Johor Bahru City Square (JBCS) will undergo a multi-year asset enhancement initiative (AEI) in phases starting November, aiming to add more than 50 new retailers by 4Q2027.
By 2Q2028, the management of JBCS aims to complete “hotel apartments” above the mall, without providing more details in a Nov 3 media release. “Beyond retail, the addition of hotel apartments will bring a new live-work-play dimension, creating an integrated lifestyle hub in Johor Bahru’s city centre.”
The upgrading works will introduce a “modern facade” and increase floor area by 4% to 568,927 sq ft, set to house over 300 retailers across fashion, wellness, lifestyle, tech and experiential leisure.
According to JBCS’s management, this will include a 15,000 sq ft “kids adventure park” and a 41,300 sq ft “health and wellness hub”.
An artist’s impression of the mall’s atrium after AEI works.
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JBCS will remain fully operational throughout the AEI, says management.
Johdaya Karya Sdn Bhd, the management of JBCS, says the improved mall will welcome local shoppers and a “surge” of Singaporean visitors with the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link opening in end-2026, carrying up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
Allgreen Properties, a member of the Kuok Group, re-acquired JBCS in mid-2024. Controlled by Robert Kuok, the group reportedly bought back the stake it had sold to GIC some 20 years ago, in a deal estimated to be worth RM850 million.
See also: Robert Kuok’s Allgreen bets on Johor-Singapore link as developers and REITs sell Singapore
Allgreen managing director Tho Leong Chye says: “Our transformation is not just about unveiling a striking new look — it’s about shaping a future-ready destination. JBCS has long been a beloved mall for both local shoppers and cross-border travellers. By combining refreshed spaces with a curated mix of new brands and experiences, we are investing in JBCS’s future to ensure it continues to thrive as the vibrant heart of retail, leisure and lifestyle for generations to come.”
Allgreen’s retail portfolio also includes Great World, Pasir Ris Mall, Tanglin Mall, Tanglin Place and The Seletar Mall.
Neither Allgreen nor Kuok Group are listed. Incorporated in 1986, Allgreen was listed on the Singapore Exchange in May 1999 and was then majority-owned by the Kuok Group. It was delisted in August 2011 following its compulsory acquisition by Brookvale Investments, which is part of the Kuok Group.
In February, Malaysia-listed Sunway Group announced it is developing a 4.23 acre site — the Bukit Chagar Integrated Mixed-Use Development — which will be fully integrated and linked with the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQ) Complex and Bukit Chagar RTS Station. The RTS station directly connects Johor Bahru and Woodlands North MRT Station in Singapore.
Construction of the Bukit Chagar Integrated Mixed-Use Development has begun with the first phase of the multi-storey park annd ride facility, with an estimated 850 car park bays and 1,015 motorcycle parking spaces, targeted for public opening by Nov 30, 2026.
The Bukit Chagar Mixed-Use Development will also have a retail mall and educational institutions, a health and wellness hub, a hospitality component, and residential units.
According to Gerard Soosay, CEO of Sunway’s Sunway City Iskandar Puteri (SCIP), the mall will have a floor area of about 400,000 sq ft.
