Emerald Apartments
Overview & Key Facts
Emerald Apartments on Emerald Hill Road occupies one of Singapore's most historically significant residential streets — the Emerald Hill conservation area, a Straits Settlement-era enclave of Peranakan shophouses and Anglo-Chinese townhouses that has been meticulously preserved by the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Set in District 9 CCR, the development benefits from the address prestige and scarcity premium of a conserved corridor where no new development can be built, while maintaining proximity to Somerset NSL at 510 metres and Orchard NSL+TEL at 880 metres.
At 2 units with only one rental record at $4,800, the dataset is essentially non-existent for statistical purposes. Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) at just 250 metres is an extraordinary school proximity for a D9 CCR address — placing Emerald Apartments within the closest ballot distance band for one of Singapore's most competitive primary school feeders. Tenure is unconfirmed.
This is a niche, heritage-prestige proposition: buyers acquire not just a residential unit but a position on one of Singapore's most culturally distinctive streets, with the scarcity value of conservation zoning and the practical amenity of Somerset NSL access.
Location & Connectivity
Emerald Hill Road connects Orchard Road to Oxley Road through the Emerald Hill conservation precinct — a 200-metre stretch of preserved Peranakan and colonial-era two-storey shophouses that the URA has protected from redevelopment since the 1980s. The street is closed to through-traffic, creating a quiet pedestrian character that is exceptional by D9 CCR standards, flanked by mature rain trees and the ornate facades of heritage shophouses.
Somerset NSL (510m) and Orchard NSL+TEL (880m) provide North-South Line access to Dhoby Ghaut interchange, City Hall, Raffles Place, and Marina Bay. The Orchard Road retail belt — Takashimaya, ION Orchard, Mandarin Gallery, and the full luxury retail strip — begins at the end of Emerald Hill Road, a five-minute walk away. The walkability score of 80 reflects genuine access to Orchard amenities on foot.
ACS Junior at 250 metres — essentially across the road — places Emerald Apartments in the closest primary school ballot proximity band for ACS (Junior), a critical advantage for ACS-affiliated families. St. Anthony's Primary at 740 metres provides a Catholic school ballot alternative.
Schools & Education
3 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| ACS (Junior) | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Anthony's Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Secondary School | secondary | ~1.0 km |
| Kheng Cheng School | primary | ~1.3 km |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) | primary | ~1.3 km |
| Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) | primary | ~1.3 km |
| Singapore Chinese Girls' School (Primary) | primary | ~1.3 km |
Facilities
At 2 units in a conservation zone, Emerald Apartments offers no meaningful shared facilities. The conservation status restricts any external modifications and limits what structural or common-area changes are permissible. This is a private address on a heritage street — the lifestyle value is the street itself, not on-site infrastructure.
Buyers must verify tenure with SLA before any pricing discussion. Conservation status on Emerald Hill can apply to freehold, 999-year, or 99-year titled properties; the tenure type dramatically affects market value at this CCR address tier. The 2-unit structure means all maintenance requires bilateral owner consensus, which in a conservation setting includes URA approval for any external or structural work.
Neighbourhood Comparison
D9 CCR comparables include Irwell Hill Residences (2020, 540 units, ~$2,728 PSF), River Green (2024, 524 units, ~$3,135 PSF), and The Avenir (FH, 376 units, ~$3,190 PSF). Emerald Apartments operates in a fundamentally different category: heritage conservation scarcity on Emerald Hill is a unique asset class not replicated by any modern development. The relevant comparable set is the broader Emerald Hill conservation shophouse segment, which commands its own bespoke pricing dynamics separate from the standard D9 CCR condo market.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMERALD APARTMENTS | — | 2 | — | |
| IRWELL HILL RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 540 | $2,728 |
| RIVER GREEN | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 524 | $3,135 |
| RIVER MODERN | 99 years leasehold | — | — | $3,238 |
| THE AVENIR | Freehold | 2021 | 376 | $3,190 |
| KOPAR AT NEWTON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 378 | $2,512 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates EMERALD APARTMENTS across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
Emerald Hill Road attracts high-net-worth Singaporeans and expatriates who specifically seek heritage address prestige and the Orchard–Somerset lifestyle — access to Singapore's premium retail, dining, and arts infrastructure at doorstep scale. The ACS Junior proximity makes it a compelling proposition for ACS-affiliated families in the primary school planning phase. The street character and conservation restriction attract buyers and tenants who deliberately choose the heritage residential experience over the modern condominium alternative.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Emerald Hill conservation address — heritage scarcity, no new development possible on this street
- ACS Junior (250m) — closest primary ballot distance band, virtually doorstep proximity
- Somerset NSL 510m + Orchard NSL+TEL 880m, Orchard Road luxury retail 5-min walk
- Tenure unconfirmed — critical at this CCR heritage address; verify with SLA first
- Single rental record ($4,800) — no yield basis; independent rental survey essential
- 2 units in conservation zone: bilateral governance + URA approval for any external works
Verdict
Emerald Apartments on Emerald Hill Road offers an essentially irreplaceable address type: a 2-unit residence on Singapore's most iconic heritage residential street, with Somerset NSL at 510 metres and ACS Junior essentially at the doorstep. For buyers who seek address heritage, conservation scarcity, and Orchard proximity above facilities depth, few D9 CCR boutique positions approach the character of this location.
Tenure verification is the non-negotiable first step — the difference between freehold and 99-year remaining lease on Emerald Hill is a material value divergence. Once confirmed, independent rental research is required before any yield underwriting. This is a prestige lifestyle acquisition for the right buyer, not a data-driven yield play.