Vista Land to build 2-tower condo on Laurel mansion lot

Villar-led property developer Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. is building a two-tower condominium at the fringes of the storied Laurel mansion along Shaw Blvd., the first tower of which will bring to the residential market about P1.6 billion worth of inventory.

In a briefing on Saturday, Vista Land chair Manuel Villar said the original Laurel mansion had been preserved and was occasionally being used for internally hosted receptions. The old mansion, which also houses a small Nacionalista Party gallery, can accommodate about 300 guests.

Vista Land broke ground for the high-rise project last Aug. 29. The new development had been designed in such a way that it would not block the old Laurel mansion.

Vista Land’s high-rise development in Shaw is a 38-storey two-tower project that sits on 6,386-square meters of prime real estate. The first tower has 685 units with an average footprint of 30 sqm each and are expected to be turned over to homebuyers by 2018. The units are pre-selling at an average of P110,000/sqm.

The first tower is now 55 percent sold and Villar expressed confidence that old units would be sold out before the end of the year.

Each of the residential tower will occupy no more than 1,000 square meters of the Shaw property, keeping intact the old mansion. Former president Jose P. Laurel built the house on No. 515 Shaw Blvd. after he stepped down as president, wishing to live in a house near the Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club where he was wounded in an assassination attempt while playing golf in 1943.

A few minutes drive to Ortigas, Makati and Bonifacio Global City, Vista Shaw is seen catering to the needs of upwardly mobile individuals. The units offer an exquisite view of the wide, verdant greens of the Wack-Wack Golf Course.

Vista Shaw features contemporary design and exclusive sky amenities that include a kiddie and adult pool, function rooms and game lounges. The project is close to shopping destinations (Greenhills Shopping Center, Robinsons Galleria, Shangri-La Plaza, Megamall), hospitals (Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Pasig Medical Center, Medical City), and schools (La Salle Greenhills, Don Bosco College, Xavier School, Poveda College, University of Asia and the Pacific).

Elizabeth Kalaw, Vista Residences division head, said: “In our vertical developments, we make it a point that every unit exudes a warm, homey feeling through the design and the functionality units as well as in the amenity areas,” Kalaw said.

Vista Shaw is under Vista Residences, the high-rise property development arm of Vista Land. Its portfolio has 16 condominium developments either underway or ready for occupancy. Doris C. Dumlao