Seaside Sanctuary

Written by Roderick L. Abad

Thursday, 27 November 2008 19:18

Bay areas were once fisherfolk settlements. But today, almost anywhere in the world, they are sites of prime real-estate developments, whether commercial or residential. Coastlines are very few and considered one of the rarest properties. The uniqueness of their location, where the water meets land, has its own special appeal. Coastal communities of today are well- planned to become accessible to trade and resources and, at the same time, conducive for everyone to catch the fresh sea breeze and enjoy a front-seat view of the sea. “The kind of environment that they have, the kind of atmosphere they create, and the kind of ambiance they generate—all create that mystique of two elements of nature merging,” Excore Inc. president and chief executive officer Celedonio Pile Jr. told the BusinessMirror in an interview. “In a very romantic way, that makes the bay areas very significant and valuable pieces of property.” While, locally, coastal developments have already started with several beach projects in leisure areas like Batangas, the trend toward Metro Manila waterside development is still new. And in this side of progressive and highly urbanized part of the country, seaside properties are fundamentally isolated to Roxas Boulevard, precisely because of its strategic setting that is accessible to many key locations—the airport, Makati and Manila central business districts, government agencies, schools, retail establishments and even religious sites, to name a few. Given its ideal location, no wonder it is now the home to a reinvented Cultural Center of the Philippines, convention centers, shopping malls, al-fresco dining areas, as well as themed parks. And soon to form part of the Filipino bay lifestyle is a multimillion-peso project that will transform the coastline into a modern commercial and entertainment district called Bay City and the prime shoreline space devoted to residential communities. “The blossoming of Roxas Boulevard side of development indeed presents a very different and unique Manila signature type of progress. That even brings a uniquely Manila experience for potential buyers of condos from abroad,” Pile said. Leading this new Manila Bay lifestyle is Mandara Waterfront Residences, a low-density condominium subdivision project being developed by Landmark Communities Inc., a subsidiary of Excore Inc., on a 1.42-hectare property in Asiaworld City in Parañaque City. This seaside project that is fronting the Parañaque channel boasts of an exquisite view of the world-renowned Manila Bay sunset. “While there are now condominiums near the sea or can view the sea, I don’t think none would have a backyard literally by the sea as ours,” noted Pile. “With them, there should be at least a kilometer walk needed.” Mandara Waterfront Residences is well- planned to be accessible to all areas with a maximized view of the bay, and designed with good aesthetics and a unified architectural theme that enforces the Asian spirit. With limited number of condominium units being offered, this waterside community project offers exclusivity to anyone who seeks to escape the congested environment of the city. “Mandara is in the center of a very active area, yet it’s not too near the noise and frenzy of the outside world,” said Ma. Charina Garcia, Excore Inc. executive vice president and chief operating officer. “This is good for the unit owners to have enough exclusivity and isolation so as to enjoy peace and quiet.” While Mandara could actually have built several towers and large establishments, it deliberately chose not to create a high-density development. “That’s the good thing about Mandara. We chose to build 216 units only on a 1.42-hectare property that on the average could house 3,000 units. This is because we wanted to position it uniquely—that it is an exclusive private condo development with the correct exclusivity ambiance,” reiterated Pile. “In a sense, we actually set the limit ourselves as to what should be the development there. It’s absolutely controlling the density of the area so that we put in the right character of the location.” A very prime and rare property by the shoreline, Mandara’s seaside development concept also gives it good value. Noting the law of supply and demand, Pile said that “before the value goes down, the premise is it’s the primest that really depreciates the least because of its limited inventory. Therefore, you still command a good price. That is the real essence of coastal living real estate. The rarity of inventory preserves the value. It’s better than mountainside developments; better than inner-city commercial locations.” Of the 12 buildings consisting the project, Amara, being the premier type, offers the best and nearest view of the bay right at its three-story six buildings. Behind it is Bahia, with four buildings of four floors, while Radha stands tall yet modest, with dual 12-story structures. Exuding sophistication, style and focus on detail that the minimalist Asian-contemporary theme is known for, Mandara Waterfront Residences is definitely a piece of paradise right here in the city. This will be evident in the stone and simple wood detailing laced throughout the building exteriors, landscapes and common areas of the project. The motif is expanded to other facilities and amenities, including a clubhouse, themed pools and several parks and playgrounds. Enhancing the concept is the careful maximization of the view of the bay and, of course, the sunset. Trees and landscaped gardens boost the sense of calm that is soothing to the mind, body and soul. And with enormous investments in an eco-friendly sewage-treatment plant and other waste-management systems, residents are also guaranteed to enjoy living in an unspoiled environment. Conveniently located near the country’s seats of power, culture and commerce—the Philippine Senate, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and the gargantuan Mall of Asia—Mandara is readily accessible while providing the leisure and space of living by the bay. “Being along the coastal area within an urban area, Mandara doubles as an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday city living. It is indeed a community that nurtures a balanced life for the Filipino who deserves it,” Garcia said. “And with Mandara as your little place of serenity, this serves as our maiden voyage into the high-end Metro Manila condo markets. This is our thrust to thrive toward coastal development, which currently is here and will continue to be the ‘in-thing’ in the next three to five years. That’s how I see the coastal-living trend to be,” concluded Pile.