Unity Centre is not trying to be the newest or the shiniest industrial building in Singapore. It was completed back in 1997, and if you have walked through it, you will know exactly what it is – a practical, no-nonsense strata factory built for businesses that actually need to get work done, not impress visitors with a fancy lobby.

The developer behind this project is Sin Soon Lee Development Pte Ltd, a name that keeps popping up when you look at the Bukit Batok industrial cluster. They are not a big residential condo developer, but they know industrial. In fact, they also developed The Elitist at 25 Bukit Batok Crescent, which sits on the exact same lease start date. So they were clearly one of the early players who shaped this whole stretch of Bukit Batok Crescent.

The tenure is a 60-year leasehold that started on 13 March 1997, which means as of today we are looking at roughly 31 years of remaining lease. For those who are new to industrial properties, this is quite typical for this generation of JTC-related strata factories released in the 90s. The lease is straightforward, with no complicated extensions, and most banks are still familiar with financing for this kind of tenure.

Inside the development, there are 265 individual factory units in total. That is a relatively large community for a single block, and it creates a very interesting mix of businesses. On any given day you can walk along the corridor and see a logistics company moving boxes, a renovation contractor storing materials, an aircon servicing firm, and even a small furniture showroom all operating side by side. This diversity keeps the building active throughout the day and not dead after 6pm.

Zoning wise, it falls under B1 light industrial, which essentially means it is meant for clean, non-polluting activities. In practical terms, this covers a huge range – warehousing and distribution, e-commerce fulfilment, light assembly and packing, repair and servicing workshops, showrooms, design studios, and of course ancillary office space. Most of the units here come with practical features that owners love, like generous floor-to-ceiling height, the ability to add a mezzanine for extra storage, and a layout that allows you to put your office in front and keep your operational area behind without awkward pillars getting in the way.

What is surprising is how well Unity Centre has aged. After almost 30 years, many older industrial buildings start to look tired or become difficult to maintain, but this one has held up because the original design was so simple and robust. There is no excessive glass or complicated facade to maintain, just solid concrete, functional cargo lifts, and wide corridors. That is why even now, SMEs still prefer it over some of the newer but far more expensive launches where you pay a premium just for the look.

Unity Centre Location

If you ask anyone who runs a factory, location always comes down to one thing – can my staff and my goods move easily? Unity Centre scores here.

The MRT is the first thing people ask about. Bukit Batok MRT is nearby. It’s not doorstep distance, but it’s one short feeder bus away. For your staff living in the east or north, they can get here on the North-South line without that painful last-mile walk that you get in some Tuas estates.

For driving, it’s even better. You’re right off Bukit Batok Crescent, which connects you straight to PIE. That means your lorry doesn’t need to go through ten traffic lights just to get to the expressway. For deliveries, especially if you do multiple trips a day, that saves you real time and diesel.

Then there’s the bus network. There are bus stops everywhere around here – along Bukit Batok Street 23, Toh Guan Road East, in front of Midview Building. So even if your workers don’t take the MRT, the bus drops them close. I’ve had clients tell me this is the reason they picked Unity Centre over Cheaper units in the west – because their workers actually stay longer when the commute isn’t terrible.

Unity Centre Nearby Amenities

A lot of people assume working in an industrial estate means you are stuck with no food and no services, but anyone who has actually worked around Unity Centre will tell you that is not the case at all here, and it makes a big difference to daily working life.

For your daily meals, you are spoilt for choice without even needing to drive. Within a two to three-minute walk, you have the canteen at Toh Guan Centre, the coffee shops at Enterprise Centre and Wcega Plaza, and a handful of smaller eateries tucked into the neighbouring buildings. You get the usual mix that Singaporeans love – economic rice, chicken rice, noodle stalls, Malay nasi padang, and kopi that costs less than what you pay in the malls. It’s the kind of convenience where you can just go downstairs, grab lunch, and be back at your desk in 20 minutes, which is perfect when you have a busy day of packing or client visits.

When you need more than just a quick lunch, the area really shines because IMM Outlet Mall and West Mall are just a short 5 to 10-minute drive away. This is where you get everything else – banks like UOB and OCBC, courier services, clinics, pharmacies, stationery shops, supermarkets like Giant and Don Donki, and plenty of air-conditioned restaurants if you need to host a client for a more proper meeting. You don’t have to make a special trip to town just to settle company errands or buy pantry supplies.

All of this creates a work environment that feels much more human and self-contained compared to the more remote industrial parks in Tuas or Pioneer where you literally have to drive out for everything. When your staff have easy access to decent food, shopping, and essential services right around them, they are generally happier and more productive. It also means as a boss, you don’t have to worry about your team wasting an hour just to find lunch. That balance of industrial functionality and everyday convenience is something Unity Centre has quietly offered for years.

End-User and Investor Future-Ready Asset

If you are buying to use the space yourself, Unity Centre makes a lot of practical sense, especially for SMEs that are tired of renting and want a place they can call their own and customize freely.

The unit sizes are very SME-friendly, ranging from compact units of around 1,100 to 1,500 square feet that are perfect for startups or small teams, to larger combined units of over 3,000 to 4,000 square feet for businesses that need more storage or operational area. Because it is zoned B1, the usage is extremely flexible – I have personally seen units here used as e-commerce warehouses for Shopee sellers, aircon servicing workshops, lighting showrooms, renovation contractors’ offices, IT server rooms, and even boutique fitness equipment stores. You can easily set up a front office to meet clients and keep the back area for your stock or production without needing to rent two separate places.

More importantly, because it is strata-titled, you can actually own your factory unit instead of paying rent forever. For many local business owners, this is a major milestone – it gives you stability because you no longer have to worry about your landlord raising rent every two years or asking you to move out. It also becomes a real asset on your company’s balance sheet, which can help with future business loans and adds long-term value that renting can never give you.

From an investors perspective Bukit Batok has always been one of the active and strong industrial sub-markets in Singapore. Unlike some areas that rely on one or two industries Bukit Batok gets advantages from its central-west position and its close distance to Jurong and the city center. With the growth of e-commerce last-mile delivery small engineering companies and small and medium enterprises searching for low-cost space the need for B1 units like the ones at Unity Centre has stayed steady. The time when these units are not occupied tends to be less than, in newer but pricier projects.

Finally, the fact that the lease now has about 31 years left is actually seen as an advantage for a certain group of investors. The entry price is now much more accessible compared to a brand new 60-year leasehold project that can easily cost $800 to $1,000 psf. Here, recent transactions have been around $500 psf, which means a smaller quantum and potentially better rental yield. Plus, the building is still very liquid – every month you see units being rented out or sold on PropertyGuru and CommercialGuru, which proves there is still a real market. For investors who want something that generates income now, doesn’t require huge capital, and is easy to exit later, Unity Centre remains a very down-to-earth, future-ready asset that just keeps working.

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Review of Unity Centre

Unity Centre For Sale / For Rent

Unity Centre at 51 Bukit Batok Crescent is a 1997 light industrial development by Sin Soon Lee Development, offering 265 B1 factory units on a 60-year leasehold from 1997, well-located near Bukit Batok MRT.

Product SKU: Unity Centre

Product Brand: Industrial Property

Product Currency: SGD

Product Price: 550.000 - 1.728.000

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
5