Entrance plaza leading to the residential towers at Rivière and the lifestyle hub in the conserved warehouses on the right
Industrial warehouses like those along Jiak Kim Street remind us of the Singapore River’s past as a shipping hub almost 200 years ago. In 1991, the three warehouses on Jiak Kim Street were repurposed and became home to Zouk nightclub for 26 years.
In its latest incarnation, the row of three warehouses has been conserved, and will be transformed into a “24x7 lifestyle hub” as part of the luxury mixed-use project Rivière, developed by Singapore-listed property group Frasers Property.
Rivière will have 455 residences within twin 36-storey, glass towers and a four-storey block of serviced apartments adjacent to the conserved warehouses. The development sits on a 145,055 sq ft, 99-year leasehold site. Within the warehouses, the “24x7 lifestyle hub” will contain a roastery, lounge bar, dining hall and social kitchen, meeting rooms and co-working space. There will also be an event hall, where social activities for residents will be held: from cooking and baking classes to yoga and pilates, says Kelvin Thong, branch district director at PropNex Realty, the marketing agency for the project.
Timeless appeal, water views
“For most condominium developments along the Singapore River, only 50% of the units enjoy a river view,” continues Thong. “At Rivière, on the other hand, all 455 units will have an awesome river view.” Given the location of the site along the bend of the Singapore River, it has a 300m waterfront.
Rivière is designed by acclaimed architect Chan Soo Khian, founding principal and design director of SCDA Architects. Chan is famous for his designs of luxury condo projects such as The Marq on Paterson Hill, Leedon Residence and Nassim Park Residences.
Besides the sleek, clean lines of the glass towers, impeccable finish and manicured gardens synonymous with Chan’s designs, the future residences at Rivière will incorporate smart home features too. “The appeal of the project is the timelessness of its design,” says PropNex’s Thong.
The show unit of a four-bedroom deluxe unit at Rivière
Reputation for quality developments
It is the first collaboration between Frasers Property and SCDA. Over a span of more than 40 years, Frasers Property has built a reputation for quality developments. In Singapore, it has developed over 21,000 homes, a commercial portfolio of 14 shopping malls, as well as seven office buildings, business space and business park complexes.
In Australia, one of Frasers Property’s most significant projects is Central Park, a residential precinct with 2,200 apartments at Chippendale in Sydney’s inner city. In Melbourne, a recent project is Burwood Brickworks, which is poised to be the world’s most sustainable shopping centre, incorporating a rooftop farm.
In the UK, residential projects include the Riverside Quarter, a 10-acre (4.05ha) development located along the Thames with 554 private apartments; and Vincent Square, with a cluster of 49 apartments housed within classic heritage redbrick buildings converted from the listed former Rochester Row Police Station and Magistrate Court.
Hospitality branded services
Frasers Hospitality, which is also part of Frasers Property Group, has top-tier serviced apartment brands, namely Fraser Suites, Fraser Place and Fraser Residence, as well as a second-tier brand, Modena by Fraser. Other brands include Capri, a design-led hotel residence, as well as two upscale lifestyle hotel brands, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin.
Future residents at Rivière will be able to enjoy the perks of living next to Fraser Residence-branded serviced apartments, as they will have access to a suite of services, such as housekeeping, laundy and babysitting. “It will be a great convenience, especially for tenants who do not want a live-in, domestic helper,” says Thong.
Residents will enjoy preferential rates on renovation and relocation packages provided by Frasers, as well as priority access to the lounge and other amenities within the lifestyle hub at Rivière, he adds.
Rivière is also located in the heart of Robertson Quay, which in turn is right smack between the CBD and the prime Orchard Road shopping belt. “The game-changer is that Rivière sits within walking distance of not just one, but two MRT stations — Havelock and Great World — both of which are part of the Thomson-East Coast Line, which is expected to be ready by 2022,” says Thong.
The Thomson-East Coast Line will further increase the accessibility of the location. Hence, Thong reckons, the units at Rivière will see “strong rental demand”. That should translate into higher rental yields and hence, enhanced capital values for the buyers of Rivière.
Part of the appeal could be the commercial elements at Robertson Quay — the bistros, wine bars, restaurants, as well as art houses. “It is an interesting enclave, with an eclectic architecture: the old, conserved warehouses along the waterfront and the mix of low- and highrise condominiums, hotels and office blocks,” Thong observes. “It doesn’t feel like you’re in Singapore.”
“Promotional prices”
Frasers Property has rolled out “special promotional prices” at Rivière from June 7. A selected number of one- to three-bedroom premium apartments, with sizes ranging from 560 to 1,711 sq ft, has been offered for sale at prices starting from $2,293 psf. They are available at a discount to the initial starting prices from $2,580 psf two years ago.
“The promotional prices definitely make Rivière extremely competitive relative to the rest of the developments in the area,” notes Thong. “And Rivière is a brand-new product compared to the neighbouring condos, which are at least eight years old.”
TOP Q1 2023! From $22xx psf with a Singapore River View!
Sales gallery located at 88 Zion Road
8129 2122 / 9437 6445
https://www.frasersproperty.com/sg/riviere
This article appeared in The EdgeProp Pullout Issue 988 (Jun 14, 2021) of The Edge Singapore.