The Assembly Place has secured a $40 million land parcel in Lorong J Telok Kurau, with the plans to turn it into a 430-bed premium student hostel. With over 100,000 sq ft of land, it is said to be well equipped with communal facilities such as a lounge, dining, kitchen, laundry, basketball court and outdoor fitness area – all at a par with student accommodations around the world.The land parcel was sold by the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church, who had a 999-year lease from 1939. Before the sale, it operated as EastLodge, a 120-room student accommodation. The buyer of the property remains anonymous.

The Assembly Place, a co-living operator, has been appointed the development manager and operator of the student hostel on a 5+5 year lease. The firm secured the land parcel with a 103-year lease at 116 Lorong J Telok Kurau for $40 million in November 2022, a 33% increase above the guide price of $30 million ($287 psf).

The census conducted by the Ministry of Education and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority from a Business Times report in April 2022 estimates the international student population in Singapore to be 65,400 – an increase from 59,100 in April 2021. This followed the lifting of travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese government in January.

The increased students are a result of restrictions by the Chinese government on private schools teaching foreign curricula and foreign investment in private education. With this, more Chinese parents are sending their children overseas for their education. Singapore has always been a popular destination for the parents to do so.

The development of the 430-bed hostel will be of a premium quality and modular design, ensuring that each student is provided with an individual bed and study area. Simultaneously, communal facilities such as a lounge, dining, kitchen, laundry, basketball court and outdoor fitness area will also be available. There will be shared bathrooms that are spacious, well equipped, and abide by the necessary safety and hygiene standards.

Currently, the property is undergoing renovations and is expected to open in September 2022 as The Assembly Place’s premium student hostel. It will mark the operator’s second student housing hostel in their portfolio, following the opening of a 186-bed property on Perak Road, off Jalan Besar in November 2022.

This move will naturally increase the total number of The Assembly Place’s co-living and spaces to 2,000.

Eugene Lim, the founder and CEO of The Assembly Place stated that in Singapore, most of the student accommodations are relatively basic and often lack necessary facilities. With their new property, they intend to provide the students with much needed premium accommodations at an equivalent standard to those abroad.

Chia Mein Mein, the Head of Capital Markets (Land and Collective Sales) at Knight Frank Singapore declared that the interest in the property was keen due to the unique use of the site. Initially launched in September 2022 with an initial guide price of $30 million ($287 psf), the tender received more than 15 bids, with the purchase price eventually going up to $40 million ($382.89 psf).

Resident of the Altura EC Bukit Batok can enjoy a selection of facilities such as the basketball court, gymnasium, multi-purpose hall, and swimming pool. Furthermore, public buses and the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) are located nearby, providing easy access to different parts of the island.

The property is situated on a zoned lot for civic and community institution use; however, URA had allowed the use of the property as a student hostel.

The Assembly Place is set to introduce a new level of student accommodation in Singapore, one that is not often seen – one that meets the needs of international students and their parents. With such an initiative, it promises to elevate the status of student housing in Singapore.