SINGAPORE: When IT professional Shrishe Kodancha began working at Changi Business Park more than 15 years ago, buildings were sparse and the area was remote.

"Food was very difficult (to find), and transportation was also very difficult," said the 50-year-old.

Since then, a shopping mall, hotel, transport network and more life has been added to what's been dubbed the "central business district (CBD) of the east".

The sprawling 71ha park, launched in 1997, is home to financial institutions like DBS and Citibank and tech companies such as International Business Machines (IBM), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Huawei. 

Office buildings, however, have been clearing out, according to a Bloomberg report which identified IBM as reducing occupancy from 12 floors to two; investment b...