MANILA, Philippines - Filinvest Corporate City (FCC), the 244-hectare premier CBD and urban center south of Metro Manila, is set to roll out new developments for 2012, including a grillery strip, a three-storey lifestyle center, a four-tower commercial center with a five-star hotel, and the expansion of its flagship shopping complex.
In the 1970s, Alabang was essentially a bedroom community, with little commercial or industrial activity. Filinvest changed all this in the mid ‘90s when it took this under-utilized prime property and planned an urban center in the South.
“Filinvest has masterplanned the FCC as a complete urban center with a synergistic atmosphere for business, its residents and workforce, taking into consideration traffic management, landscape design, and harmony with nature,” states Danny Antonio, managing director of Filinvest Alabang, Inc. “With the growth of real estate in the South, and road networks and infrastructure in place, it’s time for Filinvest to move on to the next phase of development.”
Home to 24/7 business processing outsourcing firms such as HSBC, Convergys, Genpact, eTelecare, APAC and Verizon, Filinvest’s Northgate Cyberzone is fast gaining recognition as the preferred BPO hub in Southern Metro Manila.
“To cater to the needs of this growing business community, Filinvest has launched complementary developments such as the Studio 1 & 2 condos and the F@stbytes retail and dining center within walking distance of the office buildings in Northgate Cyberzone,” Antonio states.
By May 2012, Filinvest is set to launch The Grills at South Station, a new hangout for the late night crowd. A grillery strip with varied nightly entertainment, The Grills offers a safe, convenient and affordable dining and entertainment spot for the office crowd.
Westgate Center, FCC’s 9.2 hectare open-air lifestyle center, is expanding in June 2012 with the Westgate Hub, an innovative three-storey lifestyle center that features specialty shops for food, hobbies, fashion, and home.
“Westgate Center has that mainstream ambience that challenges the confines of the mall setting,” Antonio notes. “Alfresco dining, specialty shops, health and wellness services – Westgate offers the convenience of drive up retail in a modern streetscape away from the hustle and bustle of the metro.”
Entrata Commercial Center stands at the main gateway of FCC. “Entrata is a master-planned urban complex that integrates a SOHO (Small Office - Home Office) condominium, commercial center in a sprawling one-block development,” Antonio reveals.
Entrata is slated for soft opening in June 2012 with the five star Crimson Hotel Alabang, with 385 rooms – standard, deluxe and a presidential suite, as well as serviced apartments for long-stay guests. The second hotel under the Crimson brand in the Philippines, following the successful opening of Crimson Resort & Spa in Mactan, Cebu, Crimson Hotel Alabang is managed and operated by FilArchipelago Hospitality, Inc., a joint venture of Filinvest Development Corp. and Archipelago International Pte. Ltd., a hospitality management group registered in Singapore.
At the heart of FCC, Festival Supermall gears up for a major expansion that will add eight hectares of gross floor area will be added to the almost 30-hectare shopping complex in an expansion project to begin in 2012.
The first themed mall in the country, Festival Supermall currently offers over 700 choices in shops and food outlets, as well as 10 cinemas, amusement facilities for the whole family, and 2,300 multi-level parking slots. With mall occupancy up to 90 percent and average foot traffic of 100,000 a day, coming from as far South as Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and beyond, Festival Supermall is moving into the next phase of its masterplan.
“Now that consumer lifestyle has evolved, we are expanding the shopping center to an indoor-outdoor experience that capitalizes on the assets of a natural creek that weaves its way into the site,” explains Antonio “Retail and food establishments will blend into park areas and water gardens, providing a unique experience for all ages, something that will mark Festival Supermall as a family shopping and entertainment mecca.”
Benchmark for urban centers
More than just real estate, Filinvest has transformed life in the South over the past four decades, elevating property values and raising the bar for world-class developments in the metro.
FCC defines what a true master planned urban center should be, with unparalleled location, green building, safe streets, and optimum efficiency designed to support the complete build-out of the city.
“FCC sets a new benchmark in urban center development, with a balanced mix of developments that sets your lifestyle essentials within walking distance or only a short drive away,” Antonio pronounces. “With progress continuing to move southward, FCC is where the action is, right at the heart of the country’s new center for business and leisure.”