Daily Archives: 29 Oct 2009

Thomson Village strata units, site on collective sale

Separate Colliers auction sees 2 shop units, 2 houses and 1 apartment sold

The owners of eight freehold strata-titled commercial units and vacant site at Thomson Village, off Upper Thomson Road, have joined forces to sell their properties through a tender. The properties have a combined site area of 13,387 sq ft and an asking price of $24 million.

Under Master Plan 2008, the site is zoned for commercial use. ‘The plot ratio is not indicated but the site is under a streetblock plan, which means the potential developer will have to follow an envelope control guideline for the area set by Urban Redevelopment Authority. The properties could be redeveloped into a low-rise specialty retail mall,’ said Galven Tan, assistant manager (investment properties) at CB Richard Ellis, which is marketing the site.

‘Depending on the design of a new development, a 2.8 plot ratio could be achieved,’ according to Mr Tan. Plot ratio is the ratio of maximum gross floor area to land area. Assuming this plot ratio, an estimated development charge (DC) of $5 million would be payable to the state. The $24 million price works out to $774 psf per plot ratio inclusive of DC. Continue reading

JTC going green with plants on roof trellises

JTC Corp is pushing the idea of sky-rise greenery even further. The industrial landlord is looking at constructing roof trellises between adjacent buildings and covering them with plants.

Cool idea: The roof trellises will cut energy consumption by reducing heat radiation, make it cooler to walk in the area, help improve air quality and be aesthetically pleasing

Among other things, the project, which is set to be tested next year, could cut energy consumption in buildings by reducing heat radiation.

‘Singapore is trying to do more sustainable developments and JTC is trying to play its part,’ said the director of JTC’s engineering planning division Koh Chwee.

There will be benefits all round, he said. The shaded ground will make it cooler to walk in the area and the plants will help improve air quality and be aesthetically pleasing.

Selected buildings will have their columns extended one storey higher.

Steel cables will then be tied to the columns and steel wire mesh will be suspended from the cables, forming an overhead canopy. Continue reading