Bringing ‘joy’ in historic Silay

Sta. Lucia Land is putting in world class amenities and features that can provide a unique lifestyle for the future residents and locators at La Alegria.

Smitten by its rich cultural heritage and historic past, trusted developer Sta. Lucia Land Inc. is bringing its expertise to the City of Silay.

This so-called “Paris of Negros” has been a showcase of the Negrenses’ affinity for and knowledge of the arts. Famous for its collection of heritage mansions and listed by the Department of Tourism as one of the top tourist destinations, Silay is even considered as the seat of arts, culture, and ecotourism in Western Visayas.

“We, at Sta. Lucia, have been continuously creating communities that have improved the lives of many Filipinos for decades now and this time, we hope to bring our expertise in Silay City. We are aware of the Negrenses’ love for knowledge and appreciation for the arts and thus, what we aim to bring them is a development that would pay homage to the city’s rich heritage and culture,” said Sta. Lucia president Exequiel Robles.

To further enhance Silay’s already vibrant landscape, Sta. Lucia Land unveiled on Thursday its latest lake residential community called La Alegria. This 67-hectare masterplanned community is poised to become another landmark project that is expected to seamlessly fit the lifestyle of the Negrenses.

“There is a growing interest in Silay given the number of planned and ongoing infrastructure projects in the area such as the new airport and the proposed theme park. For our part, we are positive that through La Alegria, we are able to provide the market not only a wise, practical investment, but also one that would continue to appreciate in value overtime,” Robles explained.

The La Alegria will break ground on Sept. 8 and the development of the area—which will cover the road networks and utilities infrastructure—is seen to be completed within a year.

La Alegria is unique as it will feature the man-made Lake Aurora, a lighthouse, and the Paradise Island, among other amenities.

On offer are 1,101 residential lots with cuts ranging from 150 sqm to 300 sqm, and 83 commercial lots, whose sizes will range from 500 sqm to 1,000 sqm. Prices of lots start at around P4,000 to P5,000 per sqm.

“We’re still affordable and are keeping it at mid-price, which is very comparable to our competitors. But our land has more value because it’s on a prime location, and it’s unique in a way that it has more amenities and a lake,” said Orchard Property Marketing Corp. (OPMC) president Ed Tirona.

Tirona noted that they wanted to “mix history with modern day innovation” which is why they’re offering a fully equipped clubhouse with a covered basketball and badminton courts, a gym, and outdoor swimming pool, among others. La Alegria is unique as it will feature the man-made Lake Aurora, a lighthouse, and the Paradise Island, which will have its own swimming pool, gazebo, and picnic area.

“We see La Alegria as a potential landmark for Silay and having a modern destination like Lake Aurora in the area definitely makes more people want to come, increasing the land value. For past projects, land values have appreciated by at least 20 percent in the areas,” Tirona added.

Sta. Lucia has meanwhile partnered with a homegrown developer from Negros—Claudio Lopez Inc. (CLI)—which owns the land being developed as La Alegria.

“Sta Lucia is the first development here in Negros Island that uniquely has the idea of putting a lake within a subdivision. We believe it will capture the attention of potential homeowners and would magnify the beauty of Silay,” said CLI general manager Michael Valderrama.

“This is a huge development, and it will bring a lot of employment to the people in Negros, especially in Silay. As this is the first lake development in the province, the people of Silay are excited as they will benefit directly from this development. Since we have experience from our past projects, we already know what the local market needs and wants,” Valderrama added.

Robles noted that having this homegrown firm as their partner allowed them to create a project that could cater to the Negrenses, as this group knows exactly what is needed and wanted by the local market.

“And we will make sure to use this for the benefit of our buyers and investors. Things are looking up at Silay, given its booming economy and the growing interest of many businesses to locate in the area. Thus, we believe our entry came at a truly opportune time,” Robles concluded.