Instead of waiting for 10 years for the future Cross Island Line, homebuyers of The Florence Residences will enjoy immediate accessibility to two existing MRT stations, proximity to next-generation industrial parks at Defu and Lorong Halus, as well as a residential development with a resort-style, club-condo concept.
The Florence Residences, with 1,410 units, will be a new addition to the Kovan enclave. Being near several public transport stops, it is set to offer residents added convenience
The Florence Residences has everything going for it: Situated right smack within the mature Kovan housing estate, the project is close to not just one, but two, MRT stations – Hougang and Kovan – on the North East Line.
Interesting eateries in the Hougang-Kovan neighbourhood include hipster cafes such as Ice Edge Café, Lola’s Café, Hatter Street and Purist Patisserie. For those who want more international cuisine, there are German bistro Knuckles Bar & Bistro, Ding Tele Shanghainese Restaurant, Yaowarat Thai Kway Chap, Hansik Korean restaurant and Tachinomiya Japanese Bar, which serves Japanese beer and sake as well as Japanese street food.
Local restaurants include Ivins Nyonya Specialties, Tian Wai Tian Fish Head Steam Boat and 888 Mookata, founded by local celebrities Chew Chor Meng and Zhou Chongqing in partnership with cousins Esmond and Ronnie.
Famous hawker fare in the area are the likes of Ponggol Nasi Lemak, Ponggol Noodles, Heng Long Teochew Porridge, Sin Chie Toke Huan Hainanese Curry Rice and Bee Kee Wanton Noodle. Food centres that draw residents from near and far include the Kovan 209 Food Centre, Teck Chye Food Street, Hougang Hainanese Village Centre and Chomp Chomp Food Centre in Serangoon Gardens.
Malls in the area include Heartland Mall, which is linked to the Kovan MRT Station, Hougang Mall located along Hougang Avenue 10 and the adjacent Kang Kar Mall.
The Florence Residences is just one MRT stop from Nex, one of the biggest suburban malls and all-in-one entertainment-lifestyle destinations in Singapore. It has two food courts, a 24-hour hypermarket and supermarket, a 24-hour fitness gym, Shaw Theatres cineplex and more than 300 shops. Nex is also integrated with a rooftop sky garden, dog park and playground, the Serangoon Public Library as well as Serangoon MRT and bus interchange stations.
View from a five-bedroom showflat unit at Logan Property’s mega-development
Cross Island Line bonus
The completion of the first phase of the Cross Island Line will see Hougang MRT Station elevated to an interchange station. This will bring residents within walking distance from the future Hougang MRT interchange station for the North East and Cross Island Lines.
The Defu station and upcoming Defu Industrial Park will be just one stop away. Punggol Digital District in the northeast, the Changi region including Jewel Changi Airport, and Jurong Lake District in the west will be within a train ride away.
The Florence Residences is also near top local and international schools such as the prestigious preschool Pat’s Schoolhouse, Rosyth School and Dimensions International College. Primary schools located within 1km of The Florence Residences are the likes of Xinmin Primary, Holy Innocents’ Primary and Montfort Junior.
Next-generation industrial parks
The Cross Island Line will bring the future Defu New Industrial Park closer to home for those living in The Florence Residences. It is part of URA’s Master Plan to transform the existing Defu Industrial Estate into a green and sustainable park of the future over the next 15 to 20 years.
State-of-the-art industrial complexes with a total of 2.1 million sq ft of industrial space will be earmarked for a wide spectrum of industries – ranging from logistics and precision engineering to info-communications and media, electronics, clean energy and biomedical.
Another “next-generation” industrial park nearby is Lorong Halus Industrial Park, which will cover an area of over 100ha and cater to light and clean industries such as food, lifestyle and logistics. Fronting the nearby Sungei Serangoon, it will likewise feature parkland, recreational amenities and public spaces for communal activities.
Both the Defu and Lorong Halus Industrial Parks are envisioned to be major employment centres for those living in the northeast region. It will be especially convenient for owner-occupiers or investors at The Florence Residences who wish to rent out to tenants who work there.
Potential residents can fully utilise the balcony space as an outdoor living room
Amenities for all ages
The Florence Residences is brought to you by acclaimed Hong Kong-listed property developer Logan Property. While its maiden residential project, Stirling Residences, is a joint venture with Nanshan Group, The Florence Residences is developed wholly by Logan Property.
The Florence Residences is a redevelopment of the former privatised HUDC estate, Florence Regency, which sits on a sprawling 389,239 sq ft site bounded by Florence Road and Hougang Avenue 2.
Given the scale of the project, Logan Property is able to create a “club-condo” concept with a comprehensive range of facilities – up to 128 different facilities – that cater to residents of all ages. Even with so many facilities, potential buyers at The Florence Residences will be able to enjoy value-for-money as the conservancy charges will be low as they will be split among 1,410 units.
The centrepiece of the development is the two-storey, resort-style The Clubhouse overlooking the 80m island lap pool. For the youth and fitness enthusiasts, there is a well-equipped gym, a sparring ring pavilion; pool table and dartboard pavilion; and a cosy nook for outdoor movie screenings.
For food lovers, there are many different themed dining pavilions, from the Italian Pavilion to the Japanese Pavilion as well as an Outback Grill. There’s also the Wine & Chill Pavilion for those who want to enjoy a good bottle of wine or whiskey with friends.
The developer is also offering residents complimentary classes for the first two years in a wide variety of recreational pursuits, such as yoga, cooking, baking and floral arrangements.
Wide choice of unit types
The Florence Residences has a wide range of unit types to cater to different lifestyles: with one-bedroom units from 474 sq ft and two-bedroom units from 624 sq ft. Three-bedroom units are sized from 893 sq ft, while four-bedroom units are upwards of 1,270 sq ft.
The five-bedroom units are from 1,668 sq ft, and come with private lift lobby, wet and dry kitchens as well as marble flooring. All penthouses will have a double-volume ceiling height for the living and dining areas.
Prices at The Florence Residences average $1,450 psf*, with one-bedroom units starting from $677,000; two-bedroom units from $877,000; and three-bedroom units from $1.254 million. Four-bedroom units are upwards of $1.71 million, while five-bedders are from $2.456 million.
View of a showflat of a one-bedroom unit at The Florence Residences
SALES GALLERY: ALONG HOUGANG AVE 10
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE-FLORENCE-RESIDENCES.SG OR CALL 6100 8300 / 6100 8311
This article appeared in The EdgeProp Pullout Issue 874 (March 25, 2019) of The Edge Singapore.