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Mixed-use developments are not a new concept, but some projects continue to redefine the term in local real estate
Mixed-use developments are disrupting the urban landscape. These pedestrian-friendly developments combine two or more uses, including residential, commercial, and even institutional, cultural, and industrial uses.
Such examples include vertical and horizontal mixed-use development properties, as well as mixed-use walkable areas. Vertical mixed-use development offers public and private uses combined within one building, while horizontal often consists of single-use buildings in a walkable area within the project. The mixed-use walkable areas combine the best of both worlds, blending both vertical and horizontal developments.
Why is this type of community so popular? There are many reasons, but mainly this is because it is highly convenient for both its residents as well as the property managers. Mixed-use developments blend the best of several types of real-estate, allowing easier management, improved support, and better processes. In addition, residents (both owners and renters) have access to basically almost everything they need within walking distance. Especially in a country with severe transportation problems still being addressed, walkability within a community or an easy drive to necessary places like schools and hospitals are a major selling point.
4 Most Widely Recognized Mixed-Use Developments in Luzon
The Philippine economy is improving. The Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2022 Supplement says that in 2022, the country’s economy will grow to at least 6.5 percent. With both local and foreign investors contributing to this statistic, it’s really no surprise how certain parts of the country have high demand for affordable and convenient housing. In fact, nine of the top 10 cities in the Philippines with the most viewed real estate listings belong to the region of Luzon. Here are the top three mixed-use developments on the island:
Ayala Land, Inc. – Nuvali
Ayala Land’s Nuvali is the overall winner of the Best Mixed-Use Developer for Luzon during Lamudi’s The Outlook event held in 2017. With its humble beginnings as a former sugar plantation in the early 1900s, this Ayala Land project is one of the leading development projects in the south.
Nuvali is famous for its three-fold vision: diversity, harmony, and sustainability. Truly picturesque, this development is a 2,290-hectare area situated within the cities of Cabuyao, Calamba, and Sta. Rosa in Laguna.
A beacon of commercial and residential advancement in the south, this attractive location appeals to both city folk and outdoor junkies alike. There are amazing residential communities within, including the 85-hectare upscale housing project Cerilo, worth Php 11.3 billion. As the eighth residential area within Nuvali, it further cemented the development as one of the prime sites for Filipino families to create and establish their lives.
Additionally, it is either close to or already contains some of the best business communities, including the Nuvali One Evotech – a LEED silver approved facility. In addition, there are some top hospitality spots and recreational areas in this sustainable, green city.
Costa del Hamilo Inc. – Hamilo Coast
Costa del Hamilo Inc.’s Hamilo Coast bagged the Best Mixed-Use Development in Luzon during Lamudi’s The Outlook 2019 event. This master-planned, sustainable, seaside residential community is located in Nasugbu, Batangas. It sits on 5,900 hectares of land bounded by the waters of the West Philippine Sea and mountain ranges. This development encompasses three major mountain peaks and 13 coves, three of which are considered Marine Protected Areas. Hamilo Coast partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF – Philippines) to ensure that the natural resources in and around this mixed-use development are protected and preserved.
Hamilo Coast features the Hamilo Coast/Pico de Loro Cove, Carola and Miranda condominiums, Pico de Loro Beach Club, Pico de Loro Country Club, Pico Sands Hotel, and Freia luxury beachfront condominium.
Megaworld Corp. – McKinley Hill
Megaworld’s many developments abound all over the metro. However, its biggest township development McKinley Hill is a nominee for Lamudi’s 2017 Best Mixed-Use Developer award of 2017.
As a mixed-use development, the area was created with the live-work-play-learn principle in mind. When people hear the name “McKinley Hill,” they almost always automatically associate it with a high-end lifestyle. The nearly 50 hectares of land within Fort Bonifacio in Taguig has astounding shopping areas as well as an impressive professional hub that investors local and abroad keep flocking to for the past few years.
The growing McKinley community features 36 high-end residential towers as well as an exclusive village, catching the eye of some of the most elite investors from the country and from elsewhere around the world. Its office towers, foreign embassies, international schools, and shopping complexes are attractive and boast of a fun lifestyle. The area’s PEZA-certified cyber park also embraces many companies, especially those in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. Some of the biggest names in the McKinley Hill include 3M, Thomson Reuters, Colgate-Palmolive, and Hewlett-Packard, to name a few, further establishing its IT park as one of the leading names in the country.
SM Prime – SM Mall of Asia Complex
SM is no stranger to bold moves, creating some of the biggest and best malls in the Philippines. Unsurprisingly, their SM Prime mixed-use development in the Mall of Asia (MOA) Complex is yet another nominee for Lamudi’s Best Mixed-Use Developer award of 2017.
Located just beside the sea, SM Prime and the MOA Complex resides on 1,727,000 square meters of land overlooking the world-famous Manila bay. Truly a sight to behold, the huge complex mixes residential and non-residential buildings, creating a massive community that still feels like home. In addition, their commitment to safety and disaster risk reduction makes SM Prime Holdings one of the best in the country today. They feature a seawall foundation to protect the area from the sea’s harsh waves, a drainage channel to ensure there is no flooding, and several land-strengthening measures to protect the reclaimed land from any possible dangers. They are proof that when a company cares for its residents and patrons, people will take notice, and eventually contribute to their success.
Within the complex is the SM Mall of Asia, the fourth largest mall in the country; the MOA Arena, a world-renowned venue for sports and entertainment; several multi-tower condominium developments Sea Residences, Shell Residences, and Shore Residences; and business buildings One-Ecom, Two-Ecom, and Five-Ecom. You can also find the IKEA Pasay City Philippines store here, offering ready-to-assemble furniture, housewares, and food items such as Swedish meatballs. All of these are within a stone’s throw from each other, making the complex an ideal live-work-play place to live.
