Macpherson is located between Aljunied and Paya Lebar, District 13 MacPherson is one of five sub-zones centred on URA’s planning boundaries in the Geylang planning district. MacPherson is slowly rejuvenated with new F&B and lifestyle options as well as HDB renovation, largely overshadowed by Paya Lebar.
New to the neighbourhood is Block 36 Circuit Road’s Wishes Café. The ice-cream parlour has been growing in popularity among students and young adults living nearby since its opening four months ago. The café also offers 12 flavours of freshly churned ice cream, including buttermilk waffles, truffle egg mayo croissants, and mala wings on its menu.
Wishes Café stands out among a range of supply shops and clinics with its sakura-themed interior. Prior to that, the shop unit was a stationery store. Wishes Café’s owners took over the shop space when their relative wanted to wind up and retire from the stationery business. Even on weekdays, the store attracts a large crowd.
Down the road, residents of MacPherson would be familiar with the 79/79A Circuit Lane Food Centre. About 10 vegetarian food stalls are available at the food centre for residents to choose from this link. Other common foods include Hamidah Bi’s Briyani, Soon Lee Lor Mee and Fried Kway Teow’s Circuit Street.
Pasta King is selling authentic Italian food at reasonable prices over at 81 MacPherson Avenue. The small restaurant, run by an Italian family, uses fresh ingredients from Italy. Located in a shophouse on two levels, next to a park and playground, the restaurant is perfect for young families to dine in.
A Kallang River tributary called the Pelton Canal passes through the MacPherson estate diagonally elsewhere. Kallang Park Connector is connected to Balam Park Connector by the 2.52 km Pelton Canal Park Connector. This enables residents of MacPherson to enjoy a scenic cycle or jog around the Upper Boon Keng, Paya Lebar Way, and Circuit Road residential areas.
Kallang Park Connector through the Pelton Canal Park Connector provides access to Kallang Riverside Park and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park for those with endurance, running or biking along with the 7.87 km park connector.
The Home United FC Youth Football Academy is at 8 Mattar Road for those who love a round of football. Owned and run by Home United Football Club, the academy was set up in Singapore to promote and raise sports standards. The property has 10 pitches of futsal and two pitches of full size.
Two MRT stations, Mattar on the Downtown Line, and MacPherson Interchange on the Circle and Downtown Lines serve the MacPherson housing estate.
Young families will also benefit from several schools in the area, such as Canossa Catholic School, which was recently renamed. Previously an all-girls school, this year the school was taking in its first batch of boys. The primary school is located on Sallim Road and is part of a campus which includes Canossaville Preschool and Canossian School.
Other nearby schools include primary and secondary schools in Geylang Methodist, Cedar Primary School, Kong Hwa School and Maha Bodhi School.
St Margaret’s Primary School (SMPS) will also move to a holding school that housed the former primary school of MacPherson, pending planned renovation of its existing building. It is reported that SMPS will be moving to MacPherson between 2020 and 2021. The Nexus International school will be turning operational in the new location just a stone’s throw away from Macpherson. This will definitely bring about vibrancy to the location.
As some residential blocks contain larger units, some home buyers are drawn to the MacPherson housing estate. Block 53 Pipit Street, for instance, comprises 124 executive three-room units of approximately 1,571 sq ft each. According to HDB data, four transactions in the last six months ranged from $590,000 to $728,000. From the four sales, the average price is $414.68 psf. The block was completed in October 1986, leasing it for 66 years.
The adjacent block at 54 Pipit Road consists of 222 four-room units each of approximately 1,010 sq ft, built in 1985. The latest transaction was for a fifth-floor 1,011 sq ft unit, changing hands for $460,000).
Macpherson is undergoing subtle changes quietly with not much of fanfare ongoing. It will take a bit of research to understand what is going on in this location. Macpherson has never been the top choice when it comes to property selection as well. This may change as moving forward, we can expect major changes happening to this part of Singapore.
