Work starts on another Jurong Lake District mega-project
THE transformation of Jurong Lake District into the largest suburban commercial hub outside the city centre is slowly but surely taking shape, with yet another development project moving into the construction phase yesterday.
Developers of the mixed-development project, situated next to both Jurong East MRT station and Jurong East bus interchange, revealed more details about the 25-storey building at a groundbreaking ceremony.
To be called Westgate, the 594,000 sq ft lifestyle mall will span seven floors of retail space, said its joint developers CapitaMalls Asia (CMA), CapitaMall Trust and CapitaLand.
It will target middle- to upper-middle-income families residing in neighbouring districts, working professionals, visitors to the nearby upcoming Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, and students of nearby schools.
Mr Lim Beng Chee, chief executive of CMA, said that while they are just starting to market the mall to retailers, the tenant mix will include international and high-street fashion brands and IT and electronics stores.
There is also likely to be a supermarket, a food court and family restaurants. The mall is expected to be open for business by the end of next year.
The development will have a 20-storey office podium, named Westgate Tower, which is set to be completed by the end of 2014.
Employees who work at some 315,000 sq ft of office space there will have ease of access to the shops and other facilities, such as a childcare centre and a gymnasium.
Mr Lim added that he remains optimistic about rental rates at Westgate remaining on the level of between $16 and $18 psf per month - a target which CMA had when they first announced that they had been awarded the land parcel last June.
This is despite property analysts' forecast that the gloomy economic outlook would have a dampening impact on retail and office rental rates, especially in the suburban parts of Singapore.
Yesterday's event also saw the developers unveiling the architectural design of the complex.
Drawing inspiration from Jurong's original landscape of mangroves and rivers, design consultants from Benoy said that they want the complex to be an "urban oasis". They have laid out numerous areas to be filled with landscaped greenery and water features.
Semi-outdoor covered pedestrian streets will connect the complex to the MRT station, bus interchange, hospital and other neighbouring developments.
"Together with neighbouring malls IMM and JCube, we will have the equivalent of a three-in-one mega-mall in Jurong," said Mr Lim.
"This mega-mall will meet the needs of most shoppers in the western part of Singapore - IMM the value-focused mall, JCube the entertainment hot spot with an Olympic-sized ice rink, Imax cinema and this project, the lifestyle mall."
Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Lee Yi Shyan, who was the guest of honour at the event yesterday, said that the Government is committed to leading the transformation of Jurong.
"The Workforce Development Agency's Devan Nair Institute is under construction (in the vicinity)...a new government complex housing my ministry, and two of our statutory boards, AVA and BCA, will also relocate here in the next few years", he said.
Guys , don't be dishearted .
Here some great news .
Jurong East is a great place ....
Jurong East Interchange , IMM , Jcube , hospital , Library , Science centre , now WestLake .
This area is potential , very potential , i think .
My boss 07 ever told me ....
" Pool , u only take calls from 3 places , one is Tuas , one is Coconut Tree and lastly is Jurong ."
That's right boss , still is .
AYE during weekdays, morning jam, afternoon also jam in the city direction. I grew up around Taman Jurong, Boon Lay and Jurong West.
Its good to see the transformation there. I believe it has potential. But they must solve the AYE / PIE traffic issues. Everytime pax ask me go there, after dropping them off, I will eat at Blk 505 Jurong West St 52. The Nasi Lemak stall there is the best I tried. Crispy ham, crispy chicken wing, Fried Kuay Teow, Mee Hoon, Mee, all best. Always long long queue. On the other side of Blk 505 got the fish slice soup and rice stall. Always long long queue too. These 2 stalls are among the best fish slice soup and nasi lemak stall in Singapore.
I slowly eat there, because going back town sure kena heavy traffic. So might as well eat first.
Day shift kena Jurong means headache for me because I only do flat fares. I dont take MDT current bookings, also never queue at Jurong East, IBP, Joo Koon or inside Tuas. Peak hours seldom on the spot kena $18 plus meter from Tuas or Jurong to Eastern Singapore. So for me once kena West destination means a slow drive back to town. Some maxi drivers will wait for current bookings there lah. But its risky because no destination, and very high chance will be sent even further inside Tuas. Same for the taxi stand pax, very chance pax asked to go Tuas or Jurong Island.
There will also be a e2i there, now situated at lengkok, redhill, they will move there with a new insitute for skill upgrading, match, training and placement of jobs and also, the new Singapore Taxi Academy.
For those who wish to switch from taxi driving, can talk to e2i staffs there, there are many jobs available, even if you have no skill, it can be train and place, meaning they train you with certification, then place you on the job, it is also the place where people are place on MBS and RWS jobs. It also provide help to back to work women who wish to look for job after their kids had grown up. And it is only for Singaporeans, no PR.
Originally posted by ALN:actually hor… i think jur is a jinx place for business leh…
see tang dynasty… spent billion to build and then demolish…
ice staking also gone…
jur stadium and swimming pool collect dust now…s league SAF also run
boon lay swimming pool and cinema also close down…
jur f la….
houg better leh… haha
no lah, IBP very good leh, alway got call and pick german and creative peoples, then free go tradehub 21 eat sushi, parking free on weekend, weekday, 1st hour free.