Nov 2022 BTO: Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah

Tengah sees two new BTOs launched in Nov 2022, although HDB is essentially selling them as a single project. Both are separated by a common park between them. We take a closer look at what to expect of these two BTOs in this upcoming forest town and the best units to go for.

BTO	Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah
Location	Along Tengah Garden Avenue
PLH model?	No
Total no. of units	2,077
Unit types	2-room Flexi, 3-, 4- and 5-room Flexi
No. of blocks	18
How tall?	9 to 16 storeys
Estimated completion date	1Q2027
Pricing	2-room Flexi Type 1: $111K - $139K 2-room Flexi Type 2: $144K - $174K 3-room: $214K - $262K 4-room: $307K - $397K 5-room: $428K - $536K
Nearest MRT station	Hong Kah MRT on the Jurong-Region Line

 

What’s around the site?

Like Plantation Creek which was launched in Feb 2022, Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah also borders the PIE, so you can expect traffic noise levels to be on the higher side. On the flip side, it does mean the expressway-facing stacks will be able to get relatively unblocked views.

A Google screen grab of the location for the new Tengah projects.

The developments sit right next to Tengah Pond though and a ‘forest fringe’, so that should go some way to help alleviate the noise levels, although how much remains to be seen.

One of the biggest pluses of these Tengah projects is that they sit right next to an upcoming MRT station along the Jurong-Region Line, Hong Kah station. The station will be ready in the first phase of the new line, estimated to be completed in 2027, just in time for key collection.

If you look at the JRL map, it is just one stop from Tengah station and therefore the station where the main Tengah town centre is. Based on our calculations, the town centre is almost 1km away, which will take you approximately 10 to 15 mins on foot if you choose to walk.

Map for JRL.

But perhaps the nearest amenities for residents here are within the site itself. There will be an area on the west end of the site set aside for a supermarket, various shops and eateries.

There’s also an interesting plot of land adjacent to Hong Kah station, which according to the HDB map is scheduled to be a mixed-use commercial and residential development, so it’s likely going to improve the conveniences of the residents in the area.

Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah is also located within a short walking distance (approx 5 to 8 mins on foot) to the neighbourhood centre that is located along the Plantation Crescent road and next to Tengah Plantation station. The neighbourhood centre is situated within Plantation Village, which you can read more about here.

In terms of schools, an educational institution is planned for a plot diagonally across. And there are also two plots reserved for educational institutions a bit further down the road.

The plots reserved for educational institutions are circled.

 

Unit analysis for Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah - Which are the units to pick?

Colour Code
Pink	2-room Flexi
Green	3-room
Yellow	4-room
Orange	5-room

 

Cooler stacks

To avoid the afternoon sun, you’ll want to pick a unit that doesn’t have the main rooms facing the northwest or southwest directions. When choosing your units and what floor to opt for, consider also neighbouring structures as some will get shade from adjacent buildings e.g. car parks or adjoining stacks. These are the ones to go for:

209A	491*, 493*, 495*, 497*, 499*, 501*, 509, 511
210A	513, 515, 525, 527, 531*, 533*
210B	535, 537
213A	677
216C	437^, 439^, 441^
216D	453^, 461^
217B	475^, 477^, 489^, 487^

*For units lower than the 7th floor
^For units lower than the 5th floor

Quieter stacks

Straight up, you should be aware that this isn’t the quietest of estates. You not only have the roaring PIE right next to you, but you also have an aboveground MRT line (JRL) sitting alongside. So getting a ‘quiet’ stack is truly relative. Here is your best bet:

210B	551
212A	593, 595, 597, 599
212C	633, 635
213B	685, 687

Privacy

Don’t want kaypoh neighbours looking in on your home? Opt for these stacks:

209A	497, 499
210A	519, 521
210B	541, 543
211A	569
211B	571
212A	591, 593
212B	627
212C	641
212D	647
213A	669, 671
213B	679
213C	705
216A	413
216B	415, 419
216C	443, 445
216D	459
217A	473
217B	487, 489

View of Tengah Pond/Unblocked views

If you like views of the pond, these are the stacks to go for. Of course, you will have to contend with direct traffic noise from the PIE, but the upside is unblocked waterfront views.

211B	571, 573, 581, 583
212C	629, 631
212D	643, 645, 653, 655
217A	465, 467, 469
217B	479, 481, 483, 485

 

A closer look at the floor plans

If you don't already know, HDB is planning to pilot the 'beamless' ceiling design in these two Tengah BTOs. Hurrah! We've put together an article on design ideas you can now do thanks to the absence of those ugly structural beams.

The 2-room units essentially come with two different layout options. As with other BTO projects, the Type 1 units are smaller than the Type 2. The only difference in these layouts as you can see above is that extra nook of space that can be used as a bedroom, study, dining spot, or even a walk-in closet. You can even remove the walls between them and create an entire supersized en-suite, connecting the bedroom to the bathroom.

The 3-room layout is pretty typical of BTO layouts. The bomb shelter is located near the entrance so it eats a bit into the communal space but you can use it for shoe storage. Unfortunately, because of where the DB box is located here, there isn't a whole lot of flexibility and you can't quite turn your kitchen into a large, open-plan one.

The 4-room units are a bit more unique, in terms of where the kitchen is located. It's a boxier layout but there's more room in the front of it for setting up a dry kitchen setting as what HDB suggests. It feels just a tad bit cramped, perhaps because there's no separation between the service yard and kitchen space, unlike in conventional BTOs. If you prefer opting for a bigger living room and have no need for the extra bedroom, the hackable wall between the common bedroom and living room should come in handy.

The 5-room units here are more typical. There's quite a bit of kitchen space to play around with. The layout's also more open, giving you more options to rearrange things. Because of the un-hackable walls between the bedrooms and the living area, you may not get such a clean look if you knock down the walls, so do bear that in mind.