Developments in Singapore’s west-end have been picking up the pace in recent years, thanks to the emergence of Jurong as the “second CBD.” But Jurong is a big area, and the two upcoming launches, J’Den and The LakeGarden Residences, have notable differences in location.
Here’s an initial comparison of the two for home buyers:
Why is Jurong a major upcoming area?
Jurong will be home to three major projects over the coming decades, aimed at transforming the area into Singapore’s “second CBD.” These include the Jurong Lake District (JLD), Jurong Innovation District (JID), and the Tuas Megaport.
JLD spans around 360 hectares, and this will be the biggest business district outside of the CBD proper. This commercial hub will include Grade A office space, a mix of private and public residences, and a retail / recreational cluster around Jurong Lake (at present the area around Jurong East is already a major retail hub, with large malls like JEM, Westgate, and IMM).
An improved transport infrastructure is also planned alongside these developments. The new Jurong Region Line (JRL) will consist of 24 stations; it will connect to Choa Chu Kang (northbound route), Jurong Pier (southbound route), Pandan Reservoir (eastbound route), and Per Kang Hill (westbound route).
JLD alone is expected to add 20,000 new homes and 100,000 jobs to the area, by the year 2040 to 2050.
JID will continue Jurong’s tradition as a commercial and manufacturing hub. It consists of five precincts forming a single collaborative estate. This will bring together academic institutions like Nanyang Technological University, with R&D firms like A*Star technologies and manufactories like the SATS Food Hub.
Meanwhile, the Tuas Megaport will be the world’s largest container terminal. All of the container terminals currently at Tanjong Pagar, Pasir Panjang, Keppel, and Brani will be moved and merged at this location. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is also aiming to develop accompanying facilities, such as warehousing and distribution centres.
Lifestyle spaces will also be combined with the port, using both above and underground spaces, to encourage the public to visit. This is to cultivate interest in the maritime industry, and it will double as a recreational amenity to those living nearby.
This combination of the three initiatives – JLD, JID, and the Tuas megaport – will raise demand for housing in the area, provide a strong catchment area for rental assets, and provide a convenient work-live-play cluster for home owners.
This will provide long-term benefits to owners of both J’Den and The Lake Garden Residences; so the main difference is just which parts of Jurong you’d prefer.
J’Den* and The LakeGarden Residences at a glance.
*For those already familiar with Jurong, J’Den is the former J’Cube mall.
| J'Den | The LakeGarden Residences |
Location | 2 Jurong Central 1 | Yuan Ching Road |
Developer | CapitaLand | Wing Tai Asia |
Lease | 99-year lease | 99-year lease |
Number of units | 368 | 306 |
Closest MRT station | Across the road from Jurong East Interchange | Lakeside (not in walking distance) |
Closest bus station | Opp. Block 135 – 2 minutes Bus 990 Jurong East Library – 3 minutes Bus 51, 78, 79,97,143, 176, 178, 197, 198, 333 Jurong Interchange – 3 minutes Bus 41. 49, 51, 52, 66, 78, 79, 97, 98, 105, 143, 160, 183, 197, 333,334, 335, 506 | Lakeside Apartment - 3 minutes Bus 154, 49 |
Schools within one-kilometre | Fuhua Primary School (988 metres) | · Jurong Secondary (680 metres) · Yuan Ching Secondary (850 metres) Lakeside Primary (880 metres) |
Notable nearby malls | Has its own shops right downstairs (mixed-use development) Across the road from JEM | Taman Jurong Shopping Centre |
Key differences to note:
· LakeGarden for nature lovers, J’Den for urban lifestyles
· J’den might be preferable for landlords
· LakeGarden may offer better greenery views
· Proven location versus First Mover Advantage
1. LakeGarden for nature lovers, J’Den for urban lifestyles
In a way both projects don’t really compete, as they each cater to two different ends of the market.
Those who love hiking, cycling, and the general outdoors will be better served by LakeGarden Residences. This project is right on the doorstep of Jurong Lake Gardens; this is a 90 hectare greenery zone that is Singapore’s national garden, and which includes the famous Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden.
Jurong Lake Gardens is also home to the famed Forest Ramble, which at 2.3 hectares is Singapore’s biggest nature-themed playground in the heartlands.
J’Den, on the other hand, caters to those with a more urban lifestyle. This project is just next to the Jurong East interchange, which provides access to three different MRT lines (the North-South Line, East-West Line, and the Jurong Region Line).
This makes it convenient to get to virtually anywhere in Singapore, as there are direct trains to both Orchard as well as Raffles Place.
J’Den is a mixed-use development that will have its own commercial component; and it’s a big plus that the developer is CapitaLand. Several major malls, such as ION Orchard and the Changi Jewel, are under the purview of this developer. This assures a good tenant mix for residents.
J’Den is also right across the road from JEM and Westgate (another CapitaLand mall!), so just about every kind of shop or restaurant is in easy reach. Evertthing from groceries, to a cinema, to a 1-am supper spot (Beauty in the Pot at Westgate!) is walking distance.
2. J’Den might be preferable for landlords
Note: The above image shows the former JCube mall, which will be redeveloped into J’Den.
If your focus is on rentability, you might lean toward J’Den as your choice. Tenants are more likely to focus on practical aspects such as MRT access or having malls nearby, and J’Den meets both requirements.
The most attractive aspect to landlords, however, is likely to the proximity to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. The hospital is located far enough that the noise doesn’t affect J’Den, but at the same time close enough that staff would find it convenient to rent at J’Den (approximately 13 to 15 minutes’ walk).
Hospitals tend to employ a significant number of foreign workers, to supplement healthcare in areas such as nursing; so J’Den could be the perfect home-away-from-home for these tenants.
(It’s especially useful that JEM across the road has a Don Don Donki. This supermarket opens till midnight, which is super helpful to hospital staff who may not work regular hours).
Being next to Jem, you can easily get to an extensive range of eateries in the mall; everything for Burger King to The Wine Connection.
LakeGarden could also cater to tenants in the JID and Tuas Megaport in future; but it’s probably better suited to families. LakeGarden Residences more easily connects to Lakeside MRT than Jurong East MRT.
(This is via bus 154, and the bus stop is right outside the condo).
While there’s currently a shuttlebus from LakeGarden to Jurong East MRT, this is free for the first year only; and whether the service remains will be up to subsequent condo management decisions.
Where LakeGarden Residences excels for families, however, is having abundant green space for children to run and play in, in the adjoining parks. And while LakeGarden may not have big malls nearby, it’s across from the Yuan Ching Road HDB enclave, where you can find the usual HDB amenities like minimarts, coffee shops, etc. LakeGarden Residences is also around 10 minutes’ walk to the Taman Jurong Food Centre, which is famous for Butternut (scratch-made pizza) and Sikkander’s Briyani.
Home buyers who prefer quiet, less crowded areas would probably prefer this, rather than being next to two major malls and an MRT interchange.
You’ll also notice that LakeGarden has more schools within a one-kilometre distance for enrolment priority, whereas J’Den only has Fuhua Primary; and even that’s barely within one-kilometre.
3. LakeGarden may offer better greenery views
As far as views are concerned, it’s likely that LakeGarden Residences will have the edge over J’Den. LakeGarden overlooks a large green cluster with the Chinese and Japanese Garden, which are some of the most photographed areas in Singapore (ask any wedding photographer!)
This is a greenery view that can rival even pricier neighbourhoods like Bukit Timah; and if views are important to you, this will definitely justify the price of a higher floor.
J’Den is, as mentioned above, in a much more urban area.
Depending on the final product, you might – speculatively - see some of the Jurong Lake Garden area from the higher floors; but the view won’t match GardenLake Residences, which is just much closer to the greenery.
4. Proven location versus First Mover Advantage
J’Den’s location is proven, because it’s the location of the former J’Cube. This is a location well-known to anyone living in the west: it’s an acknowledged hub of the entire Jurong area, where people go to shop, watch movies, socialise, etc.
There’s no need to “have faith” in Jurong’s transformation if you buy here, because you can already see much of the change: this area has gone from an industrial zone, to a retail hub that rivals areas like Toa Payoh or Bishan.
Buyers know for sure what they’re getting with J’Den. However, the estimated price of $2,300 to $2,400 psf is higher than LakeGarden, as it’s pricing in the many amenities already in the area.
LakeGarden Residences, however, offers first mover advantage. This is the first private residence in its area in seven years (the last one was Lake Grande in 2016).
The first-mover advantage means that you’re getting into the area early, and hence buying at lower initial prices. Later, as JLD grows and sees more improvements, LakeGarden Residences will have more room to appreciate.
For example, when LakeGarden Residences launched, it featured some two and three-bedder units priced at under $2,000 psf. This is very competitive in the 2023 market, where prices of over $2,000 psf are seen a norm for new launches.
As such, LakeGarden Residences could provide more room for resale gains, for owner-investors willing to step in now and hold for a few years (e.g., 10+ years).
As you can see, both properties are targeted at different buyer demographics
This is one of the cases where two projects tend to complement, rather than compete with one another. The right choice will depend on which of the buyer demographics you fall into, as much as the budget.
Do reach out to me at Max Properties SG for more information on both projects, or if you need help deciding which makes more sense for your specific needs.