The Arris
Overview & Key Facts
The Arris is a compact freehold development of just 63 units along Yan Kit Road in District 2 — a quiet, heritage-rich pocket of Tanjong Pagar that sits squarely within Singapore’s Central Business District. Completed in 2003, the development occupies a low-profile position on a street better known for its conservation shophouses, hawker centre, and old-world Chinatown character than for gleaming residential towers.
At an average PSF of S$2,268 over the last 12 months, The Arris is one of the more affordable freehold entry points in District 2 — meaningfully cheaper than newer neighbours like Newport Residences (S$3,128 psf, freehold) and Sky Everton (S$2,802 psf, freehold). The trade-off is age and scale: with only 63 units and over two decades since TOP, The Arris lacks the resort-style facilities and modern finishings that newer launches offer.
What it does offer is something increasingly rare in Singapore’s central core: freehold tenure at sub-S$2,300 psf, triple MRT coverage within 600 metres, and a location embedded in one of the most walkable, character-rich neighbourhoods on the island. For a specific buyer profile — CBD professionals, rental investors, or downsizers who value location permanence over facility count — The Arris punches above its weight.
Location & Connectivity
Yan Kit Road is part of the Tanjong Pagar conservation area, and The Arris benefits enormously from this context. The street-level experience is defined by restored shophouses, independent cafes, and the well-loved Yan Kit Road Food Centre — one of Singapore’s smaller but highly regarded hawker centres. This is not a sanitised CBD; it has genuine neighbourhood texture.
The MRT connectivity is exceptional for a development of this size and price point. Three stations sit within 600 metres: Prince Edward Road TEL (0.42 km), Tanjong Pagar EWL (0.58 km), and Outram Park triple interchange — NEL, EWL, and TEL — at 0.59 km. This triple-line coverage means residents can reach practically any part of Singapore without a transfer, a convenience that most CBD condos costing 30–40% more cannot match.
For drivers, the CBD location provides quick access to the AYE and MCE. Orchard Road is under 10 minutes in moderate traffic; Changi Airport is reachable in 20–25 minutes via the ECP. The Marina Bay financial district is a short walk or one MRT stop away.
Daily conveniences are well covered. Tanjong Pagar Plaza and the surrounding shophouse rows provide grocery options, clinics, and services. 100AM mall and Guoco Tower (Tanjong Pagar Centre) are within a 10-minute walk, offering retail, dining, and a direct MRT connection. The upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront transformation is expected to further enhance the precinct’s amenities and green spaces over the next decade.
Schools & Education
1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cantonment Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Outram Secondary School | secondary | ~1.1 km |
Facilities
With only 63 units, The Arris was never designed to compete on facilities breadth. The development provides the essentials — a swimming pool, a small gym, and basic landscaped areas — but nothing approaching the resort-style amenity decks found in newer CBD launches like Newport Residences or One Bernam. There is no tennis court, no function room, and no sky terrace.
This is the most significant trade-off buyers accept at The Arris. If your lifestyle revolves around on-site recreational facilities, this development will feel sparse. However, the compact scale has a silver lining: maintenance fees are lower than what residents of 300–500 unit developments typically pay, and the pool is never crowded.
“The facilities are basic — pool and gym, that’s about it. But honestly, living in Tanjong Pagar, everything you need is outside your door. The hawker centre downstairs is better than any condo function room.”
— Owner perspective, District 2 property forums
The counterargument — and it is a strong one — is that The Arris’s location is the amenity. Yan Kit Road Food Centre is steps away. Tanjong Pagar’s dining scene (Amoy Street, Duxton Hill, Keong Saik Road) is within walking distance. The upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront will add waterfront parks and recreational facilities that no single condo could replicate internally. For buyers who live outward rather than inward, the facilities gap matters less than it appears on a spec sheet.
Unit Sizes & Layout
The Arris offers a mix of unit types across its 63 units, with configurations ranging from compact one-bedroom apartments to larger three-bedroom layouts. Being a 2003-vintage development, the units benefit from the more generous floor plates that characterised pre-2010 construction — layouts tend to be more regular and efficient than the shoehorned configurations found in some recent micro-unit launches.
The median transacted price sits at S$2,110,000, with an average of S$2,075,867 — placing typical units firmly in the S$2 million range. For a freehold District 2 address, this represents a meaningful discount to the neighbourhood’s newer stock. The PSF trend over recent quarters — S$1,984 → S$2,233 → S$2,326 → S$2,279 → S$2,233 — shows the development peaked and has since stabilised, suggesting the current pricing has found a natural floor.
Interior finishings reflect the development’s 2003 completion date. Most units that have transacted recently show owner-renovated interiors, suggesting buyers should budget S$50,000–S$100,000 for a refresh to bring kitchens and bathrooms up to contemporary standards. The building’s structural bones are sound, and the freehold status means renovation investment is not eroded by a ticking lease clock.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 1 | $2,248 | $1,500,000 |
| 2 BR | 4 | $2,152 | $1,893,750 |
| 3 BR | 11 | $2,196 | $2,222,818 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 16 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,375,000 to $2,500,000, averaging $2,095,375 (~$2,309 psf).
Rents range from $3,000 to $8,300 per month across 103 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.8%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 17.7% (from $1,985 to $2,336 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The competitive set reveals The Arris’s positioning clearly. Newport Residences (S$3,128 psf, freehold, 487 units) is the newest freehold option nearby, offering contemporary finishings and full facilities at a 38% premium — a steep price for buyers who don’t need a brand-new product. Sky Everton (S$2,802 psf, freehold, 262 units) sits between the two, offering a newer build and Everton Park’s charm at a 24% premium over The Arris.
On the leasehold side, ICON (S$1,797 psf, 99-year from 2002, 646 units) is cheaper per square foot but carries a depreciating lease now past the 20-year mark. Skysuites@Anson (S$2,229 psf, 99-year from 2008, 360 units) is almost identical in PSF to The Arris but again with a 99-year lease — making The Arris the clearly superior long-term hold. One Bernam (S$2,587 psf, 99-year from 2019, 364 units) is newer with better facilities but again trades freehold for leasehold at a higher price.
The pattern is unmistakable: The Arris is the cheapest freehold option in this competitive set by a significant margin. Buyers who prioritise tenure security and CBD access over facility count and new-build finishings will find it difficult to identify a better value proposition in District 2 today.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE ARRIS | Freehold | 2003 | 63 | $2,309 |
| ONE BERNAM | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 364 | $2,587 |
| NEWPORT RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2026 | 487 | $3,128 |
| ICON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2002 | 2007 | 646 | $1,791 |
| SKYSUITES@ANSON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2008 | — | 360 | $2,230 |
| SKY EVERTON | Freehold | 2021 | 262 | $2,800 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE ARRIS across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Bought here specifically for the freehold and location. Three MRT lines within walking distance — you can’t get that at Newport or Sky Everton’s price. The building is older, yes, but Yan Kit Road has more character than any new launch corridor.”
— Owner, District 2 property discussion
“We rent out our unit and it’s never been vacant for more than two weeks. The CBD location and MRT access sell themselves. Tenants are mostly banking and finance professionals.”
— Investor owner, property forum
“Facilities are very basic — if you want a resort condo, look elsewhere. But the hawker centre, the conservation shophouses, the walkability — this is what Singapore used to feel like before everything became a glass tower.”
— Long-term resident review
The consistent theme across owner feedback is a conscious trade-off: residents chose The Arris for its location, tenure, and value proposition, not for on-site lifestyle amenities. The small community size (63 units) is frequently cited as a positive — fewer neighbours means a quieter environment, lower maintenance politics, and a more intimate living experience compared to the 300–500 unit mega-developments now dominating the CBD landscape.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure in District 2 CBD — no lease decay concerns
- Triple MRT coverage within 600m (TEL, EWL, NEL via Outram Park)
- Lowest freehold PSF in immediate competitive set (S$2,268 vs S$2,802–S$3,128)
- Heritage conservation area protects streetscape and low-rise views
- Strong rental demand — 101 transactions, consistent CBD tenant pool
- Walkable to Tanjong Pagar dining, Duxton Hill, Keong Saik Road
- Yan Kit Road Food Centre steps away for daily meals
- Small community (63 units) — quiet, low maintenance politics
- Greater Southern Waterfront transformation to enhance precinct
- Pre-2010 unit layouts typically more spacious than modern equivalents
- Minimal facilities — pool and gym only, no tennis or function rooms
- Aged finishings (2003 TOP) — budget S$50K–S$100K for renovation
- Only 63 units — resale inventory is thin and unpredictable
- Gross yield of 2.84% is modest even for CBD freehold
- No on-site childcare, retail, or F&B amenities
- Limited primary school options within 1 km (Cantonment Primary 0.90 km)
- PSF has plateaued after 2024 peak — limited near-term upside
- Small development lacks bargaining power for bulk maintenance contracts
- No covered linkway to nearest MRT station
Verdict
The Arris occupies a very specific niche: it is one of the cheapest freehold entry points into Singapore’s CBD. At S$2,268 psf, it undercuts Newport Residences by 28%, Sky Everton by 19%, and even the 99-year Skysuites@Anson sits within touching distance at S$2,229 psf with a depreciating lease. For buyers who understand the long game of freehold tenure in a land-scarce CBD district, the value case is straightforward.
The rental story adds another dimension. With 101 rental transactions on record and an average rent of S$5,049, The Arris has demonstrated consistent tenant demand — unsurprising given its CBD location and MRT proximity. The 2.84% gross yield is modest by suburban standards but competitive for a freehold CBD asset, where capital preservation and long-term appreciation are typically prioritised over yield.
The honest question is whether the facilities trade-off matters to you. If you benchmark condos primarily by pool size, gym equipment, and sky gardens, The Arris will disappoint. But if you benchmark by location quality, tenure security, MRT accessibility, and price-per-square-foot relative to peers, this 63-unit development consistently outperforms expectations. The heritage conservation area provides an additional moat — the Yan Kit Road streetscape cannot be redeveloped into competing high-rise stock, giving The Arris a neighbourhood character that money alone cannot buy.
For CBD professionals, rental investors targeting the Tanjong Pagar office crowd, or downsizers seeking a permanent city base without the S$3 million+ price tags of newer freehold launches, The Arris deserves serious consideration — provided you can find a unit.