JCube Mall in Singapore is set to be replaced by a new residential and commercial development in Jurong East. The mall will make way for JCube Residence Condo, a high-rise residential building with commercial space on the first and second floors. The new development is targeted for completion in 2027 and a sales launch is expected in the second half of 2023.
The news of the closure of JCube Mall came as a surprise to many retail staff of JCube tenants. However, one tenant, Mr Noelle Kok, had prior knowledge of the closure even before signing the contract. Mr Noelle Kok owns a local food and beverage outlet, Yung Yung, located in the mall’s basement. His contract was set to end in late April, but the closure of the mall is likely to affect that.
The mall was first hinted at in July 2022 when the Urban Redevelopment Authority proposed an amendment to the masterplan to rezone the site from commercial to residential with commercial. CapitaLand Development (Singapore) (CLD) then announced the closure on Tuesday, February 7th 2023 and the mall will officially close on August 6th 2023.
CLD has stated that notices were sent by registered mails and emails to the authorised representatives of JCube tenants, before the news was released to the public. In addition to this, CLD’s centre management team has been reaching out to individual tenants directly to provide them with the necessary support to ensure a smooth handover of the premises.
The mall closure has left many employees uncertain about their futures, as CLD has yet to communicate any plans for their staff. Many of the employees had read the news of the closure online, with some being forwarded a link to a news article by their husbands and others being told by employees of adjacent stores.
Mdm Adeline Tang, the manager of jewellery store Couple Lab, said that she thought they were a small tenant and were not contacted at all. She predicted that her staff would be transferred to another outlet but would wait for their management to finalise any plans.
Mdm Susan JCube Condo Neo, an employee at apparel outlet S&D, also heard rumours of the mall’s closure a few weeks prior, but only received confirmation on Tuesday. She said that customers had been asking them if they had any discounts for their clothes after the news was announced.
Michael Chong, an outlet executive at pawn shop ValueMax, was indifferent to the mall closing as the company has more than 40 outlets in Singapore. He predicted that staff would simply be deployed to another location.
Ms Shima, a 29-year-old sales assistant at The Cake Shop, had worked at the mall for more than five years and expressed sadness at the news, as she had lived and worked in Jurong East for many years.
The closure of JCube Mall is a significant event for Singapore, as it marks the end of an era for a beloved mall. Despite the uncertainty for many of the employees, the new development is likely to bring an exciting new chapter for Jurong East. The residential and commercial development promises to bring many new opportunities to the area, and with the sales launch expected in 2023, excitement is mounting for what is to come.
Singapore’s JCube mall in Jurong East Central will close down on Aug 6 to make way for a 40-storey residential development that includes commercial space on the first and second storeys. The development is part of the government’s plans to bring new homes, businesses, recreational facilities and amenities to the Jurong Lake District.
The closure of the mall is a blow to the local community, as JCube was home to Singapore’s only Olympic-size ice-skating rink and was a training venue for national athletes from the Singapore Ice Skating Association and the Singapore Ice Hockey Association. The only other ice rink is located at Leisure Park Kallang.
The new development, which is expected to be completed in 2027, will be linked directly to the Jurong East MRT interchange station, Westgate and IMM Building via J-Walk, a covered elevated pedestrian network in the district. The new residential building will also be linked to the upcoming Jurong East Integrated Transport Hub, which will include an air-conditioned bus interchange, a public library, a community club and a sports centre, among other commercial spaces.
CapitaLand said it is working closely with the tenants and providing the necessary support to ensure a smooth handover of the premises. It also plans to launch the development for sale in the second half of 2023.
The Jurong Lake District development is expected to become Singapore’s largest business district outside the central area. It is slated to provide about 100,000 new jobs and 20,000 new homes between 2040 and 2050, adding to the one million residents already living in Singapore’s west region.
The closure of JCube has sparked concern for recreational figure skaters in Singapore such as Willis Lau, 24. Mr Lau, who has been skating at JCube once or twice a week since 2017, said the closure of the ice rink is a shame as many skaters would be losing a key practice venue.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Sport Singapore spokesman said the organisation is working with the respective national sports associations for ice sports to come up with plans for alternative facilities to support athletes’ short- and long-term training needs.
JCube tenants such as PastaGo, a takeaway kiosk, are also feeling the impact of the closure. PastaGo co-founder Edwin Lim said the company is hoping to find a suitable replacement in Jurong because of its ideal demographic and vibrant food and beverage scene.
The JCube residence condo and commercial development is set to offer a new home for many businesses and residents in the Jurong area. Businesses will benefit from being located in an area that is well connected and offers a variety of amenities and recreational activities.
Residents of the JCube residence condo can look forward to a modern and comfortable living environment, with the convenience of being close to the MRT station, shopping malls, and other amenities. With the addition of the new development, the Jurong Lake District is expected to become an even more vibrant and attractive area in Singapore.