A new childcare centre is set to open on July 1 at Wisteria Mall in Yishun, Singapore. The centre, managed by Artemis Preskool and endorsed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), marks a unique development as it is the first childcare facility under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) Community/Sports Facilities Scheme (CSFS) to be converted from car park space, according to a June 25 press release by Knight Frank Singapore.
Located on the second floor of Wisteria Mall, the childcare centre required extensive renovations to transform the car park area into a suitable space for early childhood education. The conversion involved creating new physical facilities to support the centre’s activities, installing a new lift for access to the facility, providing dedicated parking for customers, and ensuring safe access to an outdoor play area in a nearby HDB estate. The entire planning and construction process took over 14 months to complete.
Knight Frank was appointed to advise Schroders, the mall’s owner, on the protocols, terms, and conditions of the CSFS and ECDA licensing framework, as well as to validate the need for childcare services in the area.
Schroders, a global investment management company, acquired Wisteria Mall from BBR Holdings in 2022 for $208 million. The mall is part of a mixed-use development that includes the 216-unit condominium, The Wisteria, on a 99-year leasehold.
Knight Frank noted that Schroders identified the need for a childcare centre to serve the surrounding community early last year. Since Wisteria Mall had already been built to its maximum allowable gross floor area (GFA), the CSFS provided an opportunity to repurpose part of the remaining car park space into a childcare centre.
“We are thrilled to bring Singapore’s first CSFS childcare centre converted from car park space,” said Andrew Moore, Head of Real Estate for Asia Pacific at Schroders Capital. He added that the new centre will enhance the lifestyle services offered at Wisteria Mall and is part of Schroders’ ongoing efforts to rejuvenate the mall since acquiring the property.
CBRE was appointed as the project manager to oversee the construction and to handle submissions to relevant authorities to secure the necessary legal approvals, including URA’s approval for the change of use.
The CSFS allows for bonus GFA to be granted to developments for community and sports uses, subject to a cap of 10% of the maximum allowable GFA for the site or 21,528 square feet, whichever is lower.