This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on December 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020

Elmina Green Three Phase B (EG3B) in the City of Elmina, Shah Alam, has achieved a take-up rate of 68% since it was launched in July, while Phase 2 of the i3 semidee factories in the township, launched in September,  are 80% taken up. The developer, Sime Darby Property Bhd (SDP), will be launching its Hevea project in the Elmina Gardens precinct.

With a gross development value (GDV) of RM158 million, EG3B will comprise 194 two-storey extended linkhomes with column-free car porches. Due to be completed in July 2022, the freehold homes will come in layouts of 4-bedrooms and 4-bathrooms or 4+1-bedroom and 4 en-suite bathrooms, with built-ups of 2,265 to 2,983 sq ft. Prices start from RM714,499.

Spread over a 34.9-acre tract, Elmina Green Three has two phases — EG3A and EG3B. “EG3A was previewed online on June 6, with all 218 units fully sold. As such, we expect the demand for EG3B also to be strong,” SDP group managing director Datuk Azmir Merican Azmi Merican tells City & Country in an email.

According to the developer, homes at EG3B will be 10ft longer (20ft by 80ft) than the typical 20ft by 70ft unit so that they have a larger living space than conventional terraced houses.

“The extra length is well distributed to allow homebuyers to have a more spacious kitchen, which will feature an expansive wet and dry kitchen; a larger ground floor granny suite with a dedicated dressing area for the elderly, which has ample space to fit a king-size bed and a walk-in wardrobe; as well as increased space for the bedrooms and family living area on the upper floor. Pocket sliding doors will also be fitted in the ground-floor bathrooms to save space,” explains Azmir.

The project is targeted at upgraders, young families and multigenerational families looking for a larger living space. Similar to most of the products in the City of Elmina, the primary target market is mainly owner-occupiers.

“In addition, the units (at EG3B) will come with FittingPlus+ items, such as air-conditioning points and piping (without indoor unit), a booster pump, an outdoor water filter, instant water heater and metal grilles, which will reduce the hassle of renovation and save cost for homebuyers,” says Azmir.

Residents will enjoy amenities and have easy access to City of Elmina’s 300 acres of landscaped parks, 21-acre Sakura lake, eight-acre infinity lake, four-acre recreational park, 90km jogging and cycling track and 2,700 acres of forest reserve.

With a total GDV of RM27 billion, the 6,500-acre City of Elmina comprises residential, commercial and industrial components. The township is easily accessible via the Guthrie Corridor Expressway, Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway, New Klang Valley Expressway and Federal Highway. The Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway, which is under construction, is expected to significantly shorten commutes to and from Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur.

Phase 2, which has an estimated GDV of RM120 million, will comprise 40 units of i3 semidee factories with built-ups ranging from 6,000 to 6,449 sq ft and prices from RM3.3 million to RM3.6 million each. They are expected to be completed in September 2023.

“These factories cater for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including  food and beverage, packaging, furniture, printing, e-commerce, warehousing and logistics,” says Azmir.

Phase 1, which comprises 28 i1 and i2 industrial lots, has been 86% taken up since it was launched in 4Q2019. They are selling from RM95 psf and are due for completion by 1Q2023. Azmir foresees promising demand for Phase 2, as the new normal has spurred growth in e-commerce and logistics-related industries.

“We have received keen interest and enquiries for businesses that are looking to expand their warehousing, distribution and production facilities even during the current business climate. Therefore, we are confident that our strategic location and competitive pricing will attract industrialists from the older surroundings to upgrade to a better environment within Elmina Business Park,” says Azmir.

Facilities in Elmina Business Park include an outdoor amphitheatre, futsal courts and day-care centres, as well as jogging and cycling tracks.

The developer is also working closely with government agencies on potential collaboration for a business support centre to facilitate businesses to set up and obtain approvals more efficiently.

With an estimated GDV of RM6.6 billion, Elmina Business Park adds a 1,500-acre industrial component to City of Elmina’s initial 5,000 acres. It will be developed over three main stages. Currently, the developer has activated only Elmina Business Park Stage 1, consisting of eight phases, with an estimated GDV of RM1.26 billion. The industrial lots in Elmina Business Park Stage 1 come with freehold individual titles, and security monitoring will be provided within the managed industrial business park.

Meanwhile, SDP is looking to launch Hevea at the Elmina Gardens precinct in the City of Elmina this month. With an estimated GDV of RM190 million, Hevea occupies a 20.6-acre parcel and will comprise 124 two-storey semi-detached houses and two 2-storey bungalows.

“Homes in Hevea will be designed with an open-plan interior to maximise natural lighting and ventilation, as well as wide window openings, thereby integrating outdoor and indoor living,” Azmir says, adding that all ground-floor bedrooms will come with a private garden.

The semidees will come in 3+1, 5 or 5+1-bedroom layouts with built-ups of 2,615 to 4,200 sq ft, while the bungalows will come in 5+1-bedroom layouts with built-ups of about 4,100 sq ft each. Prices start from RM1.3 million and the homes are due for completion by 2023.

Azmir notes that the main highlight of Hevea is that the homes will come with two master bedrooms — one on the ground floor and another on the upper floor. “One can easily convert the ground floor master bedrooms for use as a home office. Therefore, these homes will be suitable for retirees, multigenerational families and small families with elderly parents looking for smaller built homes.”

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's AppStore and Androids' Google Play.