Empire City Thu Thiem apartment is a riverside mixed-use complex developed by Keppel Land, Gaw Capital Partners, Tien Phuoc and Tran Thai on the Saigon River in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area. Its three residential towers — Linden, Tilia and Cove Residences — are completed and fully handed over, while the flagship 88-storey Empire 88 Tower remains a planned future component. Apartment.vn lists verified units for rent and sale at Empire City’s completed residential towers.
Looking for an Empire City Thu Thiem apartment for rent or sale?
Call Apartment.vn at 0968 339 379 or visit Saigon Pearl, 92 Nguyen Huu Canh Street, Thanh My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
Empire City Thu Thiem Project Overview
| Address | Mai Chi Tho Street, Thu Thiem New Urban Area, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City |
| Developer | Keppel Land, Gaw Capital Partners, Tien Phuoc, Tran Thai |
| Total area | 14.5 ha |
| Completed towers | Linden Residences, Tilia Residences, Cove Residences |
| Planned component | Empire 88 Tower (333 m, not yet under construction as of 2026) |
| Construction started | 2017 |
| Status | Residential towers completed and handed over |
| Ownership | Freehold (Vietnamese buyers), 50-year renewable term (foreign buyers) |
Why Choose Empire City Thu Thiem
Empire City’s completed towers offer direct Saigon River frontage inside the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, combining a resort-like waterfront setting with proximity to Thu Thiem’s emerging business district and a short crossing to District 1.
- Direct Saigon River waterfront position, unusual among Thu Thiem developments.
- Linden, Tilia and Cove Residences are fully completed and occupied.
- Part of Thu Thiem’s strongest rent-growth submarket in 2026.
- Long-term potential upside if the planned Empire 88 Tower eventually proceeds.
Location and Connectivity
Empire City sits on Mai Chi Tho Street in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, directly on the Saigon River and within the city’s designated central business district expansion zone:
- 14 minutes to Notre Dame Cathedral and Reunification Palace
- 12 minutes to Saigon Centre
- 11 minutes to Ben Thanh Market and Bitexco Financial Tower
- 15 minutes to Australian International School
- 15 minutes to IPS International School
- Around 30–39 minutes to Tan Son Nhat and Long Thanh airports respectively
Neighborhood and Lifestyle
Empire City’s completed residential towers have reached full lease-up, contributing to Thu Thiem’s roughly 9.1% year-over-year rent growth in the first half of 2026. Residents are a mix of professionals working in Thu Thiem’s growing office market and District 1, alongside investors who bought early and now rent out units to this same tenant pool.
Pricing and Availability
Because Empire City’s residential towers are part of the same broader Thu Thiem submarket as The Metropole, pricing and rents follow similar patterns, with Thu Thiem overall posting the strongest rent growth of any Ho Chi Minh City submarket in the first half of 2026 at around 9.1% year-over-year. Exact per-square-metre pricing at Empire City varies by tower, floor and river-facing outlook, and Apartment.vn confirms current figures directly with owners before quoting a price.
| Metric | 2026 Reference |
|---|---|
| Thu Thiem submarket rent growth (H1 2026 YoY) | ~9.1% |
| Completed towers | Linden, Tilia, Cove Residences (fully leased/occupied) |
| Empire 88 Tower | Planned, height 333 m, construction not yet started as of 2026 |
Because Linden, Tilia and Cove Residences reached full lease-up recently, available units for both rent and resale can move quickly. Apartment.vn maintains a shortlist of current availability across all three towers.
Amenities and Facilities
- Direct Saigon River frontage and waterfront promenade
- Swimming pools and fitness centres across the completed towers
- Landscaped grounds and riverside walkways
- 24/7 security and covered parking
- Planned retail, hotel and international financial centre component (Empire 88 Tower, future phase)
- Proximity to Thu Thiem’s emerging business and retail district
Each of the three completed towers has its own pool and fitness facilities, and the riverside promenade running along the waterfront gives residents a genuine walking and jogging route that many other Thu Thiem developments still lack while their surrounding infrastructure is completed.
Who Empire City Thu Thiem Suits Best
Empire City’s completed towers suit tenants and buyers who want direct river views and proximity to Thu Thiem’s business district today, plus investors comfortable holding through the uncertainty around when, or whether, the Empire 88 Tower component will ultimately proceed.
Buying or Renting at Empire City Thu Thiem Through Apartment.vn
As the completed towers are fully handed over, transactions are resale and existing-tenant rentals rather than developer off-plan sales. Apartment.vn verifies ownership and current occupancy status before publishing any listing, and can advise on which tower and stack offers the strongest river view versus a courtyard or city-facing outlook:
- Share your budget, preferred tower (Linden, Tilia or Cove Residences) and unit size.
- We shortlist verified units currently available, with real photos and confirmed pricing.
- Viewings are arranged directly with the current owner, tenant or their agent.
- For purchases, we check Pink Book status and any outstanding fees before you commit a deposit.
- For rentals, we review the lease term, deposit and included furniture before you sign.
What Happened to the Empire 88 Tower?
Empire City’s original masterplan included an 88-storey tower — Empire 88 Tower — intended to become one of Vietnam’s tallest buildings at 333 metres, combining an international financial centre, a 5-star hotel, luxury apartments and retail space. As of 2026, construction on this component has not yet begun. In January 2025, a city task force announced that obstacles delaying the project were being resolved, with the developer committing to proceed with the remaining components, including the 88-storey tower, once those issues are cleared. Buyers interested specifically in the Empire 88 Tower component should treat it as a longer-term, still-uncertain timeline rather than an imminent launch, and focus on the already-completed Linden, Tilia and Cove Residences for anything needing near-term availability.
Investment Outlook
The completed towers at Empire City benefit from Thu Thiem’s strong 2026 rent growth and full occupancy, making them a reasonably solid rental-yield play today. The Empire 88 Tower component adds a speculative, longer-horizon upside if construction eventually proceeds, but investors should not factor its completion into near-term return expectations given the project’s history of delays. Treat any purchase decision at Empire City today as a bet on the completed riverside towers and the wider Thu Thiem submarket, not on the eventual delivery of the flagship tower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Empire City Thu Thiem completed?
The three residential towers — Linden Residences, Tilia Residences and Cove Residences — are completed and handed over. The flagship Empire 88 Tower has not yet begun construction as of 2026.
What is the Empire 88 Tower?
Empire 88 Tower is a planned 333-metre, 88-storey tower combining an international financial centre, hotel, luxury apartments and retail. Construction had not started as of 2026, though a 2025 city task force announced progress on resolving delays.
Can I rent or buy an apartment at Empire City today?
Yes. Linden, Tilia and Cove Residences are fully completed and available through resale and rental listings, independent of the still-pending Empire 88 Tower component.
Can foreigners buy an apartment at Empire City?
Yes, subject to the building’s foreign ownership quota, with a renewable 50-year ownership term for foreign buyers and freehold title for Vietnamese buyers.
How is the Thu Thiem rental market performing in 2026?
Thu Thiem recorded the strongest rent growth of any Ho Chi Minh City submarket in the first half of 2026, at around 9.1% year-over-year, with Empire City and The Metropole reaching full lease-up.
How do I view an apartment at Empire City?
Call Apartment.vn at 0968 339 379 with your budget and preferred tower, and we will arrange a viewing with a verified listing within days.
Should I wait for the Empire 88 Tower before buying at Empire City?
Not necessarily. Linden, Tilia and Cove Residences already offer completed, occupied riverside units today. The Empire 88 Tower’s timeline remains uncertain, so buyers wanting certainty should focus on the already-completed towers rather than waiting.
Empire City’s finished towers already deliver a strong Thu Thiem riverside address today, while the Empire 88 Tower remains a watch-and-see component for longer-term investors. Whichever angle brings you to Empire City — a river-view home now, or a longer-term bet on the wider masterplan — Apartment.vn can walk you through exactly what is finished, occupied and available today.
Ready to view an Empire City Thu Thiem apartment? Call Apartment.vn at 0968 339 379 or visit us at Saigon Pearl, 92 Nguyen Huu Canh Street, Ho Chi Minh City. See also our Apartments for Rent in Vietnam and Apartments for Sale in Vietnam pages.