By Zu Anjalika Kamis Gunnulfsen
James Ong, Snr Vice President Sales, Leasing & Marketing – Tuan Sing Holdings
~ A perfect place to live your dreams. Welcome to Opus Bay ~
Fab! Luxe spoke with James Ong, the Snr Vice-President Sales, Leasing & Marketing for Tuan Sing Holdings
Opus Bay is the first ever township in Batam. Tell us about this exciting project, James.
Opus Bay is the first fully integrated township in Batam and within Indonesia, providing the gateway for anyone who seeks to indulge in luxurious and affordable waterfront living, the perfect place to live their dreams.
Sprawled across 125 hectares, Opus Bay boasts a dedicated ferry terminal, the Waterfront Ferry Terminal, offering convenient accessibility via its 40-minute direct connection from Singapore for guests, visitors and residents. The upgraded ferry terminal will enhance the waterfront views and scenic residential lifestyle at Opus Bay. It also offers luxurious residential seaside properties and a selection of world-class amenities, offering a once in a lifetime opportunity for ultimate resort style living. The first phase of the development will include several retail, F&B, and luxury concepts. On the retail front, residents and visitors will enjoy a first-of-its-kind, outdoor retail experience within Opus Bay. This shopping galleria will include hundreds of international brands that will be brought in by various retail vendors, including Indonesian big box retailer Mitra Adi Perkasa (MAP).
I’ve read about and seen the villas and the apartments in pictures and cannot imagine how this whole project will look when it is fully ready. Who are the architects and designers behind Opus Bay?
The architects and designers behind Opus Bay are absolutely phenomenal – Tuan Sing is working with world-class architect studios and firms to develop Opus Bay as one of the best integrated developments in Indonesia. KPF, RT+Q, ONG&ONG, Lead8 and Park + Associates are some notable partners behind the Opus Bay developments.
We have chosen these companies as we are confident of their capabilities and their strong track record in helping us achieve our ambitious vision to develop Opus Bay as the ultimate place for luxurious and affordable waterfront living.
How long has this been in the planning – right from the start when it was just an idea – the inception till now?
Tuan Sing Holdings saw the opportunity to develop Opus Bay to unlock the potential of the western side of Batam. Just a 40-minute ferry ride away from Singapore, Batam is easily accessible to locals. It also serves as a corridor to Indonesia and is the third busiest entry port to the Republic, after Jakarta and Bali. Batam’s proximity to Singapore, coupled by the Indonesian government’s heavy investment to improve the connectivity of the island, ensures that it will remain an attractive destination for both locals and Indonesians over the long term. As a free trade zone, Batam is exempt from some custom rules and taxes, serving as an ideal investment for property seekers and foreign investors.
As the developer of Opus Bay, Tuan Sing’s principal vision is to build an integrated community where one can live, work, play and learn. At the same time, we see an opportunity to unlock the potential of the undiscovered side of Batam and transform the destination into a global hotspot for tourists and investors alike.
Future developments for Opus Bay will include education and medical facilities such as international schools, to develop the township into a renowned education and medical hub. The township will also feature hotels and numerous tourist attractions, all within proximity of the ferry terminal, in the next few phases. Our goal is to develop Opus Bay as the best integrated development not only in Batam, but in Indonesia.
When will Opus Bay be fully ready, James?
Construction works are already underway, and the first phase is expected to be completed within the next three to five years. The first phase of the development consists of our residential collection which comprises 1,500 apartments and 300 villas. They include the Cluny Villas, a gated community of charming resort-style luxury villas, and the Balmoral Tower which comprises high-rise residential apartments with seafront views.
Who is Opus Bay made for – your ideal buyers, investors, tenants?
Our ideal buyer, investor and tenant would be someone that seeks to indulge in luxurious and affordable waterfront living and wishes to escape the hustle and bustle of the mainland, whilst investing in a high-quality property that will yield capital appreciation in an up-and-coming tourist destination.
What is the price range of the properties, James?
Prices start at S$80K for apartments and S$330K for the villas. The apartments include studios, and one- to three-bedroom apartments designed by Singapore architects RT+Q. These residences are in close proximity to all the amenities as well as the Club House.
Our exclusive gated community of 300 private villas comprise three to six-bedroom units exquisitely designed by Singapore architects Ong&Ong. The design is inspired by luxury holiday resorts and each villa will feature a private swimming pool surrounded by lush greenery.
We have often heard of non-Indonesian citizens being barred from buying properties there. How does this rule work for Opus Bay and foreign investors?
The Indonesian government is expected to relax property rules soon to make it easier for foreigners to own homes in the country. Foreigners currently are allowed to buy apartments, but not landed homes in Indonesia, and they will get an 80-year-tenure for these units. For Opus Bay, we will enter a convertible lease agreement with the foreign buyer that can be transferred to full titled ownership at a later stage, when the new laws may take effect or when the purchaser decides to sell his/her property in the future.
For Fab! Luxe readers who are keen to know more about Opus Bay, where can they go to?
To find out more about Opus Bay, you may visit us at :
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/opusbayofficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opusbayofficial/
