Aug 2021 BTO Analysis: Towner Residences at Kallang Whampoa

With just 316 units, Towner Residences at Kallang/Whampoa is the smallest BTO development launched in Aug 2021. Sandwiched between two schools and an expressway, this BTO may not be all that conducive at first glance. But on closer inspection, it does have a few redeeming qualities. We take a look at the site and see what stacks to look out for if you decide to go for a unit there.

At a glance

BTO	Towner Residences
Location	Along Towner Road
No. of units	316
Unit types	3- and 4-room flats
No. of blocks	1 + 1 (block of rental flats)
No. of floors	32 to 40 storeys
Public transportation	Nearest MRT: Boon Keng (~8-min walk) Bus stop along Towner Road
Surrounding amenities within walking distance	Hawker Centre: Whampoa Makan Place (~8-min walk) Supermarkets: Sheng Siong at 108 McNair Road (~4-min walk), NTUC Fairprice at 80 Lor Limau (~8-min walk) and a future supermarket at Towner Crest BTO.
Schools within 2km (estimated)	Bendemeer Primary School, Hong Wen School, Farrer Park Primary School, Pei Chun Public School, St Andrew's Junior, St Joseph's Institution Junior
Estimated completion date	4th quarter of 2026

The site

Site for Towner Residences. Surrounded by a couple of older flats and low-rise private housing as well as two schools.

We visited the site on a weekday afternoon and found the area to be a hive of activity. School had just finished, and there were numerous pick-ups happening along Towner Road. Traffic also tends to be pretty congested during drop-off and pick-up hours, so make sure you account for this if you are getting a flat here.

Pick-ups and drop-offs happening at Hong Wen School (left of image). Towner Residences is to the right of image.

Along Towner Road.

Just opposite, traffic from the Central Expressway (CTE) was roaring loudly. Towner Residences is definitely not one for those who like their peace and quiet. In terms of convenience, the nearest MRT station, Boon Keng, is just a 7-min walk away. It’s not the shortest distance, when you compare with the other BTOs in the same area that were launched earlier like Towner Crest, but it’s still walkable. What’s significant about this is that Boon Keng MRT station is just two stops to Little India interchange, which gets you to the Downtown Line, and three stops to Dhoby Ghaut Interchange, which gets you to two other MRT lines. Looking at connectivity, this is pretty decent. Foodies, you will be able to walk to the popular Whampoa Makan Place, which has a wide array of (famous) hawker fare and a wet market. It's just past an overhead bridge across the CTE. Nearer to home, there’s a small coffee shop located at block 122 down the road and a future eating house at BTO Towner Crest (BTO's estimated completion in 3rd quarter of 2023). Otherwise, there are a few eateries, fast-food places and a hawker centre located next to Boon Keng MRT. For supermarkets, there’s a Sheng Siong nearby, an NTUC Fairprice located close to Whampoa Makan Place as well as a future supermarket at Towner Crest. No major malls within walking distance. But City Square Mall is just one MRT stop away at Farrer Park MRT station.

Which unit should you go for at Towner Residences?

3-room flats You get to choose from stacks 231, 233 and 235 for 3-room flats. Stack 231 is located right next to the pavilion and the car park. You are likely going to face issues with noise, car fumes and the revving of engines if you are situated on a lower floor. However this is also the best stack for privacy, since it’s a corner unit. Stacks 233 and 235 are facing Hong Wen School, so you are definitely going to experience the noise from being located near a school. This isn’t a major issue if you aren’t at home for most part of the day, but if you work from home, consider if this is something you can tolerate. There is one advantage of a school-facing stack however. The school buildings are estimated to be about five to six storeys high. Get a unit on the higher floor to get unblocked views if you are at stacks 233 and 235. Stack 235 is the best choice for no afternoon sun, while stack 231 will experience the full brunt of it. Stack 233 will also receive some afternoon sun coming in from the northwest direction from March to September. 4-room flats Stacks 219, 221, 223, 225, 227 and 229 are available for those who are looking for a 4-room unit. There are two different layouts available for 4-room flats. Stacks 221 and 223 features a boxier layout, with the communal areas located in the middle of flat and one of the common bedrooms located on the opposite end. The other stacks feature a more conventional BTO layout, with all the bedrooms to one side. There are pros and cons for each. Here’s a summary:

	Boxy Layout	Conventional Layout
Pros	*More windows in the master bedroom *Ample foyer area for shoe storage *More privacy for one of the common bedrooms *Possibility of hacking away the common bedroom next to the master bedroom to create an extended bedroom with a walk-in closet *More spacious common bathroom	*Eat-in kitchen design: Dining area located near the kitchen *Open-concept kitchen *More empty walls to do up more kitchen storage
Cons	*Entrance to common bathroom located near kitchen *Not possible to have wet and dry kitchen design *Common bathroom entrance far from the two common bedrooms *Household shelter entrance in kitchen means one less wall you can use	*Smaller common bedrooms *Conventional layout, not as unique *Lack of foyer space *Fewer windows *Wasted walkway space to the bedrooms

If you prefer having a more open-ended kitchen with more room to be creative, go for the conventional layout. Otherwise, the boxy layout is more refreshing as far as BTOs go and feature bigger bedrooms and less wasted space. No afternoon sun: 229 is a north-south facing stack and is the best stack if you don’t want to experience any afternoon sun. East-facing stacks 219 and 221 will also not get any afternoon sun, but they will experience the morning sun. Privacy: Go with corner stack 223 for privacy. Avoid stacks 225 and 227 if you can, since they are close to the lifts as well as facing the rubbish chutes directly. Unblocked views: For stacks 223, 225, 227 and 229, get a unit on a higher floor (above the 25th storey) for unblocked views. For stacks facing the school, 219 and 221, get a unit that is above the 5th or 6th storey for unblocked views. Noise: There isn’t exactly a conducive and quiet 4-room stack. Stacks 219 and 221 are facing the school, stacks 223, 225 and 227 are facing the playgrounds and fitness corners and stack 229 is located near the car park. If we have to choose, stack 223 is located just a bit further from the activity zones, so you might experience less noise at this stack. Park views: The master bedroom and one of the common bedrooms at stacks 221 and 223 will look into the nearby park (currently under construction), putting those extra windows to good use.

Park, to the left of image, is still under construction.

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