By Celso Amo (The
Philippine Star) | Updated July 30, 2015 - 12:00am
LEGAZPI CITY,
Philippines —Ayala Land Inc., the property development arm of the Ayala Group,
expects its shopping mall venture with the Bicol-based LCC Group to be
completed by December.
The P1.6 billion
Liberty City Center will rise on a 1.4 hectare property in Legazpi, Albay.
LCC general manager
Antonio Tan said Ayala Land would operate the mall while LCC, being a retailer,
would take charge of the supermarket and department stores.
“I am proud that this
is our first ever mall in Bicol and with this mall we hope to bring to you the
excitement of an Ayala mall in partnership with LCC,” Ayala Land assistant
vice-president for external affairs Dindo R. Fernando said during a briefing at the office of Legazpi
City Mayor Noel Rosal last Monday.
Ayala Land business
management head Hans Katipunan said “security, house-keeping, and maintenance,
would be handled by the property conglomerate
The four-story mall
will have 200 stores, four cinemas and al fresco dining. It also has a big atrium.
“We have restaurants from the second floor all the way
up to the fourth floor,” he said.
“What makes Ayala mall
unique compared to its competitors is
the way we treat public spaces. So we have a four story atrium which is
the signature element of our development from the physical standpoint. Our
convergence area within the development area,” Katipunan noted.
“Our homegrown concept is to encourage local
restaurants, and entrepreneurs, and we want to promote local business which is
the success story of Ayala throughout the country,” he said.
“We are trying to
attract and expect a lot from small businesses from Legazpi City and nearby
towns and municipalities that we are going to invite which is something the
city can be proud of,” Katipunan said.
He said Ayala Land is still negotiating with the mall tenants
from Metro Manila.
“Foreign brands are
interested because Legazpi city is known for its adventure tourism,” he said.
Fernando said Ayala
Land is looking forward to bring employment and additional taxes for the city.
Tan said local
entrepreneurs are allotted a kiosks inside the mall to encourage them as
incubator local business.
“People have their own
unique way of shopping based on studies and we want to offer the people of
Legazpi a wide range of merchandise
line,” he said.
With these investments
coming, Legazpi City which is now the second most livable city in the country,
is expected to become the commercial capital of Bicol.
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