Taking advantage of the rapidly expanding BPO and call center firms in the region, Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), the real estate development arm of the Gokongwei Group is scheduled to deliver its Robinsons Cybergate here in Cebu on the third quarter of next year.
Due to lower operational costs, larger manpower pool and lower employee turnover rates, most firms and locators are encouraged to undertake pioneering efforts in the regions, which include Cebu.
And Robinsons Cybergate is one of the answers of RLC to this growing demand of office spaces and IT-related facilities here in the city.
Hermosilla Irizari, Group Property Manager for Cebu of the Robinsons Land Corp.’s Commercial Centers Division said that the concept of the Robinsons Cybergate is an IT building cum retail facility.
It will be a seven story modern building that will house IT-related office spaces and a commercial area that will offer a different concept of retail from the Robinsons Place Cebu nearby.
Irizari said that despite its proximity to the existing mall, the Robinsons Cybergate will not directly compete with their mall as it will offer a different concept as it will be another mixed-use BPO project inside a mall.
The first two levels of the building will offer an upscale retail experience with 2,000 square meters of leasable spaces eyed for a combination of both local and Manila-based tenants.
These tenants are also eyed to support the needs of BPO personnel working in the five floors of the building who will be working late at night or early in the morning.
“Robinsons Cybergate will definitely target a different market than our existing mall because it is intended for the higher end market segments,” she said.
Among commercial tenants that they are eyeing for Robinsons Cybergate include a coffee shop, convenient store, gadgets and cell phone peripheral outlet, fitness center, beauty saloon and spa, sports shops and hobby shops and a pharmacy.
Currently, RLC is receiving letter of intents for their available retail spaces but have not yet awarded to any tenant yet as they are still sorting these proposals out.
Irizari said that around January next year they will already award the spaces to its respective tenants both for their IT facility and commercial leasable spaces.
The construction of the project started April of this year and as of the moment construction is already around 40 percent.
The project is scheduled to be completed by August of next year and will be opened by November.
Irizari said that in terms of potential, the Robinsons Cybergate has a lot to offer because the area is located nearby hospitals, banks, and other office spaces so there is a huge market.
“The Robinsons Cybergate will become a hub for business and lifestyle and since we are surrounded by hospitals we can easily attract doctors and other high income markets. There will be no duplication of tenants from the mall because it will have its own niche market,” she said.
The Robinsons Cybergate sits on a 4, 772 square meters of lot in front of Chong Hua Hospital near the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda and RLC has allocated around P536 million for this particular project.
“Our location is very good and it will surely draw people because it’s very accessible and nearby one of Cebu’s distinct landmarks,” she added further.— Rhia de Pablo