The Residences: Effective experiment in urban living

A pioneering project in upscale urban living by Ayala Lands Inc. is now the address of choice for many expatriate and executives who do business in Makati.

Right in the midst of the newly-renovated Greenbelt Mall, The Residences at Greenbelt combines the benefits of location in the heart of the country’s prime business and commercial centers as well as the serenity and access to nature of a home in the suburbs.

The 28 townhouses comprising The Residences at Greenbelt are clustered around a Zen-inspired garden and are built on top of two floors of parking and a ground-floor series of trendy restaurant. One bridgeway away in the next building are state-of-the-art movie theaters, restaurants, shops and anchor stores. But residents hardly feel the heightened activity a few floors below them once they are inside The Residences at Greenbelt.

Marcus Wondergem, a CEO of a leading pharmaceutical firm, used to live in a high-end residential area in Makati. But the convenience of being walking distance to restaurants, entertainment spots and his place of work attracted him to The Residences where he is now leasing. "I’m near everything," says the executive whose family lives abroad. "But I still enjoy the atmosphere of a real home."

Moreover, the unit allows him the space he needs and, at the same time, the freedom to keep house and cook for himself, without the need for live-in help. Should an electrical system get inadvertently overloaded and short circuit in his home, for instance, he can always call the building’s maintenance crew for assistance any time of the day. The set up allows him his privacy as well as efficient service.

Meladee Stankus, who comes to the Philippines for business several times in the years, enjoys the fact that she can billet her business associates at nearby top-rated hotels and have them over for dinner at her unit at The Residences. At a moment’s notice, she can purchase wine a few steps away and have most of the gourmet restaurants at the Ayala Center cater for her. A human resource consultant specializing in recruitment, she holds large seminars at a hotel which is a three-minute walk away. "It all works out very well for me," she notes. "It’s so relaxing that I live in a real home when I am here and that I don’t need to get into a cab to move around."

According to Natalie McCarthy, Ayala Land leasing manager, The Residences at Greenbelt addresses the needs of many expatriates to be in the heart of town, close to everything. "Such a location fosters a sense of connectedness which many expats seek," she observes. It frees them from the long commute to most suburban homes which they are not used to.

At the same time, it is not difficult to single-handedly keep house in the units for lease, some of which come fully furnished. The units have either two or three bedrooms, a fully-equipped compact kitchen, combined living-dining room, and a balcony-garden. Most other developments targeted towards expats overlook the fact that they enjoy their independence and put a premium on their privacy as well as security.

Designed for the business executive who may want to also do work at home, one of the bedrooms in each of the units is conveniently furnished as a den-office. In fact, each unit is equipped with two telephone lines and have provisions for state-of-the-art Internet connections.

Arthur Carlos, who moved to the complex last December, observes that The Residences at Greenbelt very much remind him of his San Francisco townhome which was close to restaurants, shops and freeway connection. He moved to the Philippines to set up a business last year and chose to live in The Residences because it afforded him the chance to live a similar lifestyle. "It’s as if I never left the US," he states.