Can Science Park Take Off As A Condo Site?

Get The Property Insights Serious Buyers Read First: Join 50,000+ readers who rely on our weekly breakdowns of Singapore’s property market.

A seasoned content strategist with over 17 years in the real estate and financial journalism sectors, Ryan has built a reputation for transforming complex industry jargon into accessible knowledge. With a track record of writing and editing for leading financial platforms and publications, Ryan's expertise has been recognised across various media outlets. His role as a former content editor for 99.co and a co-host for CNA 938's Open House programme underscores his commitment to providing valuable insights into the property market.
The Singapore Science Park is not the kind of place most people would think of as a place to live. Not that it’s unpleasant, mind you – it’s great as a tech hub. It’s just that the area is all business – and it’s sparse in terms of retail, entertainment, or the kind of amenities most residents want nearby. Nonetheless, CapitaLand Development has a new project in this area; and we think it’s open to debate if there’s going to be first-mover advantage here, or if this is just a long shot:
What’s happening up at Science Park?
Singapore Science Park (SSP) is a development headed up by CapitaLand, which is home to around 350 companies and labs. The location also benefits from proximity to NUS (Kent Ridge Campus), and from the nearby One-North tech and media hub.
But CLD develops condos as well, and they’re now aiming to put up the first residential development in SSP. This will be a small (300-unit) project at 71 Science Park Drive, which was formerly a DSTA-occupied plot (the DSTA building was torn down in 2020).
The first residential units will be under Citadines (i.e., serviced apartments), with the condo portion to follow.
Will this be a good location for a condo?
So far, reactions on the ground have been mixed. There’s still a good amount of skepticism regarding the area, and whether or not condo buyers here are securing some kind of first-mover advantage.
Here’s a couple of points brought up so far:
1. Proximity to NUH and NUS
SSP was built with proximity to NUS in mind, so this is a clear plus point, for anyone needing to be near it. Foreign staff working or visiting the university may also provide a good pool of tenants, and we presume this is what Citadines would be eyeing with the service apartments as well.
For NUH though, this is a bit of a toss-up. Pure owner-occupiers generally don’t like being so close to a hospital; superstitions aside, they’re also wary of the effects of sirens and hospital-related traffic. On the flip side, landlords tend to be more appreciative of hospitals, as our healthcare sector employs a lot of foreign staff – doctors and some nurses may form a reliable pool of tenants.
Generally though, the proximity to NUH, coupled with the very purpose of SSP, seems to lean more in the direction of a rental asset than a condo for home-stay use (unless, of course, you work in any of these related places and like being so close to the office).
2. Good MRT access in general
Kent Ridge is a convenient connection point (one stop to One-North, and two stops to Buona Vista). So while the area is light on amenities, train access does help with this; Buona Vista station is next to The Star Vista, the major mall for this area, while One-North itself does have some amenities like a supermarket and pharmacy (you can find these in Fusionopolis, attached to the train station).
More from Stacked
Should You DIY Or Use A Property Agent?
So like every other person, you’ve probably dwelled on the thought of doing the real estate transaction yourself – after…

Until we see further development in SSP though, such as the larger commercial components of Geneo, residents will be heading out on this train for most of their needs.
3. Competition from the One-North area
Probably the biggest question, for both tenants and home buyers, is why not One-North instead?
One-North is also a tech hub with many potential tenants; and while it’s a bit further from NUS, One-North is also close to schools like ESSEC and INSEAD. And while One-North used to have a lack of accommodation, this has changed. One-North Eden, the deceptively close Normanton Park, Blossoms by the Park, The Hill @ One North, etc. may all provide viable alternatives.

The condos at One-North are a stop closer to Buona Vista and Holland V; and One-North has a head start in the amenities department (although we’ve heard the Timbre + at One-North seems a little more vacant than it used to be).
What might really alarm some people though, however, is Normanton Park. This massive 1,800+ unit development is closer to One-North than it seems: buses right outside the condo, for example, get to Fusionopolis and the One-North MRT station in mere minutes.
Buyers will likely be factoring these other projects into their comparisons when the Science Park offering comes up.
4. The “ghost town” effect
The biggest concern right now is the same problem afflicting zones like Raffles Place: because the area is primarily offices, everyone leaves for somewhere else on weekends or public holidays. This results in a “ghost town” effect, where even nearby eateries or stores may decide to close early, and few activities are organised.
CLD definitely has plans to change this, but that’s going to take a while to unfold. In the meantime, any residents here may need to get used to dull weekends, unless they head out to Holland V, or if the One-North area does pick up.
There will also be 3,600 sq m set aside for F&B and retail, but sometimes it’s not so much a matter of having the space, but also a strong curation of tenants to bring about change in the area.
Ultimately, it comes down to your faith in CLD’s ability to transform the area
JTC was behind the development of One-North, and it’s been ongoing since 2001. Yet even today, some may feel the One-North area is still not developed enough to be a “true” hot spot. That’s after some 23 years of work.
Will that be a reflection of how long it takes CLD to implement the work-live-play vibe? Anyone eyeing this location, or thinking of first-mover advantage, will need to be very patient and settle in for the long haul.
For more on what’s happening in the Singapore property market, follow us on Stacked. If you’d like to get in touch for a more in-depth consultation, you can do so here.
Ryan J
A seasoned content strategist with over 17 years in the real estate and financial journalism sectors, Ryan has built a reputation for transforming complex industry jargon into accessible knowledge. With a track record of writing and editing for leading financial platforms and publications, Ryan's expertise has been recognised across various media outlets. His role as a former content editor for 99.co and a co-host for CNA 938's Open House programme underscores his commitment to providing valuable insights into the property market.Read next from Property Market Commentary

Property Market Commentary Why More Families Are Choosing Two-Bedders Over Bigger Properties in 2025

Property Market Commentary What The URA Master Plan Reveals About Marina Bay’s Future (And How It Could Impact Property Values)

Property Market Commentary The 5 Most Common Property Questions Everyone Asks In Singapore – But No One Can Answer

Property Market Commentary 6 Upcoming New Condo Launches To Keep On Your Radar For The Rest Of 2025
Latest Posts

Overseas Property Investing Where Should Singaporeans Buy Property In France? A Full Guide For Young Investors

Singapore Property News How A Waterfront Development With 4,000 Homes Is Going To Reshape Singapore’s Property Market

On The Market 5 Rare HDB Flats Above 1,700 Sq Ft You Can Buy Right Now – From $850K

Pro District 15 Resale vs New Launch Condos – Analysing Price Gaps for Larger Family Units

Property Investment Insights Are Singapore’s Suburban Condos Still Affordable? The Surprising Truth

On The Market Rare 16,000 Sq ft Freehold Plot In D15 Hits The Market For $39M

Editor's Pick I Transformed My Two-Bedroom Unit Into A Dual-Key Layout – Here’s Why I Would Not Do It Again

Pro New Launch vs Resale One and Two Bedders in D15: Here’s Where The Price Gaps Are The Biggest

Editor's Pick We Toured An ‘Exclusive’ Freehold Landed Enclave In Singapore That Feels Close To Nature – And Even Has A Canal Running Through It

Singapore Property News Where Condo Prices Rose Fastest (and Slowest) in Singapore’s Outside Central Regions

Editor's Pick I Left Singapore for New York and Ended Up Launching a $450M Manhattan Project. Here’s What I Learned About Buying Property Here

On The Market 5 Cheapest Freehold 3-Bedroom Condo Units In Singapore You Can Buy This Week – Including Quiet Spot in Floraville

Pro Analysing 10 Years of District 12 Boutique Condo Transactions: Insights Into What Drives Profitability

Editor's Pick Rare Detached Freehold Home On Singapore’s ‘Millionaire’s Row’ Up For Sale At $14m

Property Investment Insights Do Primary Schools Really Matter For Property Prices In Singapore? These 6 Condos Suggest Otherwise
