Sixth Avenue Centre
Overview & Key Facts
Sixth Avenue Centre is a rare freehold mixed-use development completed in 1985 by Tat Lee Property Development, sitting at the prominent corner of Bukit Timah Road and Sixth Avenue in District 10. The development comprises 7 ground-floor retail shops and 18 residential apartments above — making it the only mixed-use project along this stretch of Bukit Timah Road and one of the most distinctive addresses in Singapore's CCR. With just 18 apartment units, it offers an exclusivity that purpose-built condominiums simply cannot replicate.
The property's story in recent years has been defined as much by its redevelopment potential as by its residential merit. A collective sale attempt in 2018 drew a reserve price of S$86 million (approximately S$1,922 psf per plot ratio), reflecting the site's commercial and residential zoning under the 2014 Master Plan with a gross plot ratio of 3.0 and a permissible gross floor area of 4,183 sq m across up to 5 storeys. That tender did not conclude, but the fundamentals that drove it — freehold tenure, prime D10 corner plot, Sixth Avenue MRT at 150 metres — remain firmly intact and arguably stronger today.
For residents, Sixth Avenue Centre offers something increasingly scarce in the CCR: a boutique, low-rise address on Bukit Timah Road where 1980s craftsmanship, generous floor plates, and near-doorstep MRT access combine at a PSF that sits well below neighbouring new launches. The ground-floor commercial tenants — restaurants, a dental clinic, and small artisan businesses — give the building a lived-in neighbourhood character that many newer developments simply cannot manufacture.
Location & Connectivity
Sixth Avenue Centre occupies a corner plot at 805 Bukit Timah Road, at the intersection of Sixth Avenue — one of the most coveted residential addresses in Singapore's District 10. The surrounding neighbourhood is characterised by Good Class Bungalows (GCBs), low-rise boutique condominiums, and Bukit Timah's signature canopy of mature rain trees. Residents enjoy the prestige of a Bukit Timah Road address alongside some of Singapore's most intact tropical greenery, including the proximity to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Botanic Gardens corridor.
The Sixth Avenue DT7 MRT station on the Downtown Line is approximately 150 metres from the main entrance — a genuine walking-distance MRT that places City Hall within 20 minutes and Marina Bay Sands within 25 minutes without a transfer. For drivers, Bukit Timah Road and the Pan Island Expressway provide efficient access to the CBD, Orchard Road (12 minutes), and Changi Airport (35 minutes). The surrounding road network, however, is predominantly residential and can feel car-dependent for everyday errands; the nearest major retail hub, Holland Village, is about 2 km away.
The school catchment is arguably the best in Singapore for international families. Hwa Chong Institution and Hwa Chong International School are 0.62 km and 0.56 km away respectively, while Lycée Français de Singapour (0.88 km), Hollandse School (1.07 km), and Australian International School (1.17 km) are all within comfortable cycling or driving distance. National Junior College is 1.38 km away. This concentration of internationally recognised schools is the primary driver of the property's rental demand and will remain so regardless of broader market cycles.
Corner of Two Iconic Streets
Sixth Avenue Centre sits at the junction of Bukit Timah Road and Sixth Avenue — two of D10's most recognised addresses. The Sixth Avenue corridor is synonymous with Singapore's GCB belt, elite international schools, and the Greenwood Avenue dining enclave. Owning or renting here places you in one of Singapore's most established residential identities, not merely a postal district.
Schools & Education
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Hwa Chong International School | international | Within 1 km |
| Hwa Chong Institution | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Hwa Chong Institution (JC) | jc | Within 1 km |
| Lycee Francais de Singapour | international | Within 1 km |
| Hollandse School | international | ~1.1 km |
| Australian International School | international | ~1.2 km |
| Chatsworth International School (Bukit Timah) | international | ~1.3 km |
| National Junior College | secondary | ~1.4 km |
Facilities
As a 40-year-old development with 18 residential units above a retail podium, Sixth Avenue Centre's communal facilities are best described as minimal. Residents should expect the basics — covered car parking and common corridor maintenance — rather than the resort-style amenity decks found in newer CCR launches. The development's small footprint (site area 1,394 sq m) simply does not allow for a swimming pool, gym, or clubhouse. What it offers instead is something money cannot easily replicate in newer developments: privacy, quiet, and the boutique atmosphere of a building where you know every neighbour.
The seven ground-floor retail units provide a degree of built-in convenience unusual for a residential address of this scale. At various times tenants have included restaurants, a dental clinic, and neighbourhood-oriented businesses, giving the building a pleasant street-level activation. Residents essentially have food and services at their front door — a genuine lifestyle benefit along a stretch of Bukit Timah Road that is otherwise largely residential and quiet.
"Sixth Avenue Centre's facilities are not the draw — the address, the freehold land, and the schools at your doorstep are. Buyers here are not paying for a lap pool; they are paying for a corner plot in Singapore's GCB belt that no amount of new supply can replicate."
Unit Sizes & Layout
The 18 residential apartments at Sixth Avenue Centre occupy the upper floors of the mixed-use block, with layouts characteristic of 1980s CCR construction: generous room proportions, practical rectangular floor plates, and private balconies overlooking the tree-lined junction of Bukit Timah Road and Sixth Avenue. Unit sizes are typical of the era — larger than the compact formats seen in post-2010 developments — and are generally offered as multi-bedroom configurations suited to families and working expat couples. The lack of detailed URA caveats on unit mix reflects the low transaction volume of an 18-unit development, but owners consistently cite spacious bedrooms and good natural cross-ventilation as standout features.
Construction standards from the Tat Lee era were considered solid; the developer was a respected name in Singapore real estate through the 1980s and early 1990s before the group's restructuring. Ceilings are higher than modern norm, and structural walls rather than lightweight partitions define the layouts, giving owners flexibility for internal reconfiguration. The primary caveat is age: electrical systems, plumbing, and finishes in units that have not been recently renovated will require updating, and buyers should budget accordingly. Renovated units command a meaningful premium within the development.
Mixed-Use Structure
Sixth Avenue Centre is not a pure condominium — it is a strata-titled mixed-use building with 7 commercial units on the ground floor and 18 residential apartments above. Commercial activity on the lower floors means some street noise and occasional delivery activity during business hours, but also the convenience of neighbourhood shops and eateries at your doorstep. Prospective buyers should review the building's management corporation (MCST) accounts carefully, as a mixed commercial-residential MCST can carry different maintenance cost dynamics than a residential-only development.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 BR | 2 | $1,574 | $1,871,500 |
| 4 BR | 1 | $1,581 | $2,280,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 3 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,808,000 to $2,280,000, averaging $2,007,667 (~$1,500 psf).
Rents range from $2,200 to $5,000 per month across 22 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.1%.
Price Appreciation
From 2024 to 2026, the average PSF has declined by 7.1% (from $1,615 to $1,500 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Sixth Avenue Centre's PSF of approximately S$1,500 represents a 46% discount to Skye at Holland (S$2,945 psf), a 46% discount to Leedon Green (S$2,784 psf freehold), and a 43% discount to Hyll on Holland (S$2,648 psf freehold). Against D'Leedon at S$1,855 psf and Fourth Avenue Residences at S$2,465 psf, the gap is narrower but still meaningful. The critical distinction is that Sixth Avenue Centre buyers are not acquiring lifestyle amenities or new-build warranties — they are acquiring freehold land at a Bukit Timah Road corner at a land cost that remains well below replacement value for new CCR supply.
The most direct comparable for the investment thesis is not another condominium but the land itself: the 2018 collective sale reserve price implied a land rate of roughly S$1,922 psf ppr. At current transaction prices of S$1,500 psf for an existing apartment, buyers are paying below the 2018 land value — a margin of safety that, while not without execution risk, frames the discount in clear terms for an en-bloc oriented buyer. Against purely residential alternatives, Fourth Avenue Residences at S$2,465 psf (also DT7 MRT doorstep, newer) offers a fair trade-off: paying a 64% premium for modern facilities and a purpose-built condominium product versus Sixth Avenue Centre's land play and lower entry quantum.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIXTH AVENUE CENTRE | Freehold | 1985 | 18 | $1,500 |
| SKYE AT HOLLAND | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 666 | $2,945 |
| LEEDON GREEN | Freehold | 2021 | 638 | $2,784 |
| D'LEEDON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2010 | 2014 | 1,703 | $1,855 |
| HYLL ON HOLLAND | Freehold | 2021 | 319 | $2,648 |
| FOURTH AVENUE RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 476 | $2,465 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates SIXTH AVENUE CENTRE across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
"We've been renting here for three years because of the schools — HCI and Hwa Chong International are both walkable. The Sixth Avenue MRT being five minutes' walk means we don't need a second car. The flat itself is spacious by modern Singapore standards, and the neighbours are quiet. It's not glamorous, but it's genuinely practical for a family our size."
"I bought this as a long-term freehold hold rather than a lifestyle purchase. The en-bloc potential is real — corner plot, commercial-residential zoning, MRT at the doorstep. The 2018 collective sale attempt showed there's appetite at the right price. I'm not in a hurry; the rental income is steady and the land is not going anywhere."
"The ground-floor shops are a double-edged sword. There's always something to eat nearby and having a dental clinic in the building is genuinely convenient. But the delivery trucks in the morning are noisy if your unit faces Bukit Timah Road. Ask about which floor and orientation before you commit."
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure on a prominent D10 corner plot — Bukit Timah Road and Sixth Avenue
- Sixth Avenue DT MRT at 0.29 km — near-doorstep single-line access to City Hall and Marina Bay
- Elite international school belt: HCI 0.62 km, Hwa Chong International 0.56 km, Lycée Français 0.88 km, Australian International 1.17 km
- Strong en-bloc potential (72/100) — 40-year freehold mixed-use site, 2018 reserve price S$86M confirmed institutional interest
- PSF of S$1,500 is a 46% discount to Leedon Green and Skye at Holland — among the lowest entry points for freehold CCR land
- Active rental market — 22 rentals recorded for only 18 units; expat family demand driven by school proximity
- Ground-floor retail provides built-in convenience (restaurants, clinic) and gives the building street-level character
- Spacious 1980s floor plates with good ceiling heights — larger than comparable modern CCR units at similar PSF
- 40-year-old building (1985) — dated finishes, electrical and plumbing likely require upgrading in unrenovated units
- Minimal communal facilities — no swimming pool, gym, or clubhouse; site area too small at 1,394 sq m
- Mixed-use building dynamics — delivery traffic, commercial tenants, and a mixed MCST cost structure differ from pure residential condos
- Walkability 45/100 — Bukit Timah Road is car-dependent; no major mall within walking distance
- Low transaction volume (3 sales in 12 months) — thin market means pricing can be illiquid and appraisals variable
- En-bloc outcome uncertain — 2018 collective sale did not close; any future attempt requires 80% consent and market timing alignment
- Gross yield 2.14% — below average for the CCR; not a high-income rental play
Verdict
Sixth Avenue Centre is a highly specialised buy for a specific type of investor or owner-occupier: one who prioritises freehold land tenure, redevelopment optionality, and a prestige D10 address over modern facilities and new-launch finishes. The en-bloc score of 72/100 encapsulates the investment thesis — a 40-year-old, 18-unit freehold development on a 1,394 sq m corner plot at Bukit Timah Road and Sixth Avenue is precisely the profile that redevelopment-motivated collective sale committees pursue, and the 2018 reserve price of S$86 million demonstrated that institutional interest in this site is real.
For the rental investor, the school cluster is the durable anchor. Hwa Chong International School and Hwa Chong Institution at under 0.7 km, combined with Sixth Avenue DT MRT at 0.29 km, make this one of the most functionally convenient addresses in Singapore for expat families. The 22 rentals recorded across an 18-unit building — a ratio greater than 1:1 — confirm that units turn over frequently in the rental market and that demand is genuine. Gross yield of 2.14% is modest for the asset class but consistent with CCR freehold pricing.
The downside is straightforward: dated physical fabric, negligible communal facilities, and a PSF that — while cheap relative to neighbours — reflects the building's age and the ongoing uncertainty around whether a second collective sale attempt will succeed. Buyers who need a modern lifestyle product should look elsewhere in D10. Buyers who want freehold land on one of Singapore's most iconic streets, with a credible en-bloc story and an elite school belt as the rental backstop, will find Sixth Avenue Centre a compelling, if patient, proposition.