Ayala Greenfield Estates: Coming home to nature

Picture this: A mountain hovering behind you and a lake gurgling in front of you. And forest reserves as your backyard. Here, there are no high-rise or mid-rise buildings to block your view or remind you of the corporate jungle that is Makati. Yes, there is such a place and it’s not far from Makati, too. It’s called Ayala Greenfield Estates, but you can call it utopia if you like.

"I never thought something like this existed so close to Metro Manila," gushes certified urban denizen Tom Mirasol, AVP and head of Land & Houses, Ayala Land Premier. "When you look down, you can see Alabang, Makati, and Ortigas across Laguna Bay. On the other side, you can see the ridge of Tagaytay and come around 6 p.m., the sun setting on Tagaytay Ridge is reflected on Laguna Bay, and during certain times of the year, between November and January, you sit and watch the fog set in from your living room."

What weary city soul, who’s had enough of Manila’s pollution, wouldn’t kill for this kind of scenery?

"It’s like the whole development is built on the foothills, slopes of Mt. Makiling in Calamba, Laguna," says Tom. "There are a lot of green fields, a lot of interesting terrain, a lot of trees; a big portion of Greenfield is undeveloped land. Even getting into the village is an experience. Drive to the end of Calamba Expressway, turn right, heading towards Lipa and Sto. Tomas, Batangas. Five or six minutes down the road, you come to the first gate of Ayala Greenfield Estates. When you go in, you drive down a private road amid wild fields. It’s almost like a canyon. There’s no subdivision I’m aware of with such a grand driveway."

And there’s probably no community where residents can claim to own their own private mountain.

Tom can’t stop gushing, "It’s great! It’s really special for someone like me who grew up in the city. It has a climate almost like Tagaytay because it’s quite high."

Pol Tanco, project development manager for Ayala Greenfield Estates, couldn’t agree more.

"In 1999, we started developing the roads," he relates. "The development was very far from the main road; we had to build about five kilometers of road and two large bridges just going to the site."

"Pol was there from day one," says Tom. "He was part of the team who came across this property as they walked to the highest point of Calamba."

There are no words to describe the view. "Breathtaking" is an understatement.

Tom Mirasol gives us more breathtaking details in this STAR interview:

When and how was Ayala Greenfield conceptualized? What was the big idea behind it? How did you envision it to be back then?

Tom Mirasol: Alabang sold out and we were looking for an ideal site. We looked at many properties and came across this fantastic property – Greenfield. Such great views! Great size! We always wanted a property like this – mountain behind, lake in front; we knew it had to be special.

We noticed that when you built the residential community, you worked around the existing land structure. Was this a calculated plan? And what would you say is this plan’s effect on Ayala Greenfield’s character?

Yes, this was the intent. When we came across the property, we were completely taken by its natural beauty. After that we knew we had the preserve this environment.

Working with the landscape has several direct advantages:

• Less visible development work.

• Less environmental impact.

There are follow-on benefits, which residents enjoy:

• The pleasure/delight that comes only from a natural environment.

• Preserving existing trees and wildlife.

• Mature trees make it cooler year-round.

• Birds take care of unwanted insects.

The result is a community that lives with nature rather than suppresses it. Nature is a part of the design. It’s not just a backdrop to look at, it’s not just the views or cool climate – it’s a part of the community, it is inside. It’s felt, smelled, heard, and touched.

It’s a place for people who want to do more than stay at home – when they are at home.

Do you feel that people are really moving towards the south? When did you realize this and what are your action plans to capture this market?

The movement of upscale families southward is a long-seen phenomenon. We saw it in Makati 50 years ago. We saw it in Alabang 20 years ago. We continue to see it now in our projects like Ayala Greenfield.

The South is very progressive – there has been a lot of investment there over the last 20 years. Today, we see that the government continues to invest in infrastructure here – first SLEX, then the skyway and STAR, and now the SLEX is being upgraded (widened and extended).

We’ve seen malls (Alabang Town Center, among them), hospitals, and business investments – the South has many light industrial parks. There’s a lot of potential here, because halfway up SLEX from the South is Alabang – a business center in its own right – and at the near end of SLEX is Makati, which is very conducive to living.

Was Ayala Greenfield a product of answering a need by your market, the full-nesters?

Ayala Greenfield is designed to appeal to particular segments of Ayala Land Premier customers. What they all have in common are two things: An appreciation/desire for a natural environment, and the expectation for the highest standards.

For those who decide to live there right away, many of them are full-nesters, meaning that they are a family with older children or young adults. For them, it provides a superior living environment, which you don’t get in the city. Part of it comes from the natural features, the other part is the most complete lineup of recreational facilities of any community we’ve ever developed.

For young families, typically those who opt to build later, Ayala Greenfield is a great investment in the future value of the property – for value preservation and appreciation.

Is Ayala Greenfield Estates more of a primary home for most families or a vacation home? Why is this so? How are balikbayans as possible buyers?

Ayala Greenfield is largely a primary home community – with country-club amenities. This is the way it was designed. It was designed to be a place that’s convenient to get to – and convenient to get back to the city. Ayala Greenfield is a short drive from Alabang – and the trip will be even shorter once the SLEX rehab is completed.

We do get some interest from overseas-based Filipinos who have made well in their careers and are looking for a special place here. They like the nature setting and the laid-back ambiance. They especially enjoy all of the amenities – the exclusive golf club is a major draw.

How is the project different from Ayala Westgrove Heights and other projects south of Metro Manila?

As a natural environment, Ayala Greenfield is very different from other subdivisions – it is located at the edge of the Makiling forest reserve. The altitude and terrain are its most unique features – and these are what gives it the great views (you can see Makati and Ortigas in the distance) and cool climate.

Another distinction is the concentration of amenities in this community – just about every familiar sport is provided for here, including golf.

Would you say that you have realized your vision already, seeing what Ayala Greenfield Estates has become?

Clearly, we are very happy with the way it has turned out. It’s a place that our customers love – and that remains our vision.

How did this partnership between Ayala Land and the Unilab/ Greenfield Corp. of the Campos group come about?

Greenfield of the Campos family originally owned the land. Ayala Land was invited to co-develop the land under a joint-venture arrangement.

Pol Tanco tells us the highs of "highland" living at the Ayala Greenfield Estates. Excerpts:

What did you have in mind when you came up with Ayala Greenfield’s amenities? What facilities and amenities are now in place and what’s coming up in the future?

Pol Tanco: The amenities at Ayala Greenfield provide a variety of recreational activities geared towards active leisure and relaxation. The amenities also complement the natural setting of the place – the cool and fresh air, the fantastic views of Laguna de Bay and the Tagaytay Ridge with its rolling terrain and high elevation, and the lush greeneries being located right beside the majestic Mt. Makiling. For us, there is no better way to relax and unwind than communing with nature.

A 15-hectare Nature Park was developed where families can do picnics, camping, fishing, kite flying, biking or a simple stroll on the trails to better appreciate nature. Within this 15-hectare Nature Park is the Village Clubhouse, where there’s a social hall for events and functions; a swimming pool; covered courts for basketball, tennis, and badminton; fitness gym; game room; and a coffee shop. It also has lockers and shower facilities as well as massage rooms and steam bath facilities.

We will also soon start with the development of the Riparian Grove at the Nature Park. The Riparian Grove will provide more camping grounds and hiking trails in a true forest setting because the area is full of mature and large trees. There will also be an amphitheater, rest stations, and view decks under the canopy shade of forest trees. The Riparian Grove should be ready for use by the 1st quarter of next year.

And, of course, the jewel of all the amenities is the championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., which is part of the Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club. More than 200 lot owners have already activated their membership in the Club and are using the golf course facility regularly. The restaurant Verandah at the golf clubhouse is particularly popular because, aside from the good food, it is overlooking the finishing holes (holes 9 and 18) of the golf course. The Club will eventually have its separate swimming pool, sports facilities (badminton and billiards), and a Spa and Wellness Center so that the entire family, golfers and non-golfers alike, will have something to enjoy whenever they are at the Club. We are phasing the development of the additional amenities, but everything should be completed in three to five years.

How much of an attraction is the Robert Trent Jones II-designed golf course? What sets it apart from other golf courses in the area? Would you say it’s one of the best in the country?

From the feedback we received from the activated members, the golf course is superb. The layout and the maintenance are highly rated. The golf course was only completed last year and yet the Club has been hosting big tournaments already. The golf course was even considered to host the last Philippine Open, which is the premier golf tournament in the Philippines, and one of the stops in the Asian Tour.

Right now, we are focusing on the service quality of the club. We would like the service level to be the differentiating element of the club. The experience not only during the golf game but also upon arrival, at the locker room, at the restaurant, up to departure should always be comfortable and enjoyable. We are not yet at the desired level, but we are aiming to become the best in this area in the short term.

What did Robert Trent Jones Jr., world-class golf course designer committed to creating spaces for the spirit, hope to achieve when he built the golf course?

Robert Trent Jones Jr. is known in the golf industry as the "father of environmental golf course design" because the golf courses he designs creates harmony with the natural surroundings. The Ayala Greenfield golf course is no exception as the holes are laid out around slopes and cliffs. Gullies and waterways become both visual interest and the physical challenge of the game. The result is a golf course with a balanced challenge and playability and yet preserves the inherent beauty of the environment.

How big is the entire Ayala Greenfield? How many phases are there and what is an average lot size? What sets each phase apart from the other?

Ayala Greenfield covers around 350 hectares, including the 60-hectare golf course. It has developed five phases already. Phase 5 (the Woodland Trails) was launched only last Sept. 3. Standard sizes of the lots range from 400 to 500 s.qm.

Each phase has a different character and features. But we would normally take advantage of the rolling terrain and high elevation to maximize the views. Because the different phases have different orientations, the views can differ in each of the phase.

From your talks with the residents, what do they like best about living at Ayala Greenfield Estates?

It’s always the natural setting. If you are used to living in Metro Manila, Ayala Greenfield is a different world because of its fresh air and lush greeneries. It has the advantage of being located right beside Mt. Makiling, which is a forest reserve and will somehow be preserved for a long time. The variety of recreational amenities and activities supplements this natural setting.

Would you say that the new phase, Woodland Trails, is a much-awaited one?

The previous phase, The Terraces 2 with 65 lots, was launched in March 2006 and was sold out after three months from launch. The Woodland Trails is very much anticipated by the market, and it is expected that we can sell this out very quickly like The Terraces.

How did you go about designing this new phase? What did you consider when you created this new concept? Is there a new approach to it in terms of buyer’s perception?

The Woodland Trails is a new phase in Ayala Greenfield Estates, where you can find nature at its grandest, as we call it. This is because the Woodland Trails is located right beside the 15-hectare Nature Park and is ringed by forest parks at its perimeter. Again, taking advantage of its sloping terrain and high elevation, the Woodland Trails overlooks the Nature Park and also offers a grand view of the Tagaytay Ridge, a portion of Laguna de Bay, and even the cityscape of Metro Manila. Where other subdivisions would allocate 70 percent as saleable area, the Woodland Trails only has 50 percent saleable efficiency because a large portion of this phase is allocated for forest parks. Also, instead of regular sidewalks, the major roads of the Woodland Trails have expansive trails for walking and hiking, and can also accommodate golf carts. These trails will also be lined with trees.

What is the Woodland Trails’ average lot price and size?

Lot sizes range between 400 and 500 s.qm. and the price is between P5 million and P6 million per lot.

How many lots did you open? How many more lots are up for sale and what is the time frame?

The initial batch is only 43 lots, but these lots are the most prime because of their high elevation and good views. Out of the 43 lots made available for sale, about half were immediately sold on the first day of the launch, or equivalent to 40 percent take-up. The next batch of lots will be made available sometime in the 4th quarter of 2006, as soon as the block development and road tracings are completed in this portion of the phase.