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THE PUBLIQ - LAUNCHING SOON 2015

THE PUBLIQ

A TRULY INTEGRATED NEW 'PUBLIQ' SPACE FOR JOHOR BAHRU

A new “integrated, multisensory lifestyle community” is coming up on the fringe of the more affluent and established Taman Molek and Taman Johor Jaya in the suburbs of Johor Bahru. The Publiq is a 12.3-acre freehold integrated development that will comprise five blocks of street retail shops and business suites as well as a 4-storey retail mall flanked by serviced residences and a business hotel. Premised on the concept of “a truly integrated development”, the project will offer what Johor Bahru now lacks. For starters, it aims to consolidate the disparate retail experiences across Johor into a unique environment that blends the indoors and the outdoors. 

Most interestingly, the retail portion is expected to have an immediate captive market of professionals, hotel guests and residents while its immediate surroundings boast a broad cross section of potential visitors. 

“Johor Bahru lacks a modern social and commercial hub. The current social spaces are widely dispersed over the townships. We conceived the development for the public to provide them with a unique space for social interaction,” says Datuk Tong Kooi Ong, one of the stakeholders in Publiq Development Group Sdn Bhd, which is developing the project jointly with Daiman Development Bhd. 

He also points out that the current retail experience in the city is traditional. The retail experience is all boxed up. Johor Bahru lacks good retail experiences and the locals are prepared to cross over to Singapore for their shopping needs. 

SIZE MATTERS

The Project will have a gross floor area of about 2.7 million sq ft and will be divided into three phases. Phase 1 will comprise retail lots on the street and in the mall, business suites and a business hotel.

The retail space will have a net built-up area of about 420,000 sq ft. It will comprise lots with built-ups of about 800 to 1,500 sq ft. The street retail section will boast 40ft-wide streets that will encourage visitors to walk around and explore.

There will be about 350 business suites measuring around 630-1,500 sq ft for sale. As for the business hotel, it is expected to have about 250 to 300 rooms.

Phase 2 will have roughly 550 serviced residences with built-ups of about 500 to 1,550 sq ft. There will be dedicated recreational decks featuring a pool and other facilities. At this junction, prices have not been firmed up yet.

The Publiq will be unveiled to the public some time in 1Q2015. A sales gallery with scale model and show units close to the site will be opened to allow potential investors to experience the concept.

A PREFERRED ADDRESS

The Publiq is coming up within three established neighbourhoods-the affluent Taman Molek, the diverse Taman Mount Austin and the bustling Taman Johor Jaya.

“Taman Molek has a more middle to up-per-middle-income population. You’ll find more cafes and restaurants there. Also, practically all the banks are packed in the commercial centre here,” says Daiman Development managing director Tay Thiam Song.

Taman Mount Austin has a diverse population that includes students, thanks to Sunway College Johor Bahru.

As for Taman Johor Jaya, it is one of the largest townships in Johor Bahru and is very densely populated. Most of its residents are in the middle-income group and have money to spend. Not surprisingly, the township bustles with many popular hawker stalls and coffee shops.

“I’ve always equated Taman Molek, Taman Mount Austin and Taman Johor Jaya to Kuala Lumpur’s Mont’Kiara, Hartamas and Kepong,” says Dato’ Allan Lim, another stakeholder of Publiq Development Group.

The serviced residences will offer 360⁰ views of the Johor Bahru city skyline and Singapore. 

SUPERB CONNECTIVITY

The site is accessible via three highways, namely the Pasir Gudang Highway, North-South Expressway and the Senai-Desaru Highway. The Johor Bahru city centre is a mere 15-minute drive away while the upcoming Danga Bay is 20 minutes away. Within a 30-minute drive is Singapore. Puteri Harbour and Medini.

Pasir Gudang, which is home to the biggest industrial park in Johor, is 15km from the site. The superb connectivity is enhanced by the site’s proximity to the Senai International Airport and the Second Link. 

TAKING INTEGRATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Envisioned as truly integrated development, The Publiq boasts multiple strategic entrances and connectivity within the development. In addition, the joint venture has committed to widen the roads around The Publiq to make traffic flows smoother.

"We are able to position The Publiq as a fully integrated development as it incorporates work spaces, retail outlets, living spaces and an avenue for social interaction. It is a unique product offering in the Johor Bahru market," says Lim.

"Many developments claim to be integrated. The retail within our development will be well connected by multi-layered driveways, walkways and elevated bridges. That's true integration."

The Publiq also seeks to set itself apart from other malls by holding more community engagement events. This will be made possible by piazza near the hotel, serviced residences and a retail block.

It is worth noting that the development is coming up in Plentong, which lies in the east of Johor Bahru or the more developed part of the State. Plentong is home to the majority of Johor Bahru’s population.

In recent years, growth has been concentrated in the west, such as Medini and Nusajaya. The more established and well-populated Johor Bahru was not the focus. Yet, here is where the existing large catchment needs a different retail experience. However, some may say timing could be better as a number of factors are conspiring to make the real estate sector-especially in Johor-more challenging. The higher tolls and other charges associated with crossing the Causeway into Malaysia or Singapore have caused a decline in the number of Singaporeans,-who make up the majority of Johor’s tourist –coming to the State.

Meanwhile, the value of the ringgit is dropping and consumers are expected to tighten their belts. How will this development fare against such challenges?

"In good or bad times, people will continue to seek positive experiences, a better place to do business, a living environment that enriches… with space, convenience, comfort and social and cultural empowerment. There are no other developments in Johor that come close to what The Publiq will offer. We have the experience to deliver, as can be seen by the success of as similar project we did in Kuala Lumpr," says Tong.

Armed with these insights and strategies, it looks like The Publiq will give the Johor Bahru market the buzz it needs.

Call/Whatsapp +6012-376 1566 to register for preview & for more information on The Publiq. 

Who's behind The Publiq

The Publiq is a joint ventured by Daiman Development Bhd and Publiq Development Group Sdn Bhd.

Daiman Development, the owner of the land, is a Johor property stalwart that has over four decades of experience in the business. The company has developed a number of townships over the years, such as Taman Sri Tebrau, Taman Sri Skudai and Taman Sentosa. Its flagship development is the vibrant Taman Johor Jaya, a 1,388-acre freehold development in Plentong that was launched in 1982. The township’s extension, Taman Gaya, was launched a decade later. The group is helmed by its managing director Tay Thiam Song.

Meanwhile, Publiq Development Group (formerly known as Rainbow Crest Sdn Bhd) was founded by Dato' Allan Lim Kim Huat and Datuk Tong Kooi Ong.

The two were responsible for building Sunrise Bhd (now UEM Sunrise Bhd, post-merger in 2011) into a renowned property developer with a string of projects in Malaysia and abroad during their tenure from 2003 to 2011.

Accolades garnered by Sunrise under their leadership include a top three ranking for qualitative attributes under The Edge Malaysia’s Top 10 Property Developers’ Award from 2003 to 2011 and Fiabci Awards for the 28 Mont’Kiara and Publika residential and retail developments in Kuala Lumpur. Lim and Tong are also the founders of ABL Property Group Sdn Bhd and TKO Concepts Sdn Bhd respectively.

Meanwhile, the joint venture has appointed ABL Property Group and TKO Concepts to conceptualise the project. 

TO REGISTER FOR PREVIEW AND LATEST LAUNCH INFORMATION/PRICE: 
Call/Whatsapp: +6012-376 1566
email: thepubliq@gmail.com