OVERVIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN CORE NEIGHBORHOOD
The Downtown Core is the historical center of Singapore. It is the main commercial region in the country with many luxury casinos and resorts like the Marina Bay Sands, which is one of the most expensive structures in the world. There are many high-rise buildings and skyscrapers in Marina Bay CBD, Tanjong Pagar, and Raffles Place with heights of 280m. With nearly 4000 residents and a total area of 4.34 km2, the Downtown Core is one of the 11 planning areas in Central Area. It shares the same border with Singapore River, Singapore Museum, and Outram in the west, Rochor in the north, Marina South and Marina East in the east, Kallang in the northeast, Bukit Merah in the south, and Straits View in the southeast. As the financial center of Singapore, this area is home to offices and headquarters of various corporations. Also, the region houses many governmental institutions, including the Supreme Court and the Parliament. In conversation, the term CBD or Central Business District is often used to replace the Downtown Core. This planning area is divided into eight subzones, including Marina Bay, Tanjong Pagar, Raffles Place, Phillip, Maxwell, Clifford Pier, Cecil, and Anson.