SM City Olongapo Central opens

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Olongapo and Zambales can now enjoy much more than shopping after SM City Olongapo Central opened its doors to the public last Friday along Rizal Avenue at the heart of the city’s bustling business district.

Combining innovative retail, integrated architecture, and green spaces, the four-level 71,943 square meter mall serves shoppers in Olongapo, Zambales, Bataan, and other nearby provinces. It is SM Prime Holding’s 73rd mall and its second in Olongapo after SM City Olongapo Downtown.

SM City Olongapo Central’s exteriors are sophisticated and bold in modular patterns in neutral colors. The soaring walls of glass, shaded arcades, terraced planters, extended green walls, and mosaic pavement tiles are bringing texture, scale, unity, and life to the area.

The entire mall is organized along a gently curving hallway with several atrium views toward different levels in distinct accent colors. The top level is illuminated with sufficient daylight through an expansive skylight. It is also generously planned to house a variety of events including fashion shows, concerts, exhibits and more.

The SM Store and SM Supermarket are SM City Olongapo Central’s major anchors, along with SM mainstays like the SM Appliance Center, ACE Hardware, Our Home, Watsons, Surplus, Sports Central, as well as global brands Uniqlo and Miniso. It also has fashion boutiques including H&M, Mango, and Guess; shoe stores, sports stores, jewelry stores, bookstores and IT stores. A Cyberzone features the latest IT and electronic goods.

Eating out options include a food court, as well as popular local and international food fast food chains, coffee shops like Starbucks, bakeries like Breadtalk, and specialty restaurants like Cabalen, Ramen Nagi and Mesa. Of particular interest is a double level restaurant row overlooking the Boulevard, the parks beyond, and the Bajac Bajac River through full-height walls of glass.

SM City Olongapo Central also has banks, wellness areas and amusement centers for kids of all ages.

The covered parking is located at the south end of the site in a four-level building with 759 slots for customer convenience. The carpark is designed to include a fourth level for the 4,357-square meter convention center, which provides luxurious function space for balls, meetings, concerts and other major business, social, cultural and educational events. In addition, future tennis courts will be provided on the roof.

SM City Olongapo Central’s design team includes DSGN, foreign design architect; Jose Siao Ling and Associates, architect on record; DA Abcede & Associates, construction manager; and Dahn Berger Phils., Construction Group, general contractor.