One E-com Center unveiled

The groundbreaking ceremony for OneE-comCenter was recently held at the SM Central Business Park last March 8.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by SM Investments Corp.’s first executive VP Hans Sy, SM Investment vice chairman Henry Sy Jr., Pasay City Mayor Hon. Wenceslao Trinidad, representatives and children of Senator Ramon Revilla Sr. Strike Revilla, who is the director of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and Philippine Reclamation Authority head executive assistant Andrea Bautista, and CEO/general manager Silvestre Bello III, and SM Investments Corp.’s president Jess Lucas. This new project is right next door to the 381,000-square meter Mall of Asia which happens to be the biggest shopping mall of the SM Group and was considered as the centerpiece of the SM Central Business Park.

The E-comCenter, which is scheduled for completion by July 2007 is a 94,000 square meter OneE-com Center, a 10-story ecommerce building that was designed by international firm Arquitectonica and Architect Felix Lim. OneE-com Center will provide cutting edge facilities to meet the growing needs of technology-based companies and will be more than just a call center facility plus it will have a total of 67,900 square meters available for lease. More than that is that it offers the best of both worlds – the highly accessible location with an advanced telecommunications structure that is ideal for 24/7 operations and a refreshing work environment.

Owing to its strategic location is the One-EcomCenter’s ability to tap the grade A market and its being right across the SM corporate headquarters, which is already home to US-based Teletech. And like Teletech, tenants of this E-comCenter will also enjoy tax incentives with an application with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority and companies that will locate at OneE-comCenter will be entitled to investment perks such as a four or six-year income tax holiday and duty-free importation of equipment and raw materials.

Aside from this project, SMIC will also break ground on a 46,000-square meter exhibition and convention center by this month which is the MAITRADE Expo and Convention Center which will be the country’s first privately-run exhibition and convention center as it is expected to cost P900 million. It envisioned to become a favored venue for major conferences and trade exhibits, as well as for other international and local events.

Other developments being planned include corporate headquarters for one or two conglomerates, hotels, office, and residential clusters, a coliseum for sporting events and entertainment shows as well as a ferry terminal.

OneE-comCenter, Maitrade Expo and Convention Center, and the Mall of Asia are just a prelude to what the SM Central Business Park will become in the future. And it is expected that over the long term, the SM Central Business Park will emerge as the foremost and only central business district (CBD) in the country by the bay, integrating business park facilities with entertainment shows as well as a ferry terminal.

"The SM Central Business Park project is a long-term commitment for creating urban centers in the Manila Bay Area that will stand side by side with the notable waterfront business districts of Asia," says Sy adding that this is where people will converge and have a sense of community.