The Great Southern Lifestyle

Mention the reference, the ‘Great Southwest,’ and you conjure images of the expansive state of Texas, where Congressman Manny Pacquiao just won his eight term …I mean eight title. It also brings back memories of John Wayne’s movies, one of which was ‘The Alamo,” made in 1960 and where he played Davey Crockett. I remember watching the movie in the air-conditioned comfort of the Ideal Theater in downtown Manila.

The historic Alamo fort is located in San Antonio City, Texas; voted one of the most ideal cities to move to in the Untied States because of its high quality of life. The Alamo is one of two key destinations there visited by over 20 million tourists a year. The other is the River Walk or Paseo del Rio, which, at its center, has over two kilometers (about the length of Ayala Avenue) of shops, restaurants and lively commercial establishments lining its picturesque quays.

The River Walk in San Antonio, Texas

Metro Manila has its own ‘great southwest.’ I wrote about it last week and at its core is a development named Evia. A grand project of Vista Land & Lifescapes, Evia is master planned to create “…a veritable city, (a) gateway with boundaries that physically take the shape of a heart (forming) a core, a nexus of activity and attractions, a live, work and play plexus, that will ensure the new city’s vibrancy ,” says Jing Serrano, president and CEO of the company.

A city’s vibrancy, its life, depends on its communities, its settings for social activity and the lifestyle these settings engender. Evia, Serrano explains, will have lifestyle at its heart. She pointed out that Evia has, at its core, a lifestyle development hub, with “planned commercial, leisure and community developments (including) The Portofino Gardens, The Riverwalk, Sanctuario Madonna del Divino Amore and Fernbrook Gardens, as part of the transformation of the area as a Lifestyle Center.”

Portofino (Italian for gateway) is already a thriving community covering 300 hectares (larger than central makati) in a European-inspired atmosphere. The community, planned by David Jensen features Italian-styled homes with a distinctive courtyard theme in each. The adjoining slightly younger developments of Ponticelli and Cerritos complement the storyline of the overall development.

Also already a landmark in Evia’s core is the Sanctuario Madonna del Divino Amore and the Fernbrook Gardens. Inspired by its namesake in Italy, the shrine to our Lady of Divine Love, houses a museum, picnic grounds, and a school. It is connected by a short stretch of river to the most popular wedding venue southwest of Manila—Fernbrook Gardens.

The gardens and the fantastic structure at its focal point are a blend of Russian and Victorian architecture and embellishments. It boasts of high cathedral ceiling in a huge crystal palace complete with gilded carriage and similarly colored limousine. You can even take a gondola from Fernbrook to the Sanctuario.

That river ride and the whole experience of the two lifestyle landmarks has prompted the Vista Land & Lifescapes to expand the concept and build its own Riverwalk, modeled also on the success of the original in San Antonio Texas. Evia’s version will, of course, be adapted and improved to match an existing waterway that cuts through the center of Evia, making it an ideal channel of lifestyle, commerce and leisure.

Evia has lots of gardens and green spaces

Evia is not the only city that has studied the San Antonio River Walk. Singapore also emulated San Antonio in its redevelopment of the Singapore River. I should know since I was involved with the project close to ten years ago when I was still in Singapore. The liveliness of the Singapore River owes much to lessons from San Antonio. Evia’s River Walk is close to the length of the Singapore River and is poised, when developed fully, to be as significant towards creating a world-class destination.

Jing Serrano painted a wonderful picture of “elite stores and restaurants in tranquil surroundings of lush greenery and soothing water.” She says that their River Walk will be colorful and attractive during the day but even more magical at night, with exemplary landscape architectural and garden designs (by name award-winning landscape architects) integrating “outdoor cafes, culinary enclaves, outdoor event spaces, amphitheaters, bridges and cozy waterfront piazzas.”

The planned River Walk is not only aesthetic but functionally relevant to the development and the region. It will be the first protected river artery, a reality forged with “a ground-breaking partnership among Evia residents, Vista Land & Lifescapes, and the local river management group that provides river maintenance, vigilance teams, conservancy, protection and environmental sustainability.

Evia’s River walk will walk the walk, not just talk the talk. The whole of Evia’s master plan will take the same tack says Serrano. Just like Texas, Evia dreams are big, but well on its way to reality. This dream includes a grand lifestyle, Texan style …in the manner of the old American South West, mixed in with Italian spice, and the best of Filipino flavor.