Commentary: JCube closure – a case of too many shopping malls in Jurong East?

Golden Mile Complex was popularly known as “Little Thailand” for the many Thai restaurants, supermarkets and handicraft stores found within its premises. It wasn’t an everyday mall like many others – its customers sought shopping and dining experiences not easily replicable elsewhere. Many popular restaurants have already moved, where they can reconnect with old customers willing to follow them and win over new ones.

Though Golden Mile Complex will be redeveloped with its building structure kept intact, its old-school charm and unique atmosphere will likely be lost, or worse, be replaced by a cookie-cutter mall experience.

HEART OF JURONG LAKE DISTRICT

JCube, Jem, Westgate and IMM form the shopping cluster in the heart of the Jurong Lake District, planned as Singapore’s second central business district – envisioned as a vibrant place to work, live, and play amid integrated world-class leisure and recreational attractions around Jurong Lake Garden and the new Science Centre.

Considering the strong performance of the private residential property market –  which set a new benchmark exceeding S$2,000 (US$1,508) per sq ft in the Outside Central Region – the highest and best use of the subject site may have shifted from retail use to residential use.