Ayala Land community sets new working and living standards in the heart of Manila

Wednesday, 18 February 2009 19:21

STUDENTS at the University Belt look forward to landing a job at the former San Lazaro racetrack in Manila, where a new community is rising. Activity in the area is expected to greatly increase with the completion in December 2008 of Vertex One, a 14-story building intended for companies in business-process outsourcing. Property giant Ayala Land Inc., in partnership with Manila Jockey Club Inc., will soon step up its redevelopment of the former San Lazaro Hippodrome with the opening of Vertex One, a sleek 14-story office building that is set to dramatically alter the landscape in that part of the City of Manila. The high-technology office tower dominates the horizon of the Sampaloc district alongside an enclave of residential towers and a townhouse complex being developed by Ayala Land subsidiaries. Set to open its doors to companies offering business-process outsourcing (BPO), Vertex One will be the workplace of a total estimated 7,000 employees operating on eight-hour shifts around-the-clock. The BPO complex is a project of Ayala Land Businesscapes, Ayala Land’s office building development arm. One ride away from the University of Santo Tomas and easily accessible to the University Belt, Vertex One is ready to accommodate the rich pool of manpower from among the student populations and residents of its surrounding neighborhoods. With the completion of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority infrastructure projects, including an P80-million flood-control program, accessibility of the San Lazaro area will greatly improve. Now hard-pressed to find more agents to man its call centers and other workplaces, BPOs and firms in related industries are expected to take advantage of Vertex One’s prime location. In fact, a major player in the offshoring and outsourcing sector has already committed to take up a number of floors in the building, according to Ma. Carmela Ignacio, assistant vice president of Ayala Land Businesscapes. The presence of business locators and thousands of employees in the area is expected to heighten commercial and other activities in this neighborhood in the heart of this bustling city. As restaurants, convenience stores and other service establishments within the Ayala Land project bring new life to the former racetrack, the surrounding residential towers by Alveo and Avida are likely to benefit as well. All these activities also upgrade the security and ambiance of the place. In addition, planners and managers of various Ayala Land subsidiaries and units will be on their feet anticipating the needs of all those who live and work there. “These needs include the right mix of retail stores and dining choices, green areas for rest and relaxation, transportation facilities, as well as opportunities for residents and employees to bond with one another,” notes Ignacio. “Our goal is to provide ideal and unique work environments, while setting new standards of living in this part of the metropolis.” To prime the process, Ayala Land Businesscapes is providing its office tenants a shuttle service from Vertex One to the Tayuman and Blumentritt light rail stations and back. Vertex One offers an efficient work environment. With as many as three shifts of workers coming and going throughout the day, the building has x-ray machines and electronic turnstiles which will facilitate access for all employees, record their entry and exit, and help manage the security in the premises, relays Mary Anne Santos, project development manager for Vertex One. An integrated building management system will also ensure that each area in the building will provide optimum work conditions, including a flexible air-conditioning system that senses body heat and can provide the appropriate volume of cool air for each section. Like other Ayala Land Businesscapes developments, green technology is being tapped for the entire office development through a gray water system. The system employs two water lines—one for water of potable quality and the other for recycled water to be used for such functions as flushing toilets and watering plants