Gateway Mall Named Finalist by Urban Land Institute

As recognition for its excellence in retail mix and design, Gateway has received accolades from both the local and international circuit. Most recently it has been chosen as a finalist for the Urban Land Institute’s 2008 Awards for Excellence (Asia Pacific), recognizing the development’s efficient planning by serving as the catalyst for the thriving urbanization of the lifestyle center.

The Urban Land Institute has more than 40,000 members worldwide composed of leaders in real estate, urban planning, and policy makers. The organization has recognized Gateway not only for its breakthroughs in design, land use, and architecture, but also in its role in renewing the sense of pride among patrons in its proximity.

As the initial phase of a 20-year Redevelopment Master Plan poised to make the Araneta Center a total lifestyle and business hub, Gateway Mall was inaugurated in 2004 and has since then become a catalyst for the urban renaissance of the country’s pioneer lifestyle center. The project, costing a total of $60 M, offers a complete environment for the sophisticated shopper, offering five levels of the finest in shopping, dining and entertainment. Gateway is anchored by the Araneta Coliseum, known as the country’s home of the biggest local and international events. Other anchors include Rustan’s Department Store, the country’s premiere upscale shopping destination, and the Mandarin Oriental Café and Deli, operated by the world-renowned Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Gateway Mall is also home to the Mandarin Oriental Suites, five-star business and function rooms also operated by the prestigious hotel chain. Gateway Mall is also the country’s first mass-transit oriented development, linking the 2 major mass transit systems in Manila’s bustling metropolis, the MRT3 and LRT2.

Gateway Mall met the criteria of the award-giving body with its pioneering concepts in urban planning and architectural standards. Its superior infrastructure has integrated landscape features that enhance the shopping environment. The central focus of the development is The Oasis, a spectacular floating garden right in the middle of the mall, showcasing a variety of exotic flora in a lush tropical setting that makes it a perfect venue for fine dining and cocktail parties. The Gateway Cineplex 10 is a state-of-the-art cinema complex that uniquely features a cinema lobby skylight and a breathtaking 360-degree mural depicting New York’s Times Square. Design details that are uniquely Filipino are showcased in the grand ceremonial entrance of Gateway Mall known as The Pavilion. Intricate metalwork celebrate the motifs and colors of the Philippine fiesta, accentuating unique design elements.

The mall is also a marvel of superb engineering, being built against several existing infrastructures, and over and under existing streets and foundations. An extensive traffic management system was also developed to accommodate vehicular traffic. Gateway has prompted other developers to upgrade their architectural standards.

Being chosen as finalist is the most recent citation Gateway Mall has received, being a recipient of awards from both local and international retail industry leaders. The mall has garnered the Merit Award in the 2006 International Design and Development Awards sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers, the trade association of shopping centers with 96 countries as members worldwide. It was also named Hall of Fame Shopping Center of the Year in the annual Outstanding Filipino Retailer Awards by the Philippine Retailers’ Association, dubbed as the Academy Awards of Philippine Retail.

Currently its expansion wing, the Gateway Tower, is under construction to offer more quality retail and spaces for corporate and business process outsourcing firms. Gateway is also home to the Mandarin Oriental Suites, five-star business and function rooms also operated by Mandarin Oriental Manila. It is now becoming the preferred venue for conferences, seminars, product launches, weddings, and other private functions.

Truly, Gateway Mall has breathed new life into the changing landscape of the Philippine Shopping Center industry, where mixed-use projects are being developed at a pace to suit the emerging new lifestyles of Filipinos. Gateway Mall goes beyond offering a shopping, dining, and fun experience like no other by joining the ranks of world-class urban land developments. For the latest updates, visit www.gatewaymall.com.ph.

Novotel Manila Araneta Center

Accor, the leading hospitality player in Asia Pacific, has formed a joint venture with the Araneta Group to build a new hotel in the Philippines: Novotel Manila Araneta Center, Targeted to open in 2010. Novotel Manila Araneta Center is located adjacent to the Araneta Coliseum and fully integrated with the Araneta Center Master Plan.

Novotel Manila Araneta Center will be the only deluxe hotel in Quezon City. With 415 rooms, a 600 square meters ballroom and large meeting facilities, the hotel is well positioned to cater to the needs of the 56,000 registered businesses in Quezon City and to the MICE (both domestic and international) market. Its strategic location, at the intersection of two major thoroughfares (EDSA and Aurora Boulevard) and major mass railway lines (MRT 3 and LRT 2) will allow the hotel to position itself as the preferred venue for product launches, political summits, weddings and incentives in Quezon City.

With a worldwide network of 387 hotels and over 39,000 rooms in 58 countries, Novotel promises to its customers the guaranteed comfort of a bedroom, 24 hours food and beverage solution, connectivity and attentive staff. Since its debut in 1967, Novotel has always been famous for offering excellent value for money and for maintaining the same quality standards in all its hotels throughout the world. The full service concept is the core brand strategy and always involves the 5 following functions: room, food & beverage, area, meeting room, leisure facilities, and parking.

Said Jorge L. Araneta, Chairman and President of the Araneta Group, “Accor brings to this project a wealth of experience in the hotel management and design. We are looking forward to working together to make this hotel a world-class product and promote new standards for business and tourist travelers, at great value.”

Patrick Basset, Accor Vice President, East & North East Asia added, “We are excited by the growth prospects in the Philippines. We are confident that our extensive global hospitality experience and partnership with the Araneta Group, coupled with their strong understanding of the local market, is a good start for us to enter an emerging market and further expand our brand portfolio.”

Manhattan Garden City

Araneta Center, Inc. (ACI), together with Megaworld Corporation (Megaworld)-the country's foremost property developers-are in the midst of constructing 20 retail and residential towers, comprising a total of 8,500 units within Araneta Center.

The project will be the first of its kind in the Philippine real estate as Araneta Center boasts of being the only mixed-use complex where the two major light rail transit systems intersect. The two lines transport an average of 1.2 M passengers daily. This bodes well for the success of the project as in many other major cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and New York, all major residential and business developments are located within the immediate periphery of mass transit lines.

A focal point of the project is the three-story high garden walkway that will interconnect all the residential buildings and bring unit owners within easy walking distance of the two transit lines. The elevated walkway is the first of its kind in the country to incorporate garden-style landscaping and seating. It is designed to make walking to the train stations as pleasant an experience as a leisurely stroll through a park. Manhattan Garden City’s first phase has already begun with the construction of Manhattan Parkway, composed of three towers of executive studios as well as residential suites. Apart from offering a majestic view overlooking Manila Bay, Manhattan Parkway will also offer leisure amenities such as a fitness station, a spa, a gym, and jogging trails.

Gateway Expansion

Gateway Mall is currently building a 25-storey first class retail and office extension. Dubbed “Gateway Tower 2,” this prime development sits on 3,000 square meters of property along the Araneta Center’s corporate spine. Set to open in 2007, it will offer 6 levels of retail, 19 levels of offices, and 3 levels of basement parking. The project will be seamlessly integrated with Gateway Mall and enjoy Gateway’s unique features such as the connection to the two major rail transit systems.

The Gateway Tower 2 will augment the need for more premium retail space in Gateway Mall while getting ready to respond to the increasing demand for premium grade office space.

Mandarin Oriental Suites

As part of its continuing productive partnership with the world-renowned Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the fourth level of Gateway Mall is now home to The Mandarin Oriental Suites.

The Mandarin Oriental Suites at Gateway is composed of luxuriously appointed function rooms and a business center.

The Mandarin Oriental Suites aims to provide the convenience of first-class hotel amenities to the growing corporate clientele and style-savvy urbanites at the heart of the metro.

Cyber Park

The Cyber Park is Araneta Center’s answer to the growing Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing industry in the country today. Poised to become the busiest technology hub due to its strategic location, the Cyber Park takes up eight hectares of prime space at the heart of Metro Manila and consists of modern 4-6 storey office buildings.
 
The Cyber Park recently welcomed its first tenant in the complex, APAC Customer Services Inc., who started operations since March of this year. APAC is a leading provider of integrated customer care and acquisition services. The 2,000-seat call center facility is the first building in the Cyber Park and is home to their second site in the country.