Over 300 shops, adventure park and apartment hotel: Johor Bahru City Square to be revamped by 2027

Singaporeans who love going on shopping sprees and grocery runs in Johor Bahru are definitely no strangers to Johor Bahru City Square (JBCS), the mall directly linked to the Johor Bahru checkpoint. 

And soon, shoppers will have more to look forward to as the shopping mall owned by Allgreen Group will be undergoing a revamp starting this month as part of a multi-phase landmark Asset Enhancement Initiative, JBCS announced in a press release on Monday (Nov 3). 

The transformation is slated to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2027, after Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System's (RTS Link) launch, which is expected to be in end-2026. 

And for those who are worried about their weekend JB runs until then, fret not as the mall will remain operational throughout the transformation period. 

What to expect

According to JBCS, the revamp will include a refreshed ambience and layout featuring a modern facade and intuitive retail design, as well as more space and choices as the mall will be expanded from the current 547,076 sq ft to 568,927 sq ft. 

It will also house more anchor tenants and more than 300 retailers across fashion, wellness, lifestyle, tech and experiential leisure organised on themed floors including Fashion and Athleisure, Home and Hobbies and International Fashion and Cosmetics. 

New food precincts offering both international cuisine and local favourites will also be available. 

Beyond retail

In addition to retail shops, the mall will see new additions such as the 15,000 sq ft kids adventure park, a 41,300 sq ft health and wellness hub dedicated to holistic living as well as large-scale event spaces. 

Integrated hotel apartments located above the mall will also be completed in the second quarter of 2028. 

Tho Leong Chye, managing director of Allgreen Group, which owns JBCS, said in a statement: "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' future to ensure it continues to thrive as the vibrant heart of retail, leisure and lifestyle for generations to come." 

Travellers from Singapore have topped the list of most frequent foreign visitors entering Johor, making up more than 11 million out of 14 million foreign arrivals recorded in the first half of 2025. 

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carol.ong@asiaone.com