GEM Residences

GEM Residences Location

GEM Residences sits on a 5.34-acre freehold parcel along Jalan Baru in Perai and is located opposite the mature residential neighbourhood of Taman Supreme.

Gem Residences forms the residential phase of a 20-acre mixed development project by Belleview Group where the main attraction is the GEM Megamall, touted to be the northern Seberang Perai’s biggest shopping mall. Belleview is also planning a four-star hotel in the area to complement the mega retail extravaganza.

The area – combining the northern and middle district – has a population of 872,900 (2020 local authority estimates) or close to 80 percent of Seberang Perai total population. More than 70 percent are in the working-age group and forming a balanced racial composition of approximately 5:4:1 in Malay, Chinese and Indian demographically.

Incidence of crime in both districts has notably decreased by up to eight percent last year helped by the decision of the local authorities to install CCTVs in strategic locations.

Connectivity

GEM Residences is in an ideal location for those working on the island as it is only four kilometres from the Penang Bridge while for those working at Kulim Hi-Tech industrial zone, the residential project is but a 30-minutes’ drive away using the Butterworth-Kulim highway.

Residents driving to the Penang International Airport will also take around the same time via the Penang Bridge. Those travelling north or south meanwhile have the North-South Expressway accessible through the Butterworth Outer Ring Road.

Traffic in the area is typically congested during peak hours. Congestion, however, is managed well with three available lanes on each side allowing the traffic flow smoothly despite a high number of vehicles.

Convenience

In general, there is not much to Seberang Perai in terms of new commercial development and as such, the upcoming GEM Megamall is one of the main attractions for someone looking at the GEM Residences as an investment purchase.

Once completed, the GEM Megamall will have 1.2 million square feet in net lettable area and able to host more than 450 shops; a very attractive proposition to galvanize the overall vibrancy of the neighbourhood. Standing six-storey in height, GEM Megamall is planned to host a myriad of lifestyle and entertainment facilities to cater to the surrounding population. Amongst them include an Olympic-sized ice skating rink, a prime-size Golden Screen Cinema Cineplex with 20 screens, a 38-lane bowling alley, a lifestyle supermarket as well as an F&B and entertainment hub. The megamall also boasts some 3,500 car parking lots.

In the meantime, residents of GEM Residences are ably serviced by Taman Chai Leng commercial centre which includes a post office, several banks, plenty of restaurants and eateries as well as a public multipurpose hall.

Shopping is also catered for by the Aeon Big Perai hypermarket, located about two kilometres away in Taman Kelisa Emas, and the immediate neighbourhood has a good spread in both public and private educational institutions.

Private Institutions:

• Wing International (P)
• Millennium English School (P)
• Chinese Taipei (P)
• Synergy College
• Institute Techpoint

Public Institutions:

• Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Chung Hwa 3
• Ladang Perai Tamil School, Perai
• Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Prai
• Sekolah Kebangsaan Khir Johari
• Sekolah Kebangsaan St Mark Perai
• Sekolah Kebangsaan Seberang Jaya
• Seberang Perai Polytechnic

Population Density

Outside of George Town, the triangle that is Butterworth, Perai and Bukit Mertajam in Seberang Perai are one of the most populous zones in the northern region of the country. It has a market catchment of 6.5 million in the population who are often commuting to and from work to home and vice versa. Seberang Perai is also more diverse in terms of demography with a good mixture of both locals and transit populations giving the neighbourhood a vibrant, almost suburban feel, but with a touch of the old, mostly from its slower development pace.

GEM Residences Floor Plan

The freehold residential development features a total of 978 units in four towers named Coral, Ruby, Sapphire, and Diamond respectively. Currently, units open for sale are those in the Coral and Ruby towers, bot standing 38-storey in height, providing tenants with a good view of both the Island as well as Penang Bridge.

There is a good range of residential units for the choosing, with built-up sizes from the 441 square feet studio going to the more common units of between 1,050 to 1,445 square feet.

At the time of writing, the studio units are all sold out, but there are still plenty of options to choose from.

Available Options:

• Type B1 with 1,050 square feet in the built-up area.
• Type B2 with 1,101 square feet in the built-up area
• Type C1 with 1,162 square feet in the built-up area
• Type C2 with 1,196 square feet in the built-up area
• Type C3 with 1,445 square feet in the built-up area

All the above units have 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms layout and come with a balcony. Residents will also have a good measure of exclusivity with each floor having either eight or nine units for an inclusive and closer-knit community.

GEM Residences Facilities and Amenities

Designed with a lifestyle focus, GEM Residences combines well-designed modern living spaces with a good level of amenities to allow tenants to enjoy the finer aspects of urban life. A Sky Garden located on the topmost floor of the building provides a magnificent view of the island and its surroundings. Residents can use the following facilities at the Sky Garden, which is designated as its main shared facilities zone:

• viewing pavilion
• sky lounge
• barbecue pit
• jacuzzi
• jogging track

Meanwhile, for tenants who are keen on the active lifestyle, both Coral and Ruby offer a Sports and Recreational zone on its 8th floor, sporting:

• Olympic ocean pool
• Aqua gym
• signature gym
• jumbo chess boards

The floors are serviced by four elevators allowing a good level of privacy and space to the tenants and residents returning home after a long, hard day at work.

GEM Residences Property Analysis

Target Market

A northern region growth area, Seberang Perai represents the typical urban-suburban development issues of available open areas for residential development.

Seberang Perai used to be the less expensive residential choice for those working on the island. Impressive economic growth has since spilt over to the mainland, and scarce land areas for landed properties have pushed more to find residence at locations offering cheaper residences.

Many would forgo the economic cost of commuting given viable choices, and the younger generation is embracing the lifestyle living concept promoted by serviced apartments and gated communities throughout the country.

GEM Residences offer such a choice in a surrounding that is less frenetic in pace which is the hallmark of living on the island and at a fraction of the price.

Competitor Analysis

GEM Residences is in an enviable position being the latest development which came in at such an opportune time. Closest competitors have yet to surface with many projects still in the planning and approval stages.

Project in Taman Kelisa Emas
Residential development located near Jalan Kelisa Emas 4, involving a 20-storey condominium offering 150 units at the affordable indicative pricing of RM250k and close to the AEON Big Hypermarket. Details on layout and built-up size are yet to be known.

Developer: Green Ace Heritage Sdn. Bhd. (a subsidiary of Airmas Group)

Residential at Lorong Tembikai, Woodlands
Slightly further, but still within a stone’s throw away from Perai is the affordable high-rise residential project planned near Jalan Betek in Bukit Mertajam. The project, still in the planning stage, comprises a 24-story tower with 176 residential units with standard built-up sizes of 859 square feet. Indicative pricing is said to be below RM250k.

Developer: JSC Infraland Sdn. Bhd

Marminton Homes
This project is located at Jalan Raja Uda and adjacent to the Elements Garden development in Butterworth. Awaiting approval, the residential project features a combination of landed and high-rise properties comprising a 14-story condominium of some 112 condominium units, with eight units of 3-story terrace houses. The target segment of this project is different as it eyes the more affluent segment of the population with indicative pricing starting from RM518,000 for the condominium units and RM1.2 million for landed homes.

Developer: Sungguh Gemilang Sdn. Bhd. (Atta Global Group)

Prospects:

GEM Residences has some good potential due to its early inception over its competitors, coupled with the excellent location of being close to the main urban areas of the developing zone of northern Seberang Perai.

Being part of a mixed-development project, which includes the impressive GEM Megamall, the level of amenities in and around the residential project is exactly the factor that sets it apart and puts GEM Residences as a value proposition for those looking for a modern, lifestyle-centric home.

Priced from RM350k for the non-studio units, GEM Residences offer competitive pricing when viewed to the fairly sizeable built-up area, allowing for a comfortable living for the young families that would form the bulk of its buyers.

GEM Residences’ Developer: Belleview Group

Belleview Group is a Penang-based developer. Established in 1984, Belleview concentrates on projects in northern regions, extending as far as Kedah.

The developer is well known in its home base for its quality offering through the range of its residential projects on the island. From there, Belleview had ventured into larger-scale mixed developments and is active with several projects around the region. Their projects include:

• Aman Central shopping mall, Alor Setar to be ready in July, this year. It has a total built-up area of 2 million square feet and a net lettable area of 800,000 square feet. Purported to be one of the largest shopping malls in Kedah.
• The Moulmein Rise Shoppes project in Pulau Tikus, Penang, a prime mixed development comprising a two-level boutique shopping mall and a 27-story tower with 84 luxurious suites, each with its own private lift lobby and has broad balconies.
• All Seasons Place in Bandar Baru Air Itam, Penang, a three-level strip mall with a net lettable area of 240,000 square feet, accommodating a total of 120 shop lots and main tenant, Giant Superstore.
• Kulim Techno City project, comprising a total of 127 single-story terraced and 22 one-and-half-story terraced houses priced from RM220,900 onwards.