The 28-unit Claydence's façade was inspired by New York brownstones by DS Architects and Wallflower - Skywaters Residences Condo at 8 Shenton Way By Perennial Holdings (Hot Launch 2022)

Skywaters Residences floor plan

Property developer Hong How Land is planning to open Claydence the boutique condominium located at the intersection of Still Road and Koon Seng Road on February 11. The launch will mark “Hong How Group’s return to residential developments after more than 15 years” According to Teo Teck Weng director at Hong How Land, a joint venture of Hong How Corp (60%) and Marrion Capital (40%). He is the owner of the company along with his older sister Daniel Teo, chairman and director of the Hong How Group; their children also own shares of the firms.

Skywaters Residences floor plan of 268 beautiful apartments, retail space of 86,187 sq ft and offices covering 847,808 sq ft of total Gross Floor Area (GFA).

Its 28-unit Claydence is located on a 23,541 square feet freehold plot that is it is the result of the merger of three adjoining sites which Hong How purchased two years ago. A site has been the site of the previous 29-room Malacca Hotel on 99 and 97 Still Road, and the third site is the adjoining two-storey apartment block located at the 137th floor of Koon Seng Road that is used for workplace and also to conduct its administrative tasks. Hong How purchased the two sites in a single transaction for $21 million through the course of a deal mediated by CBRE at the end of the tender in March 2021. ( Find potential condos by using the block calculation )

Hong How followed up with the purchase of the third site located at the 133 Koon Seng Road for $14.5 million under an agreement with a private treaty four months afterward. The site at 1333 Koon Seng Road is a five-storey apartment building that houses 10 units. Teo discovered that the family who owned the property was planning to sell the property. Therefore, it was logical to buy the site to amalgamate since “the Malacca Hotel site was too small” Teo says. Teo.

The old Malacca Hotel is now destroyed. The five-storey apartment block located at the 133rd floor of Koon Seng Road is the next building to be demolished. As excavation work is being carried out on the site the sale gallery of Claydence can be found at the number 01-09/10, Wilkie Edge, which is located at 8. Wilkie Road. The finalization of Claydence is planned to be completed in April 2026.

Mix of one-to four-bedders
Apartments in Claydence vary from one and three bedroom units. One-bedroom units are 614 sq ft, with two-bedroom units of 786 sq ft and two-bedroom-plus-study units ranging from 872 sq ft to 915 sq ft. Three-bedroom units are 1,076 sq ft, with three-bedroom-plus-study from 1,206 to 1,313 sq ft.

There are four duplex penthouses on the fourth and fifth floors: a two-bedroom penthouse of 980 sq ft, three-bedroom of 1,475 sq ft, a four-bedroom premium of 2,185 sq ft, and four-bedroom-plus-study of 2,164 sq ft.

“We have placed Claydence to appeal to homeowners who are looking for the vibes of the nearby Joo Chiat, and proximity to desirable schools as well as East Coast Park,” Teo says. Teo. The most popular schools within the area are CHIJ Katong Primary and Tao Nan School. It’s also less than 800m away from Eunos MRT Station, which is only one MRT station away from that station. Paya Lebar Interchange Station for the East-West and Circle Lines.

DS Architects is the appointed architect for Claydence and Wallflower as designer. The architects’ initial inspiration for the design of the project was “the New York brownstone” Teo says. Teo. “Theirs is a contemporary version that combines the Brownstones iconic colors to the brick façade features.”

In addition to the brick-tiled façade are the walls and floors that will be finished with European porcelain tile made of white clay. “The name “Claydence” was an inspiration from “clay as the primary material, and also the living” Teo says. Teo.

Facilities, landscaping
Landscapes at Claydence by landscape architect Coen Design International. Coen Design International includes tropical and historic trees and shrubs on Still Road and Koon Seng Road to absorb any noise from traffic. The units will all have aluminum-framed glass panels that lead to balconies. The frames made of aluminium are made by Belgian aluminium manufacturer Reynaers Aluminium “will have wind load resistance as well as noise reduction features” According to Teo.

A basement parking lot will feature 27 parking spaces that will be used by 28 units. This will reduce any fears residents might feel about not being able to get parking spaces -the – “a common annoyance for residents living in small developments with little parking on the first floor” Teo says. Teo.

The communal facilities at the attic include an elevated pool that is shaded by trees and shrubs, a terrace bar with a jacuzzi, an edible garden, and an indoor fitness center. On the ground floor , there are various themed gardens including Chin Chow Garden, Ulam Garden and Ylang Ylang Garden, along with a multi-purpose area as well as a barbeque area.

‘Joo Chiat’s vibes’
It is located at the end situated at the end of Still Road, Claydence is located within walking and cycling distance from Joo Chiat Road. “Joo Chiat has become the next Tiong Bahru,” quips Teo. Famous restaurants located in the Joo Chiat region comprise Fei Fei Wantan Mee, Joo Chiat Place Char Kway Teow and Kim Choo Kueh Chang, along with Spanish Restaurant Asadore along with Italian eateries like Cugini Trattoria Pizzeria.

The sleepy coffee shops that once dotted on the Joo Chiat area are now gourmet bakeries and cafes that are artisanal which range including Tigerlily Patisserie to Tiong Bahru Bakery and Kings Cart Coffee Factory, along with Apiary Ice-cream shop, The Cheese Shop, wine shop Bound By Wine and Japanese butchery Ginkakuji Onishi.

“In the future, the quiet stores on Still Road (towards Eunos) and some on Koon Seng Road might undergo the process of gentrification, taking Joo Chiat’s style towards the doorsteps of Claydence,” says Teo.

Commercial developments
Prior to Claydence Hong How’s development in the last decade and a half was mostly commercial. The buildings include two four-storey, conserved shophouses on 37 and 38 Armenian Street that were built within the Art Deco style between the 1930s and the 1950s. The shops offer a mixture of F&B and art galleries on the lower floor and office spaces in the Soho style in the higher floors.

Another project of Hong How is at 292 Joo Chiat Road, a restored four-storey commercial preservation building. Hong How purchased the building in the year 2016. In the past, there were shops on the first floor and a hostel for students on the higher levels. The prior owner was OCBC who had run an office there from the 1950s.

Hong How restored the building located at 292 Joo Chiat Road and its anchor tenant IWG signed the 10-year lease that runs from April 1st, 2020 to run an area of 20,000 square feet, co-working space. The builder and architect of 292 Joo Chiat Road are the same as for Claydence which is DS Architects and Boon Tian Contractor.

Hong How also project-managed two office buildings in the 47 as well as 50 North Canal Road for Maybank Kim Eng Securities. The company developed and maintains B1 industrial properties for rental income.

‘Resort-style’ developments
The most recent residential development of Hong How is the 51-unit 99-year leasehold boutique condominium Lighthouse located in Pasir Ris near the Pasir Ris Park and the beach. It was first launched in 2001. The construction was finished in the year 2004. When the project first went live the average cost was $483 per square foot Based on caveats filed by URA Realis.

In 2022 the average price of units sold on the resales market was $900 per square foot. It topped an all-time high of $971 when a 1,195 square foot three-bedroom apartment located on the second floor of the four-storey complex traded hands for $1.19 million in September.

In the meantime, Claydence will have prices starting at $1.582 million ($2,577 per square foot) to the 6,14 square feet, one-bedroom unit, up and $5.353 million ($2,450 per square foot) in the case of the 2,185 sq ft four-bedroom penthouse. The “blended price is $2,500 per sq ft,” says Teo.

Even though Claydence is targeted towards small households, Teo sees the project as appealing to couples, singles and investors , too, due to the size of the units. The variety of unit sizes and bedrooms, which include areas for dining at the home, will possess distinct appeal, Teo says.

Teo thinks Claydence will be a hit with buyers from abroad, too, due to its large rooms and resort-style facilities “including areas of breakout space in the lush vegetation”.