Gardenia Boulevard

by | Apr 26, 2020

Gardenia Boulevard Apartment is a midrange residential complex in Pasar Minggu district, South Jakarta. It consists of two towers (Anggrek and Bougenville) on 1,5 hectares of land, with a total capacity of 596 units.

It was developed by PT Surya Sentosa, a subsidiary of Cempaka Group which owns the Margonda Residences in Depok (from 1 to 5), Green Park View, and Green Lake View. All are budget properties.

I stayed a few days in Gardenia Boulevard and this is my honest review about it:

Location:

Neighborhood

In which neighborhood of Jakarta is the complex located?
Pasar Minggu is mostly a low-rise, residential neighborhood, with typical Indonesian businesses along the main roads. Most of its residents are middle-class Indonesians, but you have a fair number of richer people living in large houses or apartment. A few expatriates live there as well as it is considered a good-value location in South Jakarta compared to Kemang, Cilandak or Pondok Indah. It’s not very happening in any case.

How far is the complex from:
– Jakarta Airport: 80 minutes
– Grand Indonesia Mall: 55 minutes
– Kota Tua: 90 minutes
– Kemang: 15 minutes

How does it look like around the apartments?
As you can see below, you have a large road as you exit the complex. Nothing too interesting there as there are mostly empty plots of land, auto shops, and offices.

Entrance to Gardenia Boulevard

Neighborhood Gardenia Boulevard

Behind the property, there is a typical Jakarta kampung (traditional housing).

What are the important landmarks nearby?

Nearby, there are a few landmarks you can go to:

Malls:
Pejaten Village is the nearest one (10 minutes by foot). It has a Hypermart, a Matahari department store, a Gramedia, and an XXI cinema. It targets the middle class. The full list of tenants is available here.

Supermarkets:
There is a Daily Foodhall at the Ground Floor of Gardenia Boulevard. It isn’t too big and it’s quite expensive, but it is very practical as they have fruits, vegetables, meat and many imported products.

Daily Foodhall Supermarket Gardenia Boulevard Pejaten

Another option for your groceries is to go to the HyperMart in Pejaten Village. It is bigger and cheaper.

Restaurants:
Most of the restaurants in the neighborhood serve cheap Indonesian food or junk food. Most are located within Pejaten Mal. For more sophisticated options, you will have to go to Kemang, to Cipete or to Cilandak Town Square. In any case, you’ll need at least 10-15 minutes.

Bars:
You will have to go to Kemang.

Universities:
Not many nearby apart from a campus from Gunadarma Uni, and the LIPIA (a Saudi-funded school teaching Wahhabism to Indonesian students).

Schools:
ACG School (New Zealand), SMA Kolese Gonzaga (a Jesuit, elite school) and High Scope Indonesia.

Hospitals:
RSUD Pasar Minggu
Kemang Medical Care – For Women and Children
Rumah Sakit Jakarta Medical Center

Parks:
Ragunan, 10 minutes away

Offices:
Many offices on TB Simatupang road, just 5-10 minutes away

Transportation

What are the main roads or highways nearby?
The complex is within 5-10 minutes from TB Simatupang/Jakarta Outer Ring Road. This is a convenient highway going from Bekasi to South Tangerang, West Jakarta and the Airport.

What is the traffic situation near the apartment?
The traffic is reasonable for Jakarta standards, except during peak hours (8-10am and 4-7pm).

Is it easy for taxis/Uber/Grab to find the location?
Yes.

Is there a Transjakarta bus stop nearby?
Yes, Jati Padang station is walking distance. You can take the lines 6A and 6, going to Monas, Dukuh Atas and Ragunan. There are also cheaper buses there going to Blok M.

Is there a train station nearby?
The closest station is Pasar Minggu, 4 kilometers away. I don’t think you will use it.

How about the MRT?
No station is planned near the residence.

Are there sidewalks? Is it possible to walk around?
You can walk around a bit as new sidewalks have been built (for instance to go to Pejaten Village).

Building Quality

Building and Architecture

What is the reputation of the developer?
The developer, Cempaka Group, does not have a strong reputation. His other projects are budget properties with rather cheap standards (Margonda Residences). I also read on the internet several stories of tenants complaining about them. For instance:
http://regional.kontan.co.id/news/pembeli-apartemen-gardenia-menagih-penerbitan-ajb
https://tirto.id/puluhan-penghuni-apartemen-gardenia-demo-pihak-pengelola-cjiz

Who is the architect?
I don’t have this information.

Who is the contractor?
I don’t have this information.

What is the situation with the land certificate?
The developer has a Hak Guna Bangunan Murni, which means the property was built on its own land. As an apartment owner, you get a Strata Title di atas HGB Murni.

Are there issues with the electricity supply?
None to my knowledge.

Are their issues with parking?
None to my knowledge.

Design and Appearance

How does the building look like?

From outside:
For me, it looks like a budget property.The balconies and windows are small, and the AC units are visible. The only positive thing is that they used different colors to paint some walls, but still, it is not really modern or appealing.

Gardenia Boulevard Apartment

Gardenia Boulevard Pejaten

Gardenia Boulevard Design

Reception:
The reception is a bit old-fashioned, but it is clean. It gives a decent first impression thanks to its marble tiles, some plants, and elegant (yet aging) furniture.

Lobby Reception Gardenia Boulevard

Entrance:
Nothing special:

Entrance Gardenia Boulevard

Landscaping

They tried to do something original, but I find there is too much concrete and it lacks trees and plants.

Gardenia Boulevard Jakarta Pejaten

Corridors:
In good condition, painted and with colored tiles:

Corridor Gardenia Boulevard

How spacious are the apartments?
The apartments are small, even for a midrange property:

– 1-bedroom units with 1 bathroom start at 33m2
– 2-bedroom units with 1 bathroom start at 48m2
– 2-bedroom units with 2 bathrooms start at 70m2

Bathrooms are simple and they won’t be large enough to accommodate a bathtub.

Materials, Equipment, and Finishes

What is the quality of the materials, furniture, and equipment used in the construction?
Generally speaking, the quality is average:

Tiles: Small ceramic tiles, except in lobby (marble)
Painting: Outside painting already wearing off
Doors: Average
Ceiling: Simple false ceiling
Elevator: OTIS brand
Pool equipment: Wooden chairs and bench – Good
Furniture: Good but a bit old
Artwork: None

What is the quality of the finishes?
It was satisfactory.

Comfort

Facilities and Services

What are the facilities provided in the property?

– Swimming pool: One of the best parts of Gardenia Boulevard is the long, semi-Olympic swimming pool they have. If you are a swimming, you can really train there. Also, two smaller pool for kids are attached and there is a non-operational jacuzzi.

Pool Gardenia Boulevard

Pool Gardenia Boulevard Pejaten

Kid’s Pool Gardenia Boulevard

– Gym: I didn’t have the time to try it, unfortunately. From photos I saw online, it seemed basic.

– Behind the residence, there is also a tennis court, a badminton court, a mini-golf, a children playground, a basketball court, a jogging track, and a BBQ area.

What are the services available within the property?

– Within Gardenia Boulevard, there is a Daily FoodHall (for groceries, to buy prepared food, for coffee, for laundry). Also, there is a choice of ATM machines. For more services, you’ll need to go to Pejaten Village.

Atmosphere

How busy is the property?
I felt that is was quite crowded. There were always some people in the lobby or at the pool.

Is it noisy?
A little bit as you can hear the noise from the street and the noise from some mosques.

What is the background (ethnicity, social status) and attitude of residents?
Many Indonesians from the middle-class, but also quite a few expatriates.

Management

Maintenance

How old is the property?
It was completed in 2011.

Are there visible damages?
Yes. The quality of the maintenance in Gardenia Boulevard is average. The most urgent would be to repaint some areas where rust can be seen. I also noticed that some equipment was damaged.

Cleanliness

The cleanliness could be better. For instance:

Cleanliness Gardenia Boulevard

Security

– Guards on duty at the gates and reception: 24/7
– CCTV cameras: A few
– Access card: Yes, you need an access card to enter the residence.

Hospitality

The staff was friendly and professional.

Rooms and Prices

Prices at Gardenia Boulevard may vary depending on many factors such as the floor, the unit type, the room condition and the furnishings.

Be aware that you may also need to pay for additional fees: Service charge, parking fee, electricity and water bills, etc. Here are a few examples of prices and ratios for this property:

1-Bedroom Type (33m2) – Furnished:

  • Rental 1 Year: IDR 54M (or 4.5M per month)
  • Buy: IDR 600,000,000
  • Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 11.1 years
  • Average buying price/m2: IDR 18.2 million/m2

2-Bedroom Type (48m2) – Furnished:

  • Rental 1 Year: IDR 78M (or 6.5M per month)
  • Buy: IDR 1,000,000,000
  • Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 12.8 years
  • Average buying price/m2: IDR 20.8 million/m2

Which units are the best?
I would recommend choosing a pool view unit in Tower A as you would avoid the noise of the street and the noise from the mosque. Compared with tower B, it is also faster to go outside or to reach the Daily FoodHall.

Investment Potential

Is there a potential for a price increase in the future?

A normal price increase would be around 5% per year. Here are some of the factors that may affect this rate:

– Factors pushing the prices up:

  • Development of the business district in TB Simatupang.

– Factors pushing the prices down:

  • The developer doesn’t have a strong reputation
  • Empty plots of land are still available nearby, with a potential to build more large budget complex (thus intensifying the competition)
  • Average maintenance

Overall evaluation of the price: Would I buy here?
Prices in Gardenia Boulevard are quite interesting considering the location and the decent facilities (in particular, the swimming pool and the supermarket). However, I would not buy there if I didn’t get some long-term insurance that the developer will maintain the building properly.

Address

Green Palace
Kalibata City, Jalan Raya Kalibata No.1,
Rawajati, Pancoran, South Jakarta 12750, Indonesia

More Photos

My Ratings

I do my best to write honest and detailed reviews of the apartments I visit. If you disagree with my rating, please let me know why and leave your own rating at the end of this page.

Gardenia Boulevard
3 / 5 My Rating
{{ reviewsOverall }} / 5 Readers' Rating (0 votes)
What I Liked
- Near Pejaten Village Mall and TB Simatupang
- Long swimming pool
- It has a supermarket FoodHall in the Ground Floor
- Good value for money
What I Didn't Like
- Average maintenance
- The developer doesn't have a strong reputation
- Budget construction
Location
Quality
Comfort
Management
Value
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