By RACHEL CHAN

LOW rents are top draws for companies now occupying what used to be the homes of elite law-enforcement agencies here.

Once the heartbeat of the police force, the former police headquarters in Pearl's Hill Terrace is now home to start-ups, a law firm and creative agencies. It is one of four places which have been given a new lease of life, including the former CID Training Centre, also in Pearl's Hill Terrace, the Home Affairs Ministry's old premises in Phoenix Park and the former Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau building in Cantonment Road.

Depending on location, rental at these buildings ranges from $3.50psf to $6psf. This can easily be 66 per cent cheaper than rentals at most buildings in the same area, realtors said.

Rates at nearby Tanjong Pagar, Shenton Way and Havelock Road can go up to $15 psf. Another perk? Offices at the four buildings are spacious, compared to those in shophouses or office buildings in the same area.

'The location is quite interesting; it's in the heart of Chinatown but it's quiet. There're also open spaces and a certain old-world feel about it,' said Mr Augustine Low,managing director of The Advocate Group, a five-year-old home-grown communications consultancy firm located at 195, Pearl's Hill Terrace, the former police HQ.

Over at Phoenix Park, Mr Anurag Srivastava, 42, chief executive officer and managing director of creative and design firm Space Matrix, likens it to working in a foreign country.

'Working here is a little bit like being in Silicon Valley and Bali at the same time,' he said. 'One gets all these beautiful design ideas here,' he added.

For more my paper stories click here.