Sta. Lucia Land to continue focus on horizontal housing

Written by Rizal Raoul Reyes / Correspondent

Saturday, 08 May 2010 19:01

SANTA Lucia Land Inc. (SLLI) will be more focused on horizontal-housing projects as it remains the main source of its growth, according to a major official of the company. “SLLI projects will be focused on horizontal developments, which have been the core business of the Sta. Lucia Group for the past 30 years or so. Horizontal development shall comprise 70 percent of our gross output, while 30 percent will be on vertical development and other businesses,” said SLLI corporate marketing director Michelle Robles in an e-mail interview with the BusinessMirror. Robles also said SLLI will be very active in the provincial areas because of the scarcity of land in Metro Manila. Robles said SLLI is going to be aggressive in the medium-scale category because there is a continuing demand for such products primarily fueled by the spending of expatriate Filipinos who are looking for investments for their financial portfolio. “Our projects will be focused on demands that are created in various parts of the country due to the business and population growth therein,” she said. SLLI is involved in various property-development projects in areas such as residential estates, condominiums, golf and country clubs, resort and leisure, and commercial and retail. To complement the horizontal-development projects, Robles said the company will embark on a redevelopment program on its commercial properties. She said developments will still be focused in major cities outside of Metro Manila and will include the Calamba, Cavite and Batangas areas. Robles said SLLI will also be active in the affordable-housing segment in response to the warm acceptance of the market last year. “We expect to grow and sell this product which will complement our new developments, as well as our old subdivisions to fast-track business activities in all our projects,” she said. In a related development, SLLI also said it is bullish on the vertical-property development, as its three projects are on full swing. These are the La Breza Tower in Quezon City, La Mirada at Residencia de Vistamar in Cebu and Splendido Taal Towers in Tagaytay. “We are bringing our realty-development expertise to building residential condominium and condominium. Currently, our three vertical-property projects are right on track, and we are happy to see brisk sales,” said SLLI president Exequiel Robles in a media statement. La Breza Tower, a 22-story luxury mixed-use development situated along Mother Ignacia Avenue in Quezon City, is expected to be completed in mid-2011. He said SLLI is also excited on the sprawling Residencia de Vistamar on Mactan Island in Cebu. Designed for comfort and relaxation, this prime development is a perfect escape from the hustle-and-bustle of the city. SLLI expects to finish La Mirada also by mid-2011. Meanwhile, the SLLI president said Splendido Taal Towers has a very good location, because this gives access to the best beaches of Nasugbu and Calatagan in Batangas, the famous dive sites of Anilao and Tagaytay’s entertainment area. The four-building condominium project also provides a view of the world-famous Taal Lake and Volcano. Robles disclosed that SLLI has formed partnerships with W.V. Coscolluela & Associates and Songsong & Periquet Designs for architectural design and interior design, respectively. With these three projects coming to reality within months of each other and with more condominium-type ventures in the planning stage, the company hopes to stir the vertical-property development industry. “Santa Lucia Land projects have always been built in the foundation of excellence. We carry that same standpoint in every vertical-property development project we undertake,” he said. Residential estates done by SLLI include Alta Vista de Subic, Alta Vista Residential Estate and Golf Country Club, Caliraya Spring Golf Marina, Costa Verde, Davao Riverfront, Eagle Ridge Golf and Residential Estate, Glenrose Park, Green Meadows, Greenwoods, Lakewood City, Metropoli Residenza Libis, Metropolis Green, Monte Verde Executive Village, Neopolitan Garden, Palm Coast Marina Bayside and Palma de Oro Residencias de San Fernando. In the commercial and retail segment, SLLI has developed Palm Coast Marina Bayside, Rizal Technopark, Royale Tagaytay Estate and Santa Lucia East Mall, among others. Santa Lucia Realty was incorporated in 1972 by members of the Robles-Santos family. Since then, SLR has since become one of the Philippines leading real-estate development companies. From 1972 to 2007, SLR has been engaged in the development of over 9,000 hectares of land through 177 development projects throughout the Philippines. Of these 177 projects, a total of 100 were completed as of December 31, 2007.