restoration but did not provide cash grants or tax relief for conservation projects but waived some of the development charges, car parking requirements and car park deficiency charges. The historic shophouses could now easily be re-used for modern businesses, such as restaurants, cafes, bars and small shops. The interior of the buildings could be modified with the new use in mind, in some cases using new non-traditional interior ornamentation, materials, and colours. For instance, the interior of the Opera Cafe at No. 40 Boat Quay was modified to create an ambiance similar to an opera stage-set. The ground floor of the Lim Family Shophouse at No. 58 Boat Quay was converted into a Japanese restaurant. The upper floor is used as a weekend flat for the Lim family, who lived in the building since 1908. The architect Mok Wei Wei created more open space by demolishing some of the original partition walls, but kept and restored the original teak floors, paint colour on the window frames, wooden balcony doors, and tile roofs. The historic blackwood furniture and art pieces were also restored and re-used. Multiple startup companies also rent offices around the Boat Quay and nearby Circular Road area. Gallery See also Raffles Place Singapore River List of restaurant districts and streets Literature National Heritage Board (2002), Singapore's 100 Historic Places, Archipelago Press, Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2003), Toponymics – A Study of Singapore Street Names, Eastern Universities Press, External links Boat Quay: Official website References Tourist attractions in Singapore Protected areas of Singapore Roads in Singapore Downtown Core (Singapore) Entertainment districts Restaurant districts and streets in Singapore Singapore River Redeveloped ports and waterfronts in Singapore Wharves