With shopping and dining being two of the most popular pastimes among Singapore residents, owning an apartment that’s within walking distance of a retail mall – or, better yet, located above the mall – has become very desirable. Here are five such developments to consider as your own dwelling or as an investment property.
1. Hillion Residences is located above Hillion Mall in Bukit Panjang
Sim Lian
Hillion Mall, which has two levels above ground and two below, opened in February this year. F&B outlets such as Pontian Wanton Noodles and Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert make up about 30 per cent of the mall’s offering, supplementing the main draw: anchor tenants NTUC FairPrice (open 24 hours) and foodcourt operator Kopitiam. As part of an integrated transport hub, the mall is extremely well connected, with direct access to the Bukit Panjang MRT, LRT and bus interchange – the latter slated to open at the end of this year.
Sim Lian
Sitting atop Hillion Mall is the 546-unit Hillion Residences, housed in three blocks. The development, which has a 99-year lease, is expected to be completed by September 2018. Units range from 463 sq. ft. one-bedders listed at $633,880 ($1,369 psf) to 2,616 sq. ft. penthouses that command $2.78 million, or $1,062 psf.
2. Park Place Residences at PLQ is near SingPost Centre in Paya Lebar
SingPost
Paya Lebar is undergoing a rapid transformation, with malls like Paya Lebar Square and Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) set to open in the coming years. First up, though, is the five-storey SingPost Centre, which will be unveiled within the next few months. Adjacent to Paya Lebar MRT, it will play host to an NTUC FairPrice, Kopitiam, and Golden Village cinemas; plus lifestyle shops, entertainment venues and learning centers.
The Park Place Residence
The 429-unit Park Place Residences at PLQ drew brisk sales when it was launched in March this year. More than half the units sold, with the average price hovering in the $1,801 psf range. The 99-year leasehold development is expected to be completed by 2019. One-, two- and three-bedders are available, with current list prices at around $948,999 for a 484 sq. ft. unit to $1.6 million for a 1,076 sq. ft. apartment.
3. North Park Residences is located above Northpoint City in Yishun
Northpoint City
Yishun can already boast of having the largest mall in Singapore’s north (Northpoint Shopping Centre). But when Northpoint City is completed in 2018, it will offer more than 500 shopping, dining and entertainment options, double the number currently available. Uniquely, it will also incorporate Singapore’s first community centre – Nee Soon Central Community Club – within a mall. A town plaza and an air-conditioned bus interchange will also be part of the complex.
North Park Residences
Rising above Northpoint City, North Park Residences is a 920-unit residential development housed in 12 residential blocks. Units range from 430 sq. ft. studios (currently listed at $612,000) to five-bedroom apartments costing $1.8 million and up.
4. NEWest, on West Coast Drive, is a mixed-use development with retail and F&B
Oxley
On the site of the former Hong Leong Garden is the upcoming NEWest, developed by Oxley Holdings after the integrated condo/shopping centre was sold en bloc in 2011. Slated for completion in late 2018, NEWest will feature 141 commercial units, including 65 retail outlets, 44 restaurants, 31 food kiosks and a supermarket.
Oxley
NEWest also boasts 136 residential units, with townhouses occupying the five-storey podium block and apartments occupying the 12-storey residential tower. Units range from 463 sq. ft. one-bedders to 2,971 sq. ft., four-bedroom townhouses. As the land comes with a 956-year tenure, this is as close to owning a freehold property as it gets.
5. Highline Residences is a 3-min walk from Tiong Bahru Plaza
Tiong Bahru Plaza
Long overdue for a makeover, Tiong Bahru Plaza finally underwent a retrofit and reopened in stages from early 2016. It now boasts a more upmarket look and feel, although the neighbourhood’s rich history and unique character are also expressed in the design. A new food street has been installed on the second level, while level three features a playground and level four, a roof terrace/community space. A key feature of the mall is – and has always been – that it offers direct access to Tiong Bahru MRT.
Keppel Land
A three-minute walk from Tiong Bahru Plaza, Highline Residences is a 500-unit development with a 99-year lease. One-bedroom units that are 452 sq. ft. in size fetch around $890,000, while 2,250 sq. ft., four-bedroom apartments go for about $5 million.