HDB Reviews City Vue @ Henderson Review: Amazing Views + Sheltered Walkway To MRT At Premium Prices

20 min read

Project:	City Vue Henderson
HDB Town	Bukit Merah
Address:	95A-C, 96A-B Henderson Road
No. of Units:	1,232

City Vue @ Henderson first gained a ton of public recognition when photos of its truly magnificient view was published in a Today article. From there, many have seen just what living in a tall development is like. Those living at the top few floors will enjoy unblocked views to the Southern Waterfront, and you can even see the Singapore Flyer and the Central Business District and its array of skyscrapers from the comforts of home.

Which is why it can be said that sometimes its better to live out of the city centre than in it, as the views are further away and of the skyline. So much so that in 2019 (when the article was written), residents at City Vue @ Henderson have remarked that even a $1 million price tag may not be enough to tempt them away from their homes. Prices today for the 5-room apartments at City Vue @ Henderson have reached $1.2 million recently, and I can’t imagine that you’d be able to get a replacement that offers the same attributes at the same price today.

It may sound as if I’m waxing lyrical about this, so if you haven’t had a good idea on what City Vue @ Henderson has to offer, it’s time to head to our Insider Tour!

Update 19 May 2022: A seller recently sold their home on the 41st floor for $1.4 million dollars which sets the record for the most expensive HDB to date!

City Vue @ Henderson Insider Tour

City Vue @ Henderson is located about a 7-minute walk away from Redhill MRT station (it’ll be further, if you are looking at Block 95).

While it isn’t the nearest located to an MRT station, it does have a trick up its sleeve. Residents here would appreciate the journey being 100% sheltered all the way to development, which makes it quite a pleasant walk considering you’d be protected from the weather elements throughout.

And as you’ll know with Singapore’s weather, it isn’t just about the rain, but the sweltering heat sometimes. This is an underrated feature for sure.

First, let’s start off at the drop-off point. The first drop-off point is located close to the main entrance (located along Henderson Road) and is closer to Block 95A.

Coming in, you’ll find a mini-roundabout here which really makes it convenient for drop-offs as no 3-point turn is required. The roundabout is actually connected to 2 HDB car park entrances, with the other catering to the neighbouring HDB project.

Given this scenario, it may get pretty crowded during peak hours, especially during the morning rush when residents from both are leaving. Plus the roundabout is a single lane and it doesn’t look the most spacious. So if you’re looking to purchase a unit here, be sure to visit early in the morning if you’re someone who drives to work during peak hours!

The design of the drop-off is pretty modern with the roof cover sporting a semi-circular design, while the walls are clad in grey stones, very fitting with the overall look and feel of the project. There’s also an ample amount of seating here which comes in handy for the elderly.

The 2nd drop-off point is closer to Blocks 96A and 95C, and you’d be pleased to know that it’s fully-sheltered from here too! It’s very similar to the first drop-off, with ample seating and an identical design.

One downside I can immediately observe is that some stacks directly face this drop-off, so those purchasing the lower-levels facing the drop-off directly would undoubtedly get some traffic noise.

Next, let’s check out the car park which is just next to the first drop-off point. City Vue @Henderson has only 1 entry point: Henderson Road. While it’s not very common for HDBs to have entrances from different roads, it could mean that during peak hours, there could be more traffic than you would like (especially for larger developments) – so again I’d strongly recommend visiting during peak hours so you can get a better sense of what to expect.

Another consequence here is that if you are driving up Henderson Road, you can’t turn right into the entrance. Instead, you’d have to make a U-turn at the junction of Jalan Bukit Merah. It’s not far away, but it is a minor annoyance to be aware of.

There are, however, 2 exits – one from Henderson Road and another one-way road to Tiong Bahru Road. For those navigating the development for the first time, you can look out for the directional signs placed around the development.

The car park is a 4/5 multi-storey car park and it has two levels of link bridges, connecting it directly to every block. One of the them is sheltered, while the one from the car park rooftop garden is unfortunately not sheltered.

I’ve mentioned the usefulness of sheltered link bridges before in my previous HDB review of Punggol BayView (which lacked one). Having a sheltered link bridge is extremely convenient since it means not having to take the lift down to the ground level and walking over to your block – especially useful during move-in today (and carrying a load of groceries).

From inside the car park, it’s quite clear that some stacks have the distinct disadvantage from a privacy standpoint. This is exacerbated by the link bridges, as visitors would undeniably get a good look into these homes. In this regard, Punggol BayView is more strategically designed as it has the advantage of having the service yard face the car park, rather than the living areas.

Considering how there’s only 1 sheltered link bridge connecting each block, I can imagine footfall through here being quite frequent.

Here’s the view from the upper link bridge (from the car park rooftop). The unit on the same floor to the right suffers the most amount of privacy intrusion.

It’s still early days, but generally, the car park lift lobbies here are quite well-maintained, and sports an orange look. While this does detract from the red accent colour of the development, it does make the area appear more lively.

The lower floors of the car park are rather dim during the day despite the fact that there are air wells here that let some light in. Still, this does mean that the car park is well-ventilated and would not have the musky smell that most basement car parks face (not that there are even many underground HDB car parks to begin with).

Now let’s head up to the car park rooftop garden!

This rooftop garden is really one of the more impressive ones I have seen in a long while. It is a very well-maintained area, with trees and plants that are both pruned and well-kept, so it certainly gives off a welcoming vibe here!

Residents can conveniently utilise the walkway around the perimeter of the rooftop garden for the evening stroll/run without having to go onto the busy Henderson Road/Tiong Bahru Road. I have to say, the space is really very well manicured so thumbs up for that.

There are also ample seating spots along the walkway if you ever get tired, though they are mostly unsheltered.

More importantly, the area is wheelchair-friendly and accessible via ramps!

And let’s just say that the car park rooftop garden isn’t just for taking a stroll/running though, it even comes with fitness stations, a playground, and a hard court!

I am always happy to see rooftop gardens utilised this way, considering its extra real estate space that can add value to residents here. The hard court is also a safe and open area for children to play sports like badminton.

The children’s playground here is quite spacious and colourful too!

There’s also a foot reflexology here, while I’m not at the age that would find this very useful, I do suppose it may have its own older fans.

Lastly, the carpark rooftop garden is also home to the development’s community garden. This one here is quite sizeable (nothing beats the one I saw at Trivelis still!). I have always liked the idea of having a green space shared by the development that can help foster community spirit, and it is in keeping with the green garden city that Singapore is known to be.

Now let’s head over to level 28 where the main Sky Garden is located.

Like SkyVille@Dawson, the Sky Garden here is labelled neatly on the lift panels. However, unlike the former, City Vue @ Henderson is quite a hidden gem to soak in the city views, considering how Pinnacle @ Duxton already takes the crown for that one.

Directional signs along the walls guide you to the Sky Garden, almost as if they’re designed not just for residents, but public usage too.

Getting to the Sky Garden was quite a walk that culminates with a rather narrow walkway here. However, the end result is simply amazing – and probably one of the bigger selling points of City Vue @ Henderson.

First impressions are that the space is quite an open one. When I was here, the area was really windy, so despite the hot weather, walking around here did not feel too unwelcoming.

And like the car park rooftop garden, the greenery here is well-pruned and has ample seating areas (although clearly not the most comfortable).

From here, you can really see why the project is named “City Vue”, a play on the term “City View”. As the Sky Garden is not situated in one spot and actually surrounds the blocks (it’s also interconnected with other blocks), you can get a different view depending on where you are at.

But it’s not just city views from up here. Residents facing the east side are treated to greenery views as it faces both Tiong Bahru Park and Henderson Park. I really like how the general area is still relatively sparse, you don’t get the feeling that you are suffocated here (unlike some of the city ones), and so the open view is quite something to behold.

From here, you can also get a good look at how green the car park rooftop garden is. That manicured look really plays a part in how neat everything looks. And instead of a concrete eyesore, it actually looks quite nice all things considered.

There are also sheltered areas with tables and seats here for you to relax in, with a surprising bonus of a foot reflexology area here too.

As mentioned, the area here looks really open, and it’s not a coincidence at all! When Surbana Jurong designed this project, they deliberately pushed out the columns of the towers to the exterior to free up the internal space, allowing for plenty of internal space.

While everything has been great so far, I must add that the tables here are in need of some maintenance, as it’s clear that the frequently-used areas are peeling off. It’s strange too, as these aren’t exposed to the harsh sun – so they mustn’t have been very durable, to begin with.

Units that are near to the Sky Garden also does face some privacy issue at the service yard area since it faces the common walkway, though this is probably nitpicking since it’s not an area utilised often. Unless you are as creative as this couple!

Inner-facing stacks also have the disadvantage of facing the Sky Garden, though I must add that this is still quite a respectable distance away.

Before heading back down, let’s check out what the corridors here look like.

For a pretty dense development with over 1,000 units, you would think that the units here would be located quite close together. However, that is untrue. Walking around, you’ll see that units here are set quite at a good distance apart (for most stacks at least).

There’s also an ample amount of open space in front of each unit to put things like your shoe rack or bicycles, some of the most basic things you should expect to have outside a home.

Of course, this depends on your stack. Some are packed closer to others, so do take note of this when purchasing a unit here!

That being said, the corridors here are rather narrow, and looks like it just about meets the minimum requirement under SCDF’s regulations. This poses an issue if you do wish to put plants or your personal belongings here, though I must add that this is not really the best place to do so.

Each block here has 4 lifts, and the lift lobby is pretty standard too. You can see too that some units here lack privacy as it faces the lift lobby directly.

Let’s head back down to the ground level to explore the remaining facilities. Close to Block 95B, you’ll find a Senior Citizen Care Centre – the NTUC Health Senior Day Care, a rehabilitation and wellness centre for the elderly.

Further down, you’ll also find another hardcourt here for outdoor sports. Having one hardcourt is already quite good for an HDB, but with 1,232 units, perhaps this is just right.

Over at Block 95A, you’ll find the remaining fitness areas and another playground. This one here is also quite big and sports a colourful design too. There’s also some seating area for adults to supervise their children, though this is largely unsheltered.

The fitness area here is pretty standard, with the usual equipment.

Walking around the development, you’ll see that there are plenty of seating area all around – some sheltered and some unsheltered, and they come in different designs:

• Outdoor type
• Pavilion type
• Trellis type
• Round table type

The ground level’s access to the different blocks and facilities are also wheelchair-friendly, ensuring that everyone would be able to access these areas easily.

Heading back to the entrance (along Henderson Road), you’ll find a precinct pavilion here. There are 2 in this development which should be enough for residents.

It is located next to the drop-off point/loading and unloading bay and comes with both ample seating as well as electrical outlets, perfect for hosting activities.

Just behind that, you’ll see some commercial units here which sells some basic grocery needs. It’s no supermarket, but Tiong Bahru and the NTUC at Artra isn’t too far away.

City Vue @Henderson Location Review

There are many reasons why units at City Vue @ Henderson are very much sought after and can cost close to $1 million dollars for a 4-room flat. Apart from the amazing unblocked views all around, the reason simply lies in its location.

City Vue @ Henderson is located in Bukit Merah, one of the most expensive HDB estates in Singapore. While it is about a 7-minute walk to Redhill MRT, the journey from there takes just 23 minutes along the East-West line to Raffles Place MRT.

Residents who do not wish to walk to the MRT can take a short bus ride (2-3 stops) from either Tiong Bahru Road or Henderson Road.

The MRT station also has many commercial units that sell a variety of snacks, making it really convenient to grab something back on the way home. There’s also a dental clinic here!

But it’s not just here that you’ll find retail outlets. En route to City Vue @ Henderson are other HDBs that have their own commercial shops downstairs, including a Hao Mart and a hairdresser. Most of the other outlets here are pawn shops, beauty salons and electronic shops.

If you’re wondering about food options here, you’ll be happy to know that the Bukit Merah View market and Hawker Centre is just a 3 minute walk away (just opposite City Vue @ Henderson).

The hawker centre here is filled with a large variety of good local food which is really convenient for residents.

Public Transport

Bus station	Buses Serviced	Distance From HDB (& Est. Walking Time)
‘Bef Ar-Rabitah Mque’	120, 132, 145, 32, 33, 63, 63A, 64, NR5	50m (1 min walk)
‘Bef Tiong Bahru Rd’	16, 16M, 132, 145, 851	50m (1 min walk)

Closest MRT: Redhill MRT; 7-11 min walk

As mentioned earlier, Redhill MRT is just a fully-sheltered walk away that is just 7-minutes long, depending on which block you stay in. You can also hop onto a bus along Tiong Bahru Road or Henderson Road which is right outside the development for just 2-3 stops.

Private Transport

Key Destinations	Distance From HDB (& Est. Peak Hour Drive Time)
Raffles Place	4.6 km (19 mins drive)
Orchard Road	3.0 km (12 mins drive)
Suntec City	5.8 km (20 mins drive)
Changi Airport	23.7 km (27 mins drive)
Tuas Port	35.4 km (50 min drive)
Paya Lebar Quarter	15.0 km (26 mins drive)
Mediapolis	4.6 km (14 mins drive)
Mapletree Business City	4.1 km (14 mins drive)
Tuas Checkpoint	25.2 km (32 mins drive)
Woodlands Checkpoint	22.0 km (31 mins drive)
Harbourfront Cluster	4.0 km (13 mins drive)
Punggol Cluster	24.0 km (30 mins drive)

Immediate road exit:
Havelock Road or Tiong Bahru Road

Summary:
City Vue @Henderson is just a 5-minute drive away from the CTE that can take residents up north, as well as the AYE which leads to the east or west side.

Groceries

Name of Grocery Shop	Distance from HDB (& Est Time)
Evergreen Minimart	Within the development
FairPrice Finest Tiong Bahru Plaza	850m, 11-min walk

Residents can get their basic groceries at the minimart downstairs, or head over to Tiong Bahru Plaza where a full-fledged FairPrice finest is found which opens from 8AM to 11PM.

Schools

Educational Tier	Distance
Preschool – 1
My First Skool	290m (3-min walk)
Primary Schools (1KM only) – 3
Alexandra Primary School	1km (12-min walk)
Zhangde Primary School	1.3km (17-min walk)
Gan Eng Seng Primary School
Secondary Schools – 7
Gan Eng Seng School	350m (4-min walk)
Crescent Girls’ School	1.4km (17-min walk)
Bukit Merah Secondary School	15-min (by bus)
Queenstown Secondary School	20-min (by bus)
CHIJ St. Theresa’s Convent	19-min (by bus)
Outram Secondary School	17-min (by bus)
Queensway Secondary School	23-min (by bus)
Tertiary – 1
Anglo-Chinese Junior College	30-min by train

Young couples or families would be pleased to know that there are a varied number of pre-tertiary options here. However, tertiary options are quite lacking in the area.

Additional Pointers

1) Home to the displaced residents from Redhill Close

Interestingly, City Vue @Henderson wasn’t built purely for new residents. It was also the replacement home for the 878 homes that underwent the Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) back in 2011.

These flats were located at Redhill Close (block 1-3, 5-22) and were built by the Singapore Improvement Trust in 1955. Some of you may remember these HDB flats as they sported a dominantly white and yellow (with some red accents) design as well as a curved facade.

To pay homage to this historical significance, a mural of the old block was also erected here.

And this is perhaps why we saw so many seating areas all around the development – including the Sky Garden. The design thought process behind this was to encourage community interactions, where residents from the old site can still meet up in these open spaces at their convenience.

2) Connectivity to the Parks and the Park Connector

In addition to its proximity to the CBD, the immediate locale has 2 parks that you saw earlier from the Sky Garden: Tiong Bahru Park, and Henderson Park.

This really adds to the greenery in the location, and is a fantastic spot suitable for those with dogs, or just to have a nice evening stroll in.

Apart from having 2 nearby parks, City Vue @Henderson is also located along what I think is a great amenity to have nearby – a Park Connector.

Located opposite is the Henderson Park Connector which directly connects residents to Telok Blangah Hill Park, Mount Faber Park, and further down south – Labrador Park.

Residents can also connect up to the Alexandra Linear Park Connector that takes you all the way down to the Marina Bay area, where you can easily cross over to the east.

From having both the parks and the park connector, you can easily see how City Vue @Henderson is really a prime HDB – close to both the city as well as nature.

3) Additional food options at Redhill Market

Despite having the Bukit Merah View market just opposite, City Vue @Henderson also benefits from being just a 9-minute walk away from Redhill Market & Food Centre (Redhill Mall).

It not only has a hawker centre, but also hosts a wet market where you can get fresh produce from too!

City Vue @Henderson Site Review

There are a total of 5 blocks comprising 1,232 units, with a mix of 2 to 5-room flats. The blocks come in varying heights – 27, 40 and a whopping 48 floors! And depending on the block, there are 4 to 9 stacks per floor.

If you just glanced at City Vue @Henderson, you’ll notice that overall, it’s got a safe white/grey colour scheme – a very common colour scheme for HDBs. However, you’ll also see that there is a red colour accent.

Interestingly, this red is representative of the historical Bukit Merah, which literally translates to Red Hill.

Surbana Jurong, the designer of City Vue @Henderson also won the HDB Design Award 2019 for its design – and we aren’t surprised. While the building just looks like a more modern version of the HDB point block, the real value in the space lies in the greenery. Surbana Jurong also decided to retain some of the mature trees in the area to reduce the concreteness around.

In addition, a “Precinct Green Band” was designed to ensure a green zone buffer between Henderson Road and the blocks which reduces the noise from the traffic (and definitely makes for a more interesting look out the window).

Unit Mix

Block Number	No. of Storeys	2 Room	3 Room	4 Room	5 Room	Total
95A	27/40	49	104	104	–	257
95B	27/40	78	104	104	–	286
95C	27/48	–	49	135	45	229
96A	27/48	–	49	90	90	229
96B	27/40	–	91	140	–	231
	Total	127	397	573	135	1,232

Stack Analysis

If you look at the stacks carefully, you’ll see that most units do not face the west. Most stacks either have a north, east or south orientation and I think that this is a pretty clever and deliberate design by Surbana Jurong given how direct west sun facing is very uncomfortable in our hot climate.

The west sun is not such a bad thing if you have the views to justify for it, or if the west-facing stack is the only one that has the “million-dollar view” in the entire development.

However, the north, east and south side offers better views that what you could get on the west.

On the north end, residents are treated to views of the Good Class Bungalow Area well beyond the Alexandra Park Connector.

On the south side, residents face the greenery at Telok Blangah Hill Park as well as Labrador Park, and of course, sea views on the south side.

These views also mean that residents here would be treated to fireworks displays every new year from the comfort of their own home.

Both the north and south facing would also benefit the most from the cross-ventilation of the wind.

On the east side, residents would be able to enjoy the green buffer extension from their development to the 2 parks opposite, as well as the city view that also comes with some pocket sea views.

As such, unless you are looking to purchase an inner-facing low floor unit, prices for most units here would be on the higher end.

Of course, with the east-side city view comes the morning sun, which does have an impact on a home’s temperature. Still, this is generally not as bad as the afternoon sun, so while it is hotter in the morning, it’s usually all right for the rest of the day.

If you are going for the inner-facing stacks, those located in block 95A would be the best if it can clear the multi-storey carpark as it is about 140 metres away from the opposite block.

City Vue @Henderson Pricing Review

Projects	Lease Commencement	2 Room	3 Room	4 Room	5 Room
119 Bt Merah View	1983		$335,167 ($479 psf)		$830,000 ($593 psf)
122 Kim Tian Rd	1995				$950,000 ($700 psf)
123 Kim Tian Rd	1995			$740,000 ($654 psf)
124B Bt Merah View	1996				$860,000 ($605 psf)
125 Bt Merah View	1996			$715,000 ($609 psf)	$888,000 ($625 psf)
125 Kim Tian Rd	1995			$885,000 ($740 psf)	$760,000 ($560 psf)
126 Bt Merah View	1996				$986,944 ($655 psf)
130 Bt Merah View	1973		$345,143 ($459 psf)
19 Jln Membina	2003			$750,000 ($774 psf)
20 Jln Membina	2003			$764,000 ($788 psf)	$854,333 ($721 psf)
21 Jln Membina	2003			$717,500 ($740 psf)
22 Jln Membina	2003			$765,000 ($789 psf)	$856,333 ($723 psf)
23 Jln Membina	2003			$720,000 ($743 psf)	$888,250 ($750 psf)
7 Kim Tian Pl	1984				$925,200 ($656 psf)
8 Kim Tian Pl	1984				$875,500 ($621 psf)
Bt Merah View	1973		$346,673 ($479 psf)
City Vue @Henderson	2019	$435,000 ($859 psf)	$663,714 ($906 psf)	$879,556 ($900 psf)	$1,220,000 ($1,003 psf)
Hendersonville	1970		$282,500 ($404 psf)	$395,833 ($479 psf)
Kim Tian 119	2002			$665,761 ($688 psf)	$835,891 ($706 psf)
Kim Tian Towers	2001			$763,833 ($717 psf)	$828,750 ($669 psf)
Membina 118	2003			$713,667 ($736 psf)	$883,167 ($746 psf)
Membina Court	2008			$746,369 ($770 psf)	$892,982 ($754 psf)
Redhill Rise	2005			$772,747 ($730 psf)	$835,105 ($674 psf)
Average		$435,000 ($859 psf)	$401,029 ($552 psf)	$712,242 ($718 psf)	$869,896 ($702 psf)

These are the prices of HDBs surrounding City Vue @Henderson.

Prices at City Vue @Henderson would seem outrageous to most. The average prices of a 4-room flat here is almost $900,000. In fact, Today did feature an article on the high prices of units here, particularly due to the gorgeous city view.

With such a view as well as its mature location, it should not come at a surprise that units here are within the top 3% of all HDB transactions. If you see older developments around, you’ll notice that those projects between 10-20 years old are still in the $700,000+ range for a 4-room flat. With the newer age and high storey units, prices here do seem reasonable and could also be sustained, considering the lack of HDBs around that offer both the views, location and maturity of the estate.

For those who are wondering how there can be transactions despite the lease starting just 2 years ago, that is because those who came from the SERS exercise would only have to fulfill their 5-year MOP from the date of purchase or TOP, whichever is earlier. Since the ‘purchase’ occurred before TOP, some of these residents have already fulfilled their 5-year MOP.

Our Take

City Vue @ Henderson is a really impressive development, and I can see why prices here are close to $900K for a 4-room flat.

The gorgeous views, proximity to greenery/park connector, amenities and being near the CBD culminates together to create one of the most perfect HDBs to live in.

For those who are wondering whether to take this step forward, personally, I think it just boils down to how much you value these things as well as how comfortable your finances are.

As with most property purchases, you’ll have to decide between age, location and size – and City Vue @ Henderson has all of it plus the bonus of being near parks with great connectivity to the Marina Bay or Sentosa area.