This New Launch Condo Will Have 78% Of Units Facing Jurong Lake Gardens: Is Sora Worth A Look?

With the Jurong Lake District becoming a major hub, it’s unsurprising that developer interest has picked up. One of the latest upcoming additions to the area is Sora, which was formerly the site of Park View Mansions. Hot on the heels of LakeGarden Residences, this project also seeks to capitalise on the proximity of the famous Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, etc. Here’s what we know so far:

The former Park View Mansions

Sora was formerly Park View Mansions, located at 78 Yuan Ching Road. It was the second en-bloc in the area, just after the neighbouring Lakeside Apartments (which is currently LakeGarden Residences, which launched in August ‘23). 

The plot was sold to a consortium of Chip Eng Seng, SingHaiyi Group and KSH Holdings. These three have an established working history, and their last joint acquisition was Peace Centre/Peace Mansion (currently still being redeveloped). The purchase price was $260 million for the 17,834.8 sqm. plot, with a GFA of 2.1 (roughly $1,023 psf). 

For more context, this purchase was just 4 months after Wing Tai purchased Lakeside Apartments next door, paying $1,250 psf or $273.88 million for the site. This new development is now The Lakegarden Residences, which sold 23% (71 units) at an average of $2,120 psf on its launch weekend in August 2023.

LakeGarden Residences is a bit smaller (306 units as compared to Sora’s 440 units), but this is not really a huge difference. 

At the time of writing, LakeGarden Residences is only 38% sold, so we expect a lot of close comparisons between buyers. The locational advantages of both condos are quite similar, so it will come down to pricing, facilities, and layouts. Some people may expect prices to be more competitive, given the lower land cost.

Here’s a look at the recent and current prices of LakeGarden Residences:

Recent prices at LakeGarden Residences

Current prices of LakeGarden Residences

Jurong Lake Gardens location

Sora is just across the road from Jurong Lake Gardens (near the Gardenhouse and South Car Park.) It’s not within walking distance of any MRT station, but there will be a shuttle bus to both Lakeside and Jurong East MRT stations; this will be for two years or until the first AGM, at which point the continuance will depend on what the AGM decides. 

Shuttle aside, you can use services like 154 from the bus stop opposite Chinese Garden. This will get you to Lakeside MRT (EWL), which is just one stop from Jurong East. Jurong East MRT also provides access to the NSL; so while the area is far west, you do get access to the two most in-demand train lines.

Amenities wise, the HDB enclave toward the direction of Corporation Drive is quite well developed. You’ll find the usual slew of eateries, minimarts, and other heartland services. The condo is within walking distance of Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre, where you’ll also find an NTUC FairPrice. Alternatively, if you head toward Block 175A, there’s another NTUC FairPrice, along with a few other minimarts. 

Retail options are mainly of the day-to-day variety; but this is mitigated by the proximity of Jurong East, where you’ll find most of the bigger retail and entertainment options. 

School-wise, this area is admittedly limited. Whilst Jurong Secondary is just a short walk away, the only other school within one kilometre appears to be Lakeside Primary. 

Overall, the main appeal of this location is that it straddles the boundary between heavy urban build-up (Jurong East is Singapore’s “second CBD”, and hence very convenient), and the greenery/waterfront areas of Jurong Lake. This is an attempt at creating a best-of-both-worlds scenario. The developer has also said that 78% of the units will face Jurong Lake Gardens, with a frontage about 300 metres long.

The location also means Sora doesn’t quite overlap with CapitaLand’s J’den, which is more catered to urbanites. While J’den is better suited to those who prefer living in the middle of malls, MRT stations, etc., Sora provides a nearby alternative with more breathing space (at the cost of needing that bus connection to the MRT).

Other notable details

Sora will house 2 blocks of 20-storey towers and 2 blocks of 12-storey towers, which will be angled to maximise the views of Jurong Lake Gardens.

A lot of attention has gone into the landscaping, with one of the highlights being the terracing roof gardens. This garden area is described as being multi-level, unlike conventional single-level gardens; and there is a general Asian/Japanese theme in the landscaping (likely to go along with the nearby Jurong Lake Gardens). The developer has mentioned that about 70% of the project space is given over to common facilities and landscaped areas.

There will be a tennis court and three pools: one 50-metre lap pool, a 29-metre family pool, and a children’s pool. This should be enough as this is a smaller development. 

There’s also an interesting mention of “typical” floor-to-floor heights of 3.15 metres. The larger five-bedder units will also come with a kitchen island for the dry kitchen. We’ll be able to provide more details on interiors as information becomes available.

This is the unit mix so far:

Regarding the car park, there are 352 car park lots and four EV charging lots for 440 units, so it’s not quite one per unit. There are also no motorcycle lots. It’s not yet known whether buyers will have to pay for the lots, we’ll know closer to the launch date.

Overall, this Sora appears to be in a nice spot for Westies who want to be near Jurong East, but slightly removed the crowds and traffic. While the neighbouring LakeGarden Residences provides competition, some buyers may conclude it’s not a major issue, given that both are relatively small projects.