380 also provides shower facilities in individual office units. This is useful for cycling commuters, fitness-conscious employees, and businesses that want to support a more active workplace culture.
5. Security & Safety
Why it matters: 24/7 security, controlled access, and fire safety are critical in finance, healthcare, and any office that houses valuables or sensitive data.
- Access Control: ARC 380 is equipped with a professional access-control and security framework, including a concierge at the office lobby, CCTV monitoring, a visitor management control panel, and lift access-card systems. These features help regulate movement between the retail and office areas, improve privacy for office occupants, and create a more secure environment for staff, clients, and visitors.
6. Shared Business Amenities
Why it matters: Shared spaces (meeting rooms, lounges, event halls) can save tenants fit-out costs and add flexibility. They also foster community.
- Meeting / Conference Rooms: ARC 380 does not offer dedicated public meeting and conference rooms for all office owners and tenants. However, businesses that require additional meeting capacity may benefit from WeWork’s presence on the upper floors, which offers coworking facilities, meeting rooms, and flexible workspace options. This can be useful for companies that occasionally need extra rooms, event space, or overflow workstations without committing to a larger permanent office.
- Business Lounge The building also offers a sky terrace lounge that can serve as an informal business or social breakout area, subject to availability and booking requirements.
- Coworking / Incubator:Â For coworking needs, WeWork provides flexible desk and office solutions within the building. General office owners and tenants can check directly with WeWork or the building management to see whether any access arrangements, tenant privileges, or collaboration opportunities are available.
7. Financial & Operational Considerations
Why it matters: Amenities often incur hidden costs. Tenants/landlords must budget for service charges, utilities, and compliance fees.
- Service Charges: ARC 380’s service charge is approximately $0.69 psf per month and covers the upkeep of common areas, including the lobby, lifts, security systems, shared facilities, and general building maintenance. This is relatively competitive compared with many premium office buildings in Singapore, where monthly service charges can often be higher.
- AC Overtime Fees:  For after-hours operations, ARC 380 also provides flexibility by allowing an independent condensing unit, enabling occupiers to operate air-conditioning beyond standard building hours without relying entirely on centralised overtime air-conditioning arrangements.
- Parking Fees:Â Parking costs should be confirmed directly with building management, including hourly rates, seasonal parking availability, and any preferential packages for owners or tenants.
- Hidden Costs: Buyers should also factor in potential hidden operational costs, such as fit-out coordination fees, lift-booking charges, renovation deposits, late-payment surcharges, and other building-management administrative fees.
Which Businesses Are Best Suited for ARC 380?
ARC 380 appeals to diverse buyer profiles by combining city-fringe connectivity, freehold tenure, flexible strata office layouts, and lifestyle-oriented amenities.
For startups and SMEs, the building is well-suited to companies that need cost-effective office ownership without sacrificing accessibility. Its walkable MRT access, nearby bus connectivity, on-site F&B options, proximity to City Square Mall, and relatively manageable service charge make it practical for lean teams. The column-free layouts also allow businesses to configure their space efficiently as headcount changes.
For client-facing firms such as finance, consulting, legal, and corporate advisory businesses, ARC 380 offers a professional setting with a grand office lobby, concierge, covered drop-off, visitor management, CCTV monitoring, and access-card controls. These features help create a stronger first impression for clients while maintaining a secure and organised office environment.
For tech companies and creative teams, the 4.9-metre floor-to-floor height, open layouts, strong power provision, flexible air-conditioning arrangements, gym, shower facilities, and breakout sky terraces support a more modern workplace format. These features are useful for teams that value collaboration, wellness, extended operating hours, and adaptable office planning.
For investors and owner-occupiers, ARC 380 is attractive because of its freehold tenure, city-fringe location, MRT connectivity, moderate service charge, and diverse occupier base. Its mix of office, coworking, retail, and F&B uses can help support leasing appeal and long-term asset resilience, provided buyers also assess current occupancy, maintenance standards, parking arrangements, and future capital expenditure requirements.
Article contributed by Jerry Wong.
Jerry Wong is a realtor at Propnex Realty, bringing a rich background in interior and lighting design to his work. He loves exploring diverse spaces and observing the transformative power of real estate. Beyond his professional role, Jerry finds his greatest fulfillment in connecting people with the right properties, gaining immense satisfaction from helping clients achieve their dreams.
