Araneta Center ramps up redevelopment

The Araneta Center continues its long-term redevelopment program with another mall project that, like its first Gateway Mall, promises to change the country’s retail landscape.

Antonio Mardo, Araneta Center’s senior vice president for operations, said the Gateway Mall 2 would “redefine” the mall experience.

“It will be very unique. It’s the first of its kind in the Philippines,” he told the Inquirer on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremonies held recently at the Araneta Center in Quezon City.

The new mall will have seven levels above ground, including the roof deck where a chapel will be located, and the country’s first Ibis Styles hotel.

There will be nine digital ultra-modern cinemas, a spacious food hall with a floor area of 3,560 square meters, and an organic vegetable garden beside it which will offer diners the “farm-to-table” experience.

The team took about two years planning for Gateway Mall 2, which is set to open its doors in 2020, in time for the Araneta Coliseum’s 60th anniversary.

Architect Julie Castro, who was involved in the development of the first Gateway Mall, was also on board for Gateway Mall 2 as a management consultant.

“We want to offer something that is not offered by other malls,” Castro told the Inquirer, also during the groundbreaking.

She described its aesthetics as “modern,” and “as elegant as the first Gateway Mall, but offers colors to the young.”

The use of aluminum cladding and glass, and a little green glass, will make the look more cohesive with the existing landscape of the lifestyle complex.

The new mall will have 126,000 square meters of leasable floor space for retail, dining and leisure.

Two activity areas are planned, one on the ground floor and another on the second level.

Artist’s renditions of Gateway Mall 2, which promises to “redefine” the mall experience.

Through the new mall, people coming from the MRT station no longer have to go down to get to the Araneta Coliseum. There will also be a direct access to the Ibis Styles hotel.

“For the chapel, the inspiration is the papal hat. It will be the icon of Gateway Mall 2,” Castro said.

The chapel, which can accommodate up to 500 people, will be fully air-conditioned and will feature floor-to-ceiling skylight accents.

And to adhere to the global trend of sustainable engineering projects, the Gateway Mall 2 will comply with basic Leed requirements.

But the mall development will not stop at the Gateway Mall 2, Castro said.

“We will also renovate Gateway Mall 1,” she added.

Mardo said a lot of food and beverage brands and well-known retail labels have expressed interest in Gateway Mall 2, and some of them have already signed up.

He also said the new mall would complement the first Gateway Mall.

“It’s quite small, and we need more space to accommodate retail and F&B brands,” Castro explained.

And with the first Gateway Mall’s string of accolades, Castro is confident the Gateway Mall 2 will also earn international awards and recognition.

The development is a P5-billion investment that is incorporated in the massive Araneta Center facelift that is projected to be completed in the next 20 years.