Jervois is not one of Singapore’s most famous locales, but its high-end residences and exclusive, unique location have made it greatly desirable among those seeking to buy or invest in luxury condos and landed homes.
by Cheryl Marie Tay
The name Jervois may not ring a bell for some Singaporeans, but its location is actually highly sought after, one most would consider prestigious.
Jervois is centrally located, and we’ve all passed through Jervois at some point to reach other destinations. It is surrounded by the Orchard, River Valley, Alexandra, Tanglin and Dempsey areas, and is home to a good number of luxury residences, both landed and non-landed.
While Districts 9, 10 and 11 are what typically comes to mind when talking about luxury residential developments, Jervois does not pale in comparison. In fact, its exclusivity might very well be part of the reason it is not at oft-referenced as these districts when one talks about high-end properties in Singapore.
Privacy and prestige
Jervois is a mainly residential neighbourhood. Its properties consist of luxury condominiums and Good Class Bungalows (GCBs), and are among the priciest in the country. With Jervois Road, Jervois Hill, Bishopsgate and Mount Echo Park in the area, it is an exclusive residential enclave populated by GCBs and high-end luxury condos.
The nearest MRT station to Jervois is Redhill, while Valley Point Shopping Centre has a supermarket for residents to get their daily necessities. Some popular schools in the area include Gan Eng Seng School and Crescent Girls School. However, as a residential enclave, Jervois is far from the madding crowd, and is in driving, rather than walking distance to most destinations.
It is likely though, that anyone who can afford a property in the area would most likely own a car, which would make conveniences easily accessible.
Daniel Lim, Associate Senior Group Director at Huttons Asia, sums up the appeal of Jervois as such: “(It is a) prestigious neighbourhood popular among expatriates, (and a) tranquil and exclusive residential GCB estate that is just a five-minute drive to Orchard Road.”
Centrally located
From Jervois, it is convenient to access many popular shopping, lifestyle and medical amenities.
Orchard
A five minute drive away from Jervois is the premier shopping street of Singapore. With over 10 shopping malls (Forum the Shopping Mall, Ngee Ann City, Wisma Atria, Wheelock Place, Orchard Central and Plaza Singapura, just to name a few) on Singapore’s most famous stretch of road, the Orchard Road shopping belt continues to draw visitors from not just all over the country, but all over the world.
This leaves Jervois residents utterly spoilt for choice when it comes to retail options in the vicinity: everything from fashion and electronics to household appliances and luxury labels can be found here, not to mention myriad eateries and bars to explore, especially on weekends.
At the same time, schools such as Chatsworth International School, Overseas Family School, International School Singapore, Raffles Girls’ School and Avondale Grammar School Singapore are located here, making Jervois an ideal and family-friendly estate for locals and expatriates alike.
River Valley
The River Valley area, while not quite as vibrant or busy as Orchard, has had longlasting appeal. It encompasses Leonie Hill, Grange Road, Killiney Road, Eber Road and of course, River Valley Road, and cuts through Tomlinson Road and Mohamed Sultan Road.
Home to many private residential properties, River Valley’s eateries and bars attracts many visitors. Some popular examples include KPO Café Bar, Boon Tong Kee, Spize, Salt Grill & Sky Bar and Killiney Kopitiam.
The area is also close to the Orchard, Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut MRT stations, malls like ION Orchard, Great World City, Mandarin Gallery, and the National Museum of Singapore.
Alexandra
Alexandra is a neighbourhood that boasts an interesting mix of the old and the new.
Apart from industrial parks such as Alexandra Technopark and Mapletree Business City, the area is probably best known for having its IKEA store, as well as its many F&B options. The latter include the ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre and Alexandra Village Food Centre.
Among Alexandra’s other amenities are the Delta Sports Complex, Leng Kee Community Centre, Queenstown and Redhill MRT stations, Tanglin School, Alexandra Hill Primary School, Anchorpoint, Park Hotel Alexandra, and numerous automobile dealerships and showrooms.
Tanglin / Dempsey
While Tanglin and Dempsey are not as close to Jervois as Orchard or River Valley, it is still a short drive from the estate. Tanglin Mall is in the area, which is also close to Nassim Hill, another GCB neighbourhood.
When it comes to dining in particular, Dempsey Hill provides an excellent alternative to the busy environment of Orchard Road, being significantly quieter and more secluded. It is known for its many restaurants, which offer a variety of cuisine, from Indian (Samy’s Curry) and Italian (La Forketta Gastronomia Italia) to Japanese (Rakuichi Japanese Restaurant) and seafood (Jumbo Seafood @ Dempsey), among many others. For the discerning beer drinker, RedDot Brewhouse and Tawandang Microbrewery offer freshly brewed beers.
Apart from F&B, Dempsey also boasts a number of shops specializing in beauty services, furniture and art.
Hospitals and hospitality
The areas surrounding Jervois are home to an array of medical facilities and accommodation services. Hospitals and medical centres providing specialist and outpatient care, such as Gleneagles Hospital, Camden Medical Centre and Mount Elizabeth Hospital can be found here. Hotels nearby include Shangri-La, Orchard Parade Hotel, St. Regis Singapore, Concorde Hotel Singapore, Regent Singapore, Holiday Inn Singapore, Goodwood Park and Hilton Singapore.
Pride and principal
Jervois is known primarily for its GCBs and high-end condominiums, the latter of which include Mon Jervois, Casa Jervois, One Jervois, Jervois Mansions, Jervois Lodge, Jervois Regency, and recent launches such as The Crest and Principal Garden. Principal Garden stands out for its sprawling estate, where its four apartment towers occupy less than 20 percent of its total land area. This way, residents get to enjoy lush greenery all around, and designer comforts in their own homes.
Lim says of the project: “It has strong locational attributes that differentiate it from other projects in the vicinity. 80 percent of the development is greenery. It also enjoys rare extensive unblocked views of low-rise GCBs (in the area), and the Botanic Gardens. The luxury of space and nature are incorporated into the design concept of Principal Garden, which has direct access to the Alexandra Park Connector, is a short walk from Valley Point Shopping Centre, and enjoys close proximity to Orchard and the CBD.”
For those looking to buy in the area, Lim’s advice is to “look for a property with a potential upside that suits your needs, something that can uphold value and rental demand”.
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