Ayala Land to invest P80-billion for Arca South

By: Theresa S. Samaniego - 11 years ago

MANILA, Philippines – A new central business district is set to redefine the landscape of the southern metropolis, as the creative minds behind prime property developed Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) had set its vision in what used to be the country’s bagsakan. What was once the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) complex in Taguig City, will soon be transformed into a highly networked business and lifestyle district.

“We start another chapter in ALI’s history with an initial P80 billion investment program across all our product lines, old and new. This time, you will witness the transformation of rusted old warehouses into a new central business district called Arca South,” said ALI Vice President and Strategic Landbank Management Group head Meean Dy.

Scale, Location and Access

Set to rise within the 74-hectare area of FTI, Arca South will offer an integrated, mixed-use and efficiently built business, retail, recreational and residential districts. Like ALI’s previous developments, Arca South, upon completion, is seen to increase the land value in the area and is envisioned to be a well-connected central business district that will have direct access to other CBDs.

“At 74 hectares in size, Arca South is roughly the size of the Makati CBD and Bonifacio Global City Center. This is the kind of scale required to create a new center for Metro Manila with a variety of living, business and recreational options,” she added.

It was estimated that some 60,000 residents and 400,000 office workers will find a home at Arca South. The estate will be equipped with 24/7 operations center for efficient traffic and road management as well as real-time alerts and emergency response system.

According to ALI, Arca South will capitalize on two important infrastructure projects of the government. The first will be the Southeast International Transportation System (ITS) to be located on a 5.5-ha parcel reserved by the government beside Arca South. Second is the Skyway/C5-C6 connector road project. This connector road project will have separate ramps connecting to both the Southeast ITS and the Arca South development. This means that Arca South will be one exit away from Makati via the Skyway, about 5-10 minutes away from the CBD, Dy said.

Simultaneous developments

Dy further disclosed that the initial phase of the Arca South development will have the three ALI brands, including Ayala Land Premiere, Alveo, and Avida; nine office buildings, a 200-room Seda hotel; a 250-bed QualiMed hospital; and a number of lifestyle centers, retail spaces, entertainment hubs as well as dining destinations.

“For phase 1 alone, which is the first five years of the development, ALI will launch a total of 870,000 sqm of gross floor area with a roughly 50-50 split between residential-commercial uses. Then, three of our residential brands will be present here and we will launch a total of almost 4,000 units starting off with Ayala Land Premier’s Arbor Lanes,” Dy explained. Arbor Lanes will be Arca South’s first elegant address, a sprawling garden community comprised of five blocks of 13-15 storey condominiums, arranged in a North South building orientation to maximize breezeways and minimize exposure to the afternoon sun. Some 60% of the property has been allocated for landscape and open spaces. The first block will have 208 units with an average size of 108 square meters which will feature garden spaces or balconies. Unit prices are upwards of P10.6 million.

Arca South will likewise have its version of Bonifacio High Street with 30m-60m wide green space flanked by retail shops on both sides. And like ALI’s previous developments, about 40 percent of the total area of Arca South will be dedicated to open space. Dy added that the office and hotel spaces will be built on top of retail and will enjoy prime garden views. All residential developments will be connected by a pleasant walk to the park – so while residents enjoy privacy, they remain very connected to the retail centers. Moreover, an integrated basement parking network is also being planned in to encourage vehicular traffic below grade, leaving the at-grade for the pedestrians.

“We will have multiple retail formats – from a transit-oriented mall to serve the commuters of the ITS to a regional mall which offers a complete retail experience, to a lifestyle mall offering a wide array of upscale fashion stores, specialty retail and select dining establishments, integrated by a lush, landscape area,” Dy further shared.

ALI has meanwhile partnered with the Mercado group for the 250-bed QualiMed Quaternary Hospital, or a hospital capable of the highest level of specialized treatment. This facility is set to serve as the main treatment hub for the people in the South of the city as well as surrounding provinces.

“What we will be doing in Arca South is no different from what we did in Makati or in BGC. We sold some lots to parties who eventually will help prime the development. But we took the responsibility in putting in the elements required for a city-residential, retail, office, hotel, and a hospital,” Dy explained.

“The only difference in Arca South is that we are doing it all at the same time instead of one by one. This is how strongly we are pushing for this vision and how much of a commitment we are putting in to see it through. Starting with the important elements of scale, location, and access and armed with an P80 billion investment plan in the next five years, we are once again about to embark on a transformation,” Dy concluded. For more details on Arca South, log on to www.arcasouth.ph.