City&Country: My Diva Homes designed to be different

The CrystalVille Group of Companies will be developing a mix of landed residential and commercial projects in Cyberjaya over the next few years with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM980 million.

Chairman Datuk Azman Mahmood tells City & Country that the housing market in Cyberjaya is set to take off with the entry of more established developers.

He feels that real estate in Cyberjaya did not draw investors looking for high capital appreciation in the past because the area was often perceived as part of Putrajaya. Generally, government administrative centres do not attract much interest.

“But with the big boys such as Mah Sing, S P Setia and others coming to Cyberjaya, people are beginning to realise it is a hidden jewel. It is no longer in the shadow of Putrajaya and has woken up to its own strengths,” Azman observes.

He says Cyberjaya is a planned and structured township that tries to emulate the developments in countries such as Australia by providing sufficient infrastructure such as wide walkways and roads and nice landscaping.

CrystalVille’s first project in Cyberjaya will be My Diva Homes in Perdana Lakeview East, an exclusive enclave that is home to a number of corporate leaders. The development will be carried out by its unit Subang Alam Sdn Bhd, which developed Subang Alam in Section 27, Shah Alam.

The name “My Diva Homes” itself is a unique way of attracting potential buyers, says Azman, who is also Subang Alam’s corporate adviser. “The name represents something special and unique about the homes that will make their owners proud.”

My Diva Homes
Located on a 7.6-acre freehold site, the development, with a GDV of RM110 million, sits on one of the most prestigious parcels in Cyberjaya, against the backdrop of the iconic Seri Wawasan bridge in Putrajaya and the Cyberjaya Lake Gardens.

My Diva Homes comprises 52 semidetached homes and two bungalows. The semidees come in two designs — the 2-storey Ibiza, of which there will be 38 units, and the 2½-storey Tropez, of which there will be 14 units. The Ibiza, with a land size of 3,600 sq ft and built-up of 3,856 sq ft, is priced at RM1.98 million or RM514 psf. The Tropez has the same land area but a larger built-up of 4,367 sq ft and is priced at RM2.25 million or RM515 psf.

The bungalows will have the same built-up of 4,500 sq ft but different land areas of 6,790 and 7,930 sq ft. Their prices were unavailable at press time.

My Diva Homes will be launched in two phases, starting with the Ibiza semidees with a GDV of RM76 million, says Azman. Construction has begun and completion is scheduled for January 2013.

The soft launch of the first phase of the Ibiza semidees on March 26 saw a take-up rate of 35%. The official launch is slated for June 18.

The second phase, consisting of the Tropez semidees, is expected to be in October or November 2011.

Azman says the design of My Diva Homes is based on an open concept, where there are not many walls.

“We don’t want to build a home with walls or fittings which people later remove … it’s a waste of money. The kitchen and the dining hall are open. If the owners want to put up a wall later, they can do so.

“The open concept also allows more ventilation. In a tropical climate like ours, the more rooms there are, the more air that is trapped,” he explains. The units will face north to avoid direct sunlight and reduce the need for air-conditioning. Other green features include garbage separation and energy-saving appliances.

The project is of low density with only seven units per acre in a lush tropical environment. Security will be a priority, with double-guarded entry and exit points.

The homes will be equipped with a smart-home alarm system and CCTV and hot water storage tanks for all the bathrooms but the maid’s. They are also equipped with air-conditioning piping, a covered drainage system and underground cabling.

As the new developments in Cyberjaya offer various concepts such as smart homes and eco-homes, Subang Alam will capitalise on the scenic Cyberjaya Lake Gardens and its surroundings. The lake is only about 300m from My Diva Homes.

“We work from nine to five at the office, get stressed out and want something peaceful when we get home. The scenic lake and its surroundings will help owners destress. It’s very peaceful,” says Azman.
To fully capitalise on the views, the homes will enjoy a 240° view of the surroundings.

Another plus point is that the development is located within the mature neighbourhood of the 100-acre Perdana Lake East.

Nearby are primary, secondary and private schools as well as colleges and universities. Other amenities include the Alamanda mall in Putrajaya, the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, the Street Mall in Cyberjaya, Palm Garden Golf Course and Hotel and The Century Square and Cyberjaya Community Recreation Club and Sports Arena.

There is easy access to My Diva Homes via the Maju Expressway, North South Central Link (ELITE) and SILK.

Says Azman: “The Putrajaya ERL (Express Rail Link) station is a mere minutes away and the KL city centre is only 25 minutes away [by ERL].”

The buyers the developer is targeting are upgraders and those who prefer a place that is quiet yet has easy accessibility to the city.

Vita and Opus
Another development by the group in Cyberjaya is the Vita near the Street Mall and bus terminal. Expected to be launched by August, the project has an estimated GDV of RM700 million.

The 13-acre freehold commercial development, to be spread over three phases, will feature a courtyard plaza, a green deck and an elevated street. Vita is expected to be fully completed by 2016.

The first phase, covering 6.2 acres and with an estimated GDV of RM250 million, consists of a 25-storey SoHo tower offering 300 units and a four-level car park.

Built-ups for the SoHo units range from 450 to 600 sq ft while the indicative price is RM500 psf.
There will also be a retail area comprising 3 and 4-storey shopoffices, a 185,000 sq ft basement car park and a 300,000 sq ft podium.

Azman says the commercial development offers a unique feature in the form of an elevated street — a ramp that offers customers direct access to the upper floor units.

“Malaysians do not want to park their cars too far away and walk to the shops. If possible, they want to park inside the shop,” he laughs. “What we have done is, even if the shop is on the top floor, people can still bring their cars up and park in front of the shop.”

This, he says, will give the ground and first floor units an equal advantage when it comes to customers.
The second and third phases of Vita, covering 2.7 and 4.1 acres respectively, are to be launched by end-2012 and end-2014. Their development plans have yet to be finalised.

CrystalVille also owns a nine-acre freehold plot adjoining My Diva Homes in Perdana Lakeview East on which it plans to build 3 and 4-storey villas as well as 4-storey duplexes with an estimated GDV of RM170 million.

The development, tentatively called Opus, comprises 55 units of 3-storey villas, 22 units of 4-storey villas and 102 units of 4-storey duplexes, each with its own lift.

The development will also have a 2-storey clubhouse.

The first phase, comprising 24 units of 3-storey villas, 11 units of 4-storey villas and 40 units of 4-storey duplexes, is expected to be launched in May next year and the second phase by January 2013.

“We are now finalising the floor plans for each design,” says Azman. The 3-storey villas are designed with a built-up of 2,828 sq ft and a 250 sq ft garden while the 4-storey villas will have a built-up of 3,822 sq ft and a 181 sq ft garden.

The built-up of the upper unit of the duplexes is 2,049 sq ft while that of the lower unit is 1,309 sq ft. The average indicative price for the Opus development is RM450 psf.

According to Azman, the group is looking for new parcels of at least three acres in the Klang Valley. “Right now [we are] looking at Ara Damansara. We are eyeing three acres of land for commercial use and are in the midst of discussions,” he says, adding that the group will not be looking for more land in Cyberjaya for the time being.

“Our shareholders believe that our exposure in Cyberjaya should be limited to these three projects. We don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket.”

The company, he adds, prefers to be a niche developer focusing on building small but a quick turnaround.

The group’s maiden developments were shopoffices in Desa Sri Hartamas and Plaza CrystalVille I and II, completed in 2002 and 2004 respectively. CrystalVille also developed the Plaza PrismaVille shopoffices in Desa Sri Hartamas, which were completed in September 2002.

Its Subang Alam project is of low density with only 158 semidees and bungalows on 20 acres of freehold land in Section 27, Shah Alam.

The group also recently completed Plaza CrystalVille@ Setapak — a leasehold project with a GDV of RM110 million on 6.4 acres — in Kuala Lumpur,  which it hopes enjoys the same success as Plaza CrystalVille in Desa Sri Hartamas.

This article appeared in City & Country, the property pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 862, June 13-19, 2011