What no more LRT/MRT extension hub to FBGC? Is this true? I thought the subway was part of the FBGC Master Plan? Bakit nabago? Damn another bad news. This sucks kasi ngayon pa nga lang grabe na yung traffic in McKinley Parkway around the area of Market Market and Serendra what more when you add the Taguig coliseum and convention center in the mix?. The traffic will definitely spill over to the rest of FBGC. I wonder how they plan to resolve the traffic problems then? :rant: :rant: :rant:
In BGC's masterplan, the transportation hub in Market Market is supposed to have a tram station (since there are plans for trams to operate in BGC) and a subway station which connects to Northrail. I know this is ambitious, but is there still some space for this intermodal transportation hub? Or has Ayala completely changed it since they took over?Market!Market is right next to a transportation hub!wala na iyan, one of the interesting things they didfor real? that sucks...that's too bad, i just get so frustated knowing it. i hope they would reconsider it on their plans of building the taguig convention center.....

Bustero and Asraz,
Wow one issue after another. I can't believe this is happening. Ngayon palang nga traffic na sa may MarketMarket when the schools end their day what more when Serendra, Soma, the Coliseum, and the Convention Center is added in the mix. I really hope the Ayalas / Taguig Gov't reconsider the proposed subway hub (MRT/LRT extension) to alleviate the expected increase in traffic when all these projects get done. After all it will be cheaper to make the necessary provisions for the subway hub now than trying to fit it in later when the area is already dense and built up. Furthermore when Ayala did not follow the original FBGC Master Traffic Plan when they revised their project plan for Serendra, I wonder why McKinley Parkway was not widened to help with the traffic flow especially if the coliseum/convention center project is already in the pipeline.

It really ticks me off that without the subway hub and road widening, the traffic along McKinley Parkway will spillover to the rest of FBGC. If Ayala's main solution to this problem is by making FBGC pedestrian friendly then they are just kidding themselves at nagkakamali sila to think that this alone will solve the problem. Of course I'm not saying it will not help, rather what I am saying is this will not be enough. I can only assume they have done traffic studies and have contigency plans to implement if the expected traffic and gridlock do come to fruition.

Ayala should also look into the big picture if they expect/want to attract businesses in FBGC; otherwise, FBGC will just be an extension of Makati's residential/commercial area which will be a shame. And if this actually happens, then I will have to agree with you Bustero, that Ayala has compromised FBGC in favor of Makati. And though it's not looking good right now, I will hold off giving my opinion on Ayala and give them the benefit of the doubt. I hope they don't let us down.

Well as I posted here medyo pabagobago ang ginagawa at iniisip nila. Jim Ayala told me to the point that it would not get built as it's not feasible. It's exactly why they are changing the axis , design and traffic flow. Perhaps they will change their mind again who knows. Anyway I'm quoting directly from what he told me if he did not mean it , eh ewan ko nalang.

I'm not trying to demonize Ayala but it must be realized that it just business. That's the problem when the original development is designed to compete with another development and now you have one guy controlling both. As long as the interest of both are aligned no problem. When they diverge well you guys do the math, medyo common sense na lang siguro.Here is a News Article about Ayala's Masterplan for Fort Bonifacio Global City
Pleasantly pedestrian
First posted 09:48pm (Mla time) Aug 20, 2005
By Linda Bolido
Inquirer News Service


TO MANY Filipinos, Ayala has become almost synonymous with class—in capital letters.

So why is Jim Ayala, the 43-year-old president of Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), talking about “pedestrianizing” not just the Makati commercial center (MCC) but even the Bonifacio Global City at The Fort in Taguig, Metro Manila?
But then pedestrianizing for ALI is a far cry from slumming. What Ayala (despite his family name he is not related to ALI’s owners) is talking about is simply making it easier and more pleasant for people who live, work, and visit the two sites to go on walkabouts—whether for shopping, dining or entertainment.

The idea is not only some kind of public service. It actually makes good business sense, especially if you are trying to draw people who really do not have a compelling reason to go to the MCC or the Fort, like non-residents or non-employees.

“The nice thing is, since we did the bridgeways, you can go almost from the Makati Medical Center (MMC) all the way to the MRT (Metro Rail Transit) station on Edsa,” points out Miriam Katigbak, executive vice president and head, Commercial Centers Group. She adds the plan for the network of covered overpasses, underpasses and street-level pedestrian pathways has been with the company since 1990.

Big difference

Though people were really able to walk from the MRT station to MMC starting only last year, Ayala says, “It has really made a very big difference. Where before you have a lot of traffic on the ground floors (of malls), you now have a lot more traffic on the upper levels so all of our merchants had to adjust. It also eased our parking. (Parking demand) went down a lot because people now walk, which is good.”

So good that it has made the idea worth replicating elsewhere.

“We want to take that to a whole new level at Fort Bonifacio,” says Ayala, “because it will be a mix of uses (unlike Makati where things are separate-offices, commercial establishments, etc.). We want to make it a more integrated, mix-use, pedestrian-oriented place.”
He says the Fort is geared towards a mix market. “It is a large area, too big to be totally high end.”
He adds, “The problem when you have a setup where you only have business offices sa gabi patay…You want something that is alive all the time, that is very safe and very pedestrian-friendly.” What ALI plans for the Global City is a “retail promenade with landscaping.”

Not just buildings

Both Ayala and Katigbak stress that ALI always makes its plans as comprehensive as possible, anticipating every possible use and service and facilities that may be required. “There is so much more to real estate (development) than just putting up building,” Katigbak points out.

Ayala adds time frame should be at least 20 years since “we’re studying this… to make the project sustainable. We all exist in a broader community. We cannot ignore, in fact, we have an obligation to, use resources sustainably.”

If he sounds like an environmentalist, that is because Ayala is a member of the board of the World Wildlife Fund in the Philippines. He finds no conflict between his pro-environment sentiments and ALI’s goals, saying the company has always been environment conscious.

Ayala, who worked with a multi-national company and was based overseas for several years, shares the company’s faith in the country and its people. He says businesses can do well “if they do things right, if they understand the market. I don’t think the Philippines is so far gone… that the whole place is corrupt (but) the private sector has to show leadership.” It is a matter of knowing where to focus energy, identifying growth areas despite circumstances.

The company’s faith in the country seems well-placed. Newspapers report that in the second quarter of the year ending in June, ALI’s net profit rose by 4.4 percent—P640 million from P613 million for the same period last year. The increase was attributed primarily to sustained rise in mall rentals and property sales despite political and economic uncertainties.

Ayala attributes the company’s robust “health” to integrity and commitment, as well as innovativeness. “Sigurado ka sa Ayala,” he says.

The subway proposal was simply a misleading propaganda from Ayala corp as you know Ayala has no responsiblity to provide public infrastructure especially on an ambitious project like this. They won't even build those elevated walkways if and when the need arises. It is the local govt's responsibility and Taguig(?). . . well, Taguig is not Makati so don't even think about it.


Bustero and Asraz,
Wow one issue after another. I can't believe this is happening. Ngayon palang nga traffic na sa may MarketMarket when the schools end their day what more when Serendra, Soma, the Coliseum, and the Convention Center is added in the mix. I really hope the Ayalas / Taguig Gov't reconsider the proposed subway hub (MRT/LRT extension) to alleviate the expected increase in traffic when all these projects get done. After all it will be cheaper to make the necessary provisions for the subway hub now than trying to fit it in later when the area is already dense and built up. Furthermore when Ayala did not follow the original FBGC Master Traffic Plan when they revised their project plan for Serendra, I wonder why McKinley Parkway was not widened to help with the traffic flow especially if the coliseum/convention center project is already in the pipeline.

I posted it in another thread , they're putting up some big boxes int he area near serendra. The development is supposed to be like a long term lease similar to tiendesitas up to the retailer to put up their own box. Some will not be so big though.

So, it will be for retail?

Jim Ayala told me to the point that it would not get built as it's not feasible. It's exactly why they are changing the axis , design and traffic flow. Perhaps they will change their mind again who knows. Anyway I'm quoting directly from what he told me if he did not mean it , eh ewan ko nalang.

I'm not trying to demonize Ayala but it must be realized that it just business. That's the problem when the original development is designed to compete with another development and now you have one guy controlling both. As long as the interest of both are aligned no problem. When they diverge well you guys do the math, medyo common sense na lang siguro.The subway proposal was simply a misleading propaganda from Ayala corp as you know Ayala has no responsiblity to provide public infrastructure especially on an ambitious project like this. They won't even build those elevated walkways if and when the need arises. It is the local govt's responsibility and Taguig(?). . . well, Taguig is not Makati so don't even think about it. This is the problem when an infrastructure project is undertaken by a corporation instead of the govt. As a corporation, they have the obligation to their shareholders to give them the best returns possible. Ayala or any other company will not put up a subway station if it is not feasable. Can you imagine what will havppen to the stock price of Ayala when news comes out that they have just invested billions of peso in a subway project that will not be profitable?

If the whole BGC project was undertaken by the govt. without profit as their objective, then they can easily put the subway station. This is because the govt. is not obligated to the public to have the best return on their investment instead they are mandated to provide the best PUBLIC SERVICE. This is the problem with other infrastructure project undertaken by corporations. The Skyway is good example. Clearly there is a need for it to be finished. But since it is being undertaken by a business, they put money first before public service.

The subway project is dead even before Ayala took over BGC. No company will enter into a project that wont give them returns. Maybe our govt should do its work in providing public service. They should be the one who will bankroll the subway project.i have to send this concerns to my agent in serendra and see what he have to say....That is a good idea....
Edmund.
Sige please. I agree with Asraz that this is a good idea so that this way we can get to the bottom of the matter and get feedback from someone in Ayala, even just to reconfirm Jim Ayala's off hand comment to Bustero regarding the subway hub status being dead in the water. It will also be interesting to see if your agent will be candid enough to tell you honestly, good or bad, as to any (if there is any) long term plans and projects that Ayala and or City of Taguig's have in the works to address the issue/concern. We'll look forward to your posting. Thanks in advance for your time and assistance.

okay i would ask this questions to my agent....will see what he have to say

but the last time i spoke with him, he said that currently the ayala is doing some revisions to the total masterplan of the BGC, i ma not what he meant by this, maybe the zoning and etc...but i hope they stick with the original floor to ratio. ofcourse he says it's for the better...who knows

Could someone start a new Serendra thread? I cant think of a way to make a good introduction:D maybe repost the renderings and the latest updates?

Says it all...

Please continue here

For the original Posts , link here

Serendra at Global City - Part 2http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=279869&page=1&pp=20

Serendra at Global City - Part1http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=282268

From Past Post
renders credited to Thomasian and Edmund
http://edmundtanso.smugmug.com/photos/9481605-L.jpg http://edmundtanso.smugmug.com/photos/6459046-L.jpg http://edmundtanso.smugmug.com/photos/10569236-L.jpg http://edmundtanso.smugmug.com/photos/10569233-L.jpg
June 30m, 2006 pictures by realtor manilahttp://www.realestatemovers.com/181_8116_BGC%20City%20Center_062906.JPG

Thanks a lot, Mitch!

I will PM you on matters that warrant 'exclusivity'; for general answers, you may wish to include other Serendra owners as well when you respond to my PMs, to preclude redundancy. I understand and respect the need-to-know basis for info; it promotes sound business competition. I do get updates when it concerns my unit. However, I have received neither newsletters nor general updates from Serendra. Will you please tell me how I can sign up for these?

I will arrange an SPA when needed at turn-over time as advised.

The diy is for AFTER turnover; the pre-turnover restrictions are givens and I am aware of and will respect them at turn-over time.

Hi OCdiva,

You're always welcome. Oh yeah of course. :) Will do as requested. For the newsletters, buyers like you don't need to sign up for these. Updates of these newsletters are annual and are given to all those who got a piece of Serendra. Once newsletters are printed, these are all sent to buyers (both local and abroad) if their previous agents on records are no longer connected to Community Innovations or Ayala Land. But if their agents are still connected to the company, they route the newsletters to their respective agents so they in turn deliver or mail them to their buyers. To make sure that you get these newsletters, you may leave your email/mailing addresses (and instructions to directly mail it instead) to:

custservice.cii@ayalaland.com.ph - if you were transacting with Community Innovations, or with


custservice@ayalaland.com.ph if your purchase was through Ayala Land Sales.


You may also click on this link:

http://www.ayalaland.com.ph/contact_us.asp

and bookmark the webpage for future reference. If it can't go through you may email me at riveramitch@ayalaland-intl.com so I can route it to them.



I'm just on standby if you encounter any difficulty.



Your time and responses on our concerns through this forum gives me faith and goodwill in Ayala as a whole and Ayala's most precious resource - its people! And, you're one of them :) . If you ever need commendations (as in pay raise, hint! hint! :laugh: ) I'll be first in line. Or, better yet, all you do is print these and show-off to the powers-that-be!


Oh :lol: thanks for the kind words :) I'm just happy to give our buyers what is due them. Extra service is part of our job description. ;)

I'm just happy to give our buyers what is due them. Extra service is part of our job description. ;)

@ mitch - i received your PMs and e-mails. i can't thank you enough for attending to my predicament

@ mitch - i received your PMs and e-mails. i can't thank you enough for attending to my predicament


Hi Bart:wave: uy anytime. Will keep you posted for updates and everything you need to know and contact regarding turnover. They should be ready by 1st quarter of 2007 so before December of this year ends, kindly remind me. ;)



Thanks again.

From Past Post
renders credited to Thomasian and Edmund
http://edmundtanso.smugmug.com/photos/9481605-L.jpg http://edmundtanso.smugmug.com/photos/6459046-L.jpg http://edmundtanso.smugmug.com/photos/10569236-L.jpg http://edmundtanso.smugmug.com/photos/10569233-L.jpg
June 30m, 2006 pictures by realtor manilahttp://www.realestatemovers.com/181_8116_BGC%20City%20Center_062906.JPG

My unit is One Serendra C but the the diagram shows it in B. Is that an old diagram?

My unit is One Serendra C but the the diagram shows it in B. Is that an old diagram?

I think it is. There were more updates (on thread part 2), but for 2 Serendra.

Folks!
I received an e-mail response from Serendra on 7/7/2006 regarding several questions I had and here it is:

Can someone tell me please estimates on the following:
1. HOA (home owners asso.) - how calculated; I recall reading like based on sqm of unit, but not sure

--condo dues is being estimated at P75 to P80 /sqm right now but these are still being finalized by property management depending on the required maintenance of the complex to ensure that it is kept well-maintained.

2. Water - usual usage rate in FBGC, like PHP X per cubicmeter?

--water is around P70 /cu.m. and the water from the tap is potable and the supply and pressure are assured.

3. Electricity - same, usage rate in FBGC, like PHP X per kilowatt hour?

--power will be supplied by Meralco centrally to Serendra through a main meter, and the unit owners will be billed accordingly. This may have a bit of a difference with the current meralco rates since distribution of the power will be done and maintained by serendra, inc.

4. Any other charges I need to be aware of?

-- Power : service deposits

-- Water : service deposits

-- LPG : supply deposits

5. Do you know of any good interior designers? not too expensive, ok?

We can recommend the designers we have used with our other developments and are quite reasonable.

Isabel Asuncion isabel@abi.ph 924-2925 / 924-2948

Tina Periquet 8944705

Anton Mendoza 844-2521

6. What is the price for a studio nowadays? also a 1 bdrm unit?

--studios are anywhere between P3.0M and P5.7M, 1br's run from P3.2M to P10M.

Hi OCdiva! Thanks for the kind gesture of posting it for us. :) Yes Ma'am, the computation of your condo dues will be like this:

floor area (including balcony) x Php 75/85

so for a studio,

42 sq m x Php 85 = Php 3,570 ($68.65 if 52=1)


Just a tip on hiring local interior designers here. The cheapest you can find will charge Php 750-1,000 per sq m - but this is just for drawing and professional fees (I think they call it execution). Excluded are the actual construction costs, materials and labor. Cheapest quoted to us for a studio unit of 30 sq m is about Php 350,000.00 plus execution/professional fee of Php 22,500 = so total of Php 372,500.00 ($7,163.46 if 52=1). If you think you can spend this amount for interior designs, go ahead. But if you're thinking of lesser than 7grand, might I suggest to start looking at interior design magazines instead and hire a trusted contractor nalang to execute it for you. Hope this helps. ;)





hi IPUKA2004! It's an old diagram. You may locate your unit here:

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/9384/smasterplan7lj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

If you may notice from the very first masterplan, Sections B,C,D of both districts have changed for more garden views and open spaces. The location of pools, amenities, and drop-off motorcourts/porte-cochiere have been thought of to still accommodate more gardends and open spaces. It is also possible that Technical might change plans for the last towers of Serendra.


Hope you find this useful. Godspeed. :)

5. Do you know of any good interior designers? not too expensive, ok?




Not expensive...reasonably priced ....

I can recommend one. His name is Reggie Rodrigo. Aside from being an interior designer, he is also involved in landscaping work. For those interested to see his work, I can send you a link to a photobucket file. Just PM me your e-mail address. Thanks!

TheOcdiva, if you want a reasonable interior designer / architect.. you could check out www.mavitechture.com, naging friend ko na yung architect/owner.. they did our office and they're reasonable naman.. compared to others ha..

Not expensive...reasonably priced ....

I can recommend one. His name is Reggie Rodrigo. Aside from being an interior designer, he is also involved in landscaping work. For those interested to see his work, I can send you a link to a photobucket file. Just PM me your e-mail address. Thanks!

guys, the piazza at serendra (also known as shops at serendra, but the final name is still being finalized) will soft launch this july 19.

it'll sure be another great dining and hang-out destination!

Thanks Dvorak, realtor manila, and Mitch on good contact names and suggestions re interior designer. Price is too rich for what I need so I think I'll just ask a relative to do the design then hire a 'reliable' contractor to do the work. There's the key word right there - 'reliable'. By the time I need one I'm pretty sure a lot of good names will be available again!

Mitch, thanks for the updated maps, too. They look great! :)

Slapstring, can you please post pictures of the Piazza soft launch? BTW, what does 'soft launch' mean? And does this mean there's a hard launch as well? what's the difference? inquiring minds wanna know. Thanks!

BTW, what does 'soft launch' mean? And does this mean there's a hard launch as well? what's the difference? inquiring minds wanna know. Thanks!

Hello OCdiva!

All these are marketing terms....

On the point of view of the marketing people (of the Developer), a "soft launch" is usually done to create awareness/hype on a certain project, amenity or improvement (in this case the Piazza). During a soft launch, not everything will be operational. Some shops might still be closed or under construction.

The REAL launch (or to borrow your term "hard launch") --- In this particular case, most, if not all, shops are already operational. Expect cutting of the ribbon by the top management/officers, expect print ads/press releases to come out in the major broadsheets regarding this event, etc.

In general, different developers have different approaches in launching a certain project, amenity or improvement. Different strokes for different folks....

Anyway, with or without the "soft" or "hard" launch, the most important thing is that the Developer concerned delivered what they promised based on a SPECIFIC TIMETABLE that they have committed to the investor/buyer.

Yan ang pinakaimportante sa lahat....

does anyone have an updated photos of serendra? looking forward to see how thw piazza looks! thanks

Hello OCdiva!

All these are marketing terms....

On the point of view of the marketing people (of the Developer), a "soft launch" is usually done to create awareness/hype on a certain project, amenity or improvement (in this case the Piazza). During a soft launch, not everything will be operational. Some shops might still be closed or under construction.

The REAL launch (or to borrow your term "hard launch") --- ....

Anyway, with or without the "soft" or "hard" launch, the most important thing is that the Developer concerned delivered what they promised based on a SPECIFIC TIMETABLE that they have committed to the investor/buyer.

Yan ang pinakaimportante sa lahat....


Learning a lot on RE101, thanks a lot!

Cradle of the City

Is it better to raise kids in the city or in the suburbs?

Many parents think suburbia is the way to go. Most choose to give up the convenience of living in the city because suburbia’s sense of calm makes it easier for families to make peace with a place and secure a sense of safety in their homes. Parents think about the benefits of open space, nature and quiet streets where it is safe and ideal to teach kids to learn to ride a bike.

On the other hand, others might argue that family life in an urban setting can actually be an enriching experience, for both the parents and children. Despite the frenetic pace and constant movement, no other setting can offer the variety of cultural, social and retail offerings that living in the city can provide.

Fortunately, urban developers who understand how difficult it is to forego the benefits of one for the other are now defying living conventions so they won’t have to choose at all. Two Serendra, a project of Community Innovations, an Ayala Land company, offers a practical spin on the plethora of metropolitan parenting issues that surround raising children in an urban setting.

Built right at the heart of the Bonifacio Global City (BGC), in the progressive city of Taguig, the development is sensitive to the nuances of city living and maintains the quality of life that parents want for their kids.

A definite upside to calling the city home is its accessibility to major business centers and the metro’s finest educational institutions—all of which provide the one thing that families will always need and want more of, time. Instead of driving home through traffic-choked highways and getting stuck in rush-hour traffic with children trying to finish their homework in the backseat, imagine being home ten minutes after work or school without having to deal with the lengthy commute.

Being close to everything means parents can now make the most out of their home’s verdant features and spend time with their kids. Swimming pools, playgrounds, sports amenities and kiddie parks abound at Two Serendra, which allows children to enjoy their free time experiencing fun as it was meant to be—safe and enjoyable.

According to child development and education expert Joy Abaquin, director and founder of Multiple Intelligence International School, “it is important to give a child a diverse set of experiences—preferably one that combines the best of city living and suburbia—so they can have a better understanding of themselves and the world.”

Despite being at the pulse of the city however, families can still indulge in the suburbian lifestyle within the development’s landscaped stronghold of greens. Living at Two Serendra ensures a sense of security, which is defined by the safe, healthy and natural environment that is rarely found in bustling cities.

“Health-wise, it is important to raise kids in an environment where the air is fresh, the water is clean and where the home allows them to experience nature. This gives them opportunities for learning activities that promote healthy physical and mental development,” notes Abaquin.

Whatever apprehensions parents may have about living in the city, Two Serendra’s innovative lifestyle solutions takes it all away by showing urban families a different side of city life. Two Serendra allows parents to make the most out of city culture and combines it with the natural benefits of having unprecedented open spaces—offering natural elements that can’t be found anywhere else in the city.

Of course, the developer places just as much premium to Two Serendra’s myriad of amenities, which embeds all vestiges of commercialization under a landscape of greens. This innovative vision of city life touts Two Serendra as the most modern city in the metro while effectively preserving the quality of life that is ideal for children. With approximately 2/3 of the expansive 12-hectare estate dedicated to lush gardens and greenery, who can deny the invaluable premium that family life in Two Serendra can provide?

For inquiries, call 888-0000, email twoserendra@ayalaland.com.ph or visit www.twoserendra.com.ph. Model units are available for viewing daily from 9 am to 8 pm at the Serendra Sales Pavilion along 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City.

Community Innovations is an Ayala Land company that caters to urban achievers. It builds balanced, harmonious communities where the living experience enhances the lifestyles and fulfills the aspirations of its customers.

Cradle of the City

..... Two Serendra, a project of Community Innovations, an Ayala Land company, offers a practical spin on the plethora of metropolitan parenting issues that surround raising children in an urban setting.
With approximately 2/3 of the expansive 12-hectare estate dedicated to lush gardens and greenery, who can deny the invaluable premium that family life in Two Serendra can provide?

For inquiries, call 888-0000, email twoserendra@ayalaland.com.ph or visit www.twoserendra.com.ph. Model units are available for viewing daily from 9 am to 8 pm at the Serendra Sales Pavilion along 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City.



finally! the site www.serendra.com has been updated. Thanks, slapstring! :)

The Piazza at Serendra

1 to 12 of 40 pictures. ;)

07.19.06

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_001x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_002x.jpg

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http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_006x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_007x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_008x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_009x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_010x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_011x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_012x.jpg

^^ AWESOME PICS!!! Truly, this would complement the unit's world class feel... :)

Ang extension ng Piazza... BGC Promenade - taken from Piazza's 2nd level

13 to 17 of 40 pictures. ;)

07.19.06

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_050x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_038x.jpg

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http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_025x.jpg

I really like the fountain, the walkway and the landscaped gardens of Serendra. :)

BGC Promenade - up close, sorry for the grainy pic, madilim kasi dahil maulap, eh weakness ng PDA ko yung dilim.

07.19.06

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/BGC-Promenade_07-19-06.jpg

Thank You Aaron/Thomasian for those well taken pictures you've posted there bro. Ganda na talaga sa FBGC and I love it! Serendra owners must be very happy. When is the Piazza going to open again? The Promenade sa December na di ba? Imagine pagbukas pa ng Forbestown Commercial Area. Dang! Can't wait to go back home na talaga. Enjoy for sure! :okay: :okay: :okay:

Aaron! thank you very much of the photos, been waiting for someone to post photos of it. Is the Piazza formally open? The promenade is looking very cool also, love the open space between it.

Aaron, thank you very much! OK naman ang quality. So the picture was taken from Serendra --- like the landscaping. I guess this side is better than the one facing Market Market. Is there a public transpo in that street between Serendra and Piazza?

are there more pictures aaron? any views of serendra from 11th street or the promenade? thanks

THOMASIAN!

YOU DESERVE A HUG!
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS MAKES ME HAPPY.
I WAS SO HUNGRY FOR THESE! :nuts:

WONDERFUL WONDERFUL PIX!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

XOXOXOXO!!

Thanks Thomasian! Ganda ng pictures mo. I hope may nagtake ng pictures sa softlaunch ng Piazza.

Congrats to Ayala for a job well done! And there's more to come. BGC is really the place to be.

wow! ang ganda na! salamat aaron sa updates. :D

I myself am very impressed. I love my job ;) by the way in response to the queries of lobby renderings -

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/9350/dropoff01me1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2282/lobbydarev01ln4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4295/lobbyebrev02bs8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^^ wow, that's nice! hehe :)

Thanks, Mitch, for the lobby renderings. Are those for both One and Two Serendra?

THOMASIAN!

YOU DESERVE A HUG!
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS MAKES ME HAPPY.
I WAS SO HUNGRY FOR THESE! :nuts:

WONDERFUL WONDERFUL PIX!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

XOXOXOXO!!

Hug? Girl ka? Uhm, hmm, let's see, ahh, okay, sige na nga, pwede na ring pagtiyagaan. :D

To those asking, yes, there are other pics, just be patient kasi bawal ako mag-internet sa bahay ngayon, gagawan ko pa ng paraan na mai-upload yung iba. ;)

Hug? Girl ka? Uhm, hmm, let's see, ahh, okay, sige na nga, pwede na ring pagtiyagaan. :D

Ako hindi girl but I'll still give you a hug as long as you keep taking and posting more pics. But I have to draw the line on hugs only....no xoxoxoxo. I leave that up to ocdiva.

=) i could give you a hug also aaron! =) thanks again and looing forward to see the other photos...

Posting of pictures deserves hugs! Friendly hugs naman, and friendly xoxoxo. Gasrock and edmundtanso agree with me and betcha more would love to give you hugs. So Aaron is another name for Thomasian?

Looking forward to the rest of the pics. Wish Ayala would install live webcams within Serendra, Piazza, Promenade, and ituloy ko na, the whole FBGC or at least strategically located webcams for all to see progress live. That would be awesome, dontcha think?! :)

^^ i thought live webcams sa units. i was like, whaat?!?! hehehe. serendra really looks good! and i like the lobby. it's very homey and looks distinctly filipino. :D

^^ Hmmm... ikaw ha, lumalabas ang voyeuristic tendencies mo. :rofl:

@ ocdiva - Aaron is my name. :okay: Aaron Charles I. Ofngol para kumpleto. :D

@ everyone - Sure, I'll accept all hugs. Cash and donations in kind is also accepted, pwede ring credit card, cheque, or deposit to my bank account, gift cheques are also welcome. :colgate:

18 to 29 of 40 pics (this time with labels ;) )

07.19.06

East Escalators: Ground to 2nd level, and Ground to basement parking level.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_022x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_013x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_024x.jpg

Center Bridgeway: (there are two others, the one in the West (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_005x.jpg) and the East (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_022x.jpg) , both with escalators up to the basement-parking level)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_014x.jpg

The staircase on the center bridgeway:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_023x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_015x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_016x.jpg

The views from the center bridgeway: (all facing West/Market! Market!)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_017x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_019x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_021x.jpg

Eastern entrance with (from L-R) view of SoMa, Fifth Avenue Place (soon), Essensa Twins, Regent Parkway, and Fairways Tower.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_026x.jpg

Eastern entrance
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_027x.jpg

Many Thanks once more Aaron. Wow ganda ng Serendra! :)

anong tawag sa punong nakatanim dyan? hehehe

anong tawag sa punong nakatanim dyan? hehehe


Hindi ako sigurado pero mukhang it's either an ' Umbrella tree' or ' Coffee Arabica' plant. Anyway, very well suited and beautiful tropical plant. It will be a very picturesque tree as it grows...forming a nicely tiered shade canopy. :)

^^ i thought live webcams sa units. i was like, whaat?!?! hehehe. serendra really looks good! and i like the lobby. it's very homey and looks distinctly filipino. :D


you're funny, kunoL8! :) yes, i really like the simple, clean lines of Serendra.

Aaron, thanks a lot! You take great pictures and with descriptions to boot! I don't think I can ever repay you, my credit cards are maxed out. sagot ko na lang 6-pack san mig, okay? :)

^^ Actually mas gusto niya ang CokeLitro! Diba Aaron? :D

^^ Actually mas gusto niya ang CokeLitro! Diba Aaron? :D

How come? You don't like beer, Aaron? I must be missing an inside joke. :uh:

^^ Actually mas gusto niya ang CokeLitro! Diba Aaron? :D

Sure!!! 6-pack na CokeLitro ha :drool: (oo, merong ganun) , that's more than enough payment. :D

^^haha... :lol: adik sa coke!!!

btw, thanks for the pic!!! gumaganda na ang serendra, tapos pag gawa na pwede na gawing venue ng mga future meet ng SSC...

Bonifacio Global City developer hopes to draw shopping crowd
Newspaper BWorld
Page S2/8
Date 7/27/2006

By Ruby Anne M. Rubio
Reporter


The developer of the Bonifacio Global City is hoping to draw the shopping crowd as it readies retail shops set to open soon at the former military base.


This week, the Fort Bonifacio Development Corp., a joint venture between Ayala Land, Inc. and Campos-led Evergreen Holdings, Inc., will soft launch retail shops at its Serendra residential project at the Global City.


In November, it will open the Promenade, a "pedestrian highway" development that will offer both retail and commercial space.


Ayala Land said the soft opening of the retail portion at Serendra will offer a one-of-a-kind format which the property firm boasts as being reminiscent of the shopping experience at the Soho-Greenwich area in New York.


Head for commercial operations Aniceto V. Bisnar, Jr. said "the retail component in Serendra is [offering] new names, unique names, international concept of retail and restaurants."


On the other, he said, the Promenade, "will [offer] tested [retail] names that we have in the Ayala Malls."


Both projects will bring in more than 160 retail establishments.


"Those two projects are all high-end. There will be a big number of shops and restaurants that will come in and will be operational by end of the year," he added.


Aiming to add 400,000 square meters in gross leasable retail area to its portfolio in the next five years, Ayala Land will expand existing malls as it opens new centers in new locations.


The retail portion at Serendra consists of 6,400 square meters among others.


The Promenade is being constructed at the middle of the city center. It will be 40 meters wide with a length of about 500 meters cutting across the city center.


Mr. Bisnar said the Promenade will not only have shops and restaurants, but also stand-alone retail locators such as Adidas, Nike and Fully Booked.


"It will be the first of its kind in the country complemented by the best retail and food concepts. Every area here is designed to enhance the quality of life as it promotes a healthy work-life balance," he said during the launch of Chateau de Noble, a residential project to be developed by another company.


The Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. is owned by Bonifacio Land Corp. and the Bases Conversion Development Authority. Ayala Land and Evergreen Holdings bought the controlling stake in Fort Bonifacio Development in 2003.


Bonifacio Global City is strategically located close to the Makati business district, the Ortigas center and the new airport terminal.


Mr. Bisnar said Fort Bonifacio Development, which owns 137 hectares of Bonifacio Global City, would continuously improve on the infrastructure and landscape.


"After we have completed the master plan, we have ongoing studies on how to improve our access roads, the entrances in terms of aesthetics, landscaping, signage, environmental graphics. Those are being studied right now by [Ayala Land], its planners and consultants. Of course, we will continue with the ongoing development of our city center which is our priority for the year," he added.


In its annual report, Ayala Land said the city center's master plan was redesigned to "achieve the right balance between development density, landmark projects, open space, and amenities."


"The new plan will improve both vehicular and pedestrian circulation and allow a better balance of value among the available lots. The master plan's signature feature is a landscaped retail and office promenade area which will be launched by the end of 2006," it added.


The new master plan was unveiled in May. It aims to transform the emerging business district into a city "that truly works." Its board approved the revised master plan in July 2005.


"The new master plan involves a major redesign of the amenities and facilities to make the entire area more efficient and attuned to the new standard of urban living. The master plan considers the efficient traffic and circulation with pedestrian-friendly design of roadways and walkways," Mr. Bisnar said.

^^ I wonder how the place is gonna be like on rainy days such as these though... I mean, GB3 can get a little too wet on a rainy day... but I like the "openness" of it all and from the pictures posted the piazza looks really nice... I can't wait to see what the promenade will look like when the landscaping is done.

Btw, I’d like to thank all the contributors here, I’ve been getting more up to date updates from you guys than from my agent hehe! I’ve been reading this thread for the past couple of months… found it when I googled for whatever I could find on Serendra after I got a unit there… mainly for updates. The last time I drove by the area was about a month ago… couldn’t see much of the piazza then (from McKinley Parkway). Thomasian’s pictures are really great! Good job, Thomasian! :)

Sure!!! 6-pack na CokeLitro ha :drool: (oo, merong ganun) , that's more than enough payment. :D Hihihi!!! :)

How come? You don't like beer, Aaron? I must be missing an inside joke. :uh: Yup an on-going inside joke OCdiva! :)

wow, Serendra is sandwiched between Market2 and Promenade? And plus its own Piazza?

If this is true, congrats to all the condo owners, especially that of District I. This is truly and obviously a very good investment and I can foresee this condo appreciating tremendously with the opening of these malls. Congrats to EdmundTanso whom I now purchased a unit.

PS. I was very close to choosing Serendra over RLC 5th Ave. Place way back Jan 2004. I chose 5th Ave. Place because it was cheaper by P3 million (for 2 BR, RLC sa 5.8 vs. 9MM for Serendra). Looking back now, I am wondering if I made a mistake in judgement.

akaflorestoo
thanks...i am indeed very exited and looking forward to see the actual piazza and promenade when it's done.

so promenade is opening in november? they must be working full time to finish this project....

PS. I was very close to choosing Serendra over RLC 5th Ave. Place way back Jan 2004. I chose 5th Ave. Place because it was cheaper by P3 million (for 2 BR, RLC sa 5.8 vs. 9MM for Serendra). Looking back now, I am wondering if I made a mistake in judgement.
Ang importante you had the vision and foresight to invest in FBGC since no matter which development one ends up buying into, you can't really go wrong as long as you have a unit in Fort Boni as evidenced by all these construction in and around Fort. Aside from Ayala's MarketMarket, Piazza and Promenade, Megaworld will also develop Forbestown and McKinley Hill so papalibutan ka talaga ng mall and commercial establishments so it's really going to be so convenient to do whatever anywhere you may be located in Fort Boni. :)


Fort Boni consortium eyes sale of more lots for development
Cheryl M. Arcibal

FORT Bonifacio Development Corp. (FBDC), the consortium tasked to develop a huge chunk of the military base in Taguig City into a premier business and residential district, expects to sell additional lots to a number of developers before the end of the year. Aniceto V. Bisnar Jr., FBDC commercial operations head, told reporters that G&W Architects, Robinsons Land Corp., and Ayala Land, Inc. are pushing through with their new projects in the Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

“Existing developers such as G & W, they’re still expanding. Serendra [of Ayala Land], is about to start, I think by third quarter, another phase of its development. The high towers of Serendra project will be started towards the latter part of the year. Robinsons Land is also pushing [through] with [its] project. Robinsons is constructing the one located in McKinley Business Park. It’s a residential project, construction is going on,” he said. Bisnar said the “brisk sale” of residential units located in BGC has driven developers to look for new projects to supply demand.

He added that FBDC is also constructing a nine-story building for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp. along the 5th Avenue near the city center that will be completed by January 2007.

The Serendra condominium project, explained Bisnar, would be linked to The Promenade, the shopping and entertainment center of the BGC, that will be opened in November.

Bisnar also revealed that BGC is attracting foreign investors to put up five-star hotels in the sprawling 240-hectare complex but refused to identify them pending the conclusion of agreement among the parties.

At present, the company still has 30 lots to sell, ranging in sizes from 1,000 square meters to one hectare, with prices ranging from P60,000 to P185,000 for every square meter before value-added tax.

FBDC owns 137 hectares of land in BGC.

Bisnar said bulk of the interest for properties in BGC come from office space developers, noting that the complex has “complete support” for employees such as access roads and an efficient public transport system through shuttle buses.

“The bulk of interest right now is coming from office developers, so probably we’d be able to close between three to five lot sales for office developments by the end of the year,” he said.

For expats like me, help me visualize Fort then. Using Google Earth, I have Fort birds-eye view with some label. Help me label it with all the condos + malls + Hospitals + schools + commercial bldg. Once I get it completed, I will move it to the Fort Thread. Salamat.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l245/akaflorestoo/Fort_accdng2Bong.jpg

^^ Medyo off yata yung location ng Essensa and 5th ave. above...
Hopefully the maps/pics below can help you visualize a little better. :)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/aranetacoliseum/5294550-L.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/aranetacoliseum/mprlocmap.jpg
http://www.philskies.net/library/pancreas/Planespotting/Feb_March/Dsc05881.jpg

(C) - Constructed
(U/C) - Under Construction
(TBC) - To Be Constructed

Aerial shot of the Makati skyline from Fort Bonifacio Global City. The condo developments along Manila Golf are Fairways Tower (U/C), Pacific Plaza (C), Icon (TBC), One McKinley(C), Forbestown (U/C), Bellagio (U/C), and Bonifacio Ridge (C)... sa kabilang dako naman Essensa(C) and Regent Parkway(C) are pictured on the left hand side close to where Fifth Avenue place (U/C) will be built. Back sa may Boni Ridge, nanduon din ang Penhurst (C), Grand Hamptons 1&2 (U/C) and another GW project (U/C) which I can't remember the name. Chateau de Noble (TBC) which was just recently announced is also on that side as well as McKinley Park Lofts (TBC). On the Serendra (U/C) side, there is also Soma (U/C) and Seibu Tower (TBC). McKinley Hill development naman is between the American Cemetery and C5 though I'm not familiar with the names of the projects there. Guess that's it for now. Paki dagdag nalang if I forgot any other project since that's all I can remember for now. Hope this helps. :)

Sure!!! 6-pack na CokeLitro ha :drool: (oo, merong ganun) , that's more than enough payment. :D

hehehe ganun?

Thanks 3cr for the correction and additional info. I have modified my Google image. I am indeed learning a lot from this endeavor.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l245/akaflorestoo/BongFort.jpg

Bong/Akaflores, My pleasure. You're very much welcome bro! :)
Sayang hindi updated ang Googke Earth though your FBGC map is looking good with all the marked developments in place. Btw yung Bellagio nga pala is actually located after Forbeswoods Heights (not before).
PS: Megaworld has a proposed project beside Forbeswood Heights but I forgot the name eh.

PS: Megaworld has a proposed project beside Forbeswood Heights but I forgot the name eh.


could that be Forbeswood Parklane?

^^ Yes that's it! Thanks laquacherra! :)

Thanks, Mitch, for the lobby renderings. Are those for both One and Two Serendra?

Hey :wave: Got them from the team of Two Serendra. Will keep you posted for One Serendra.

@ KiBeN - :wave: yah! shucks excited na'ko talaga...

@kunoL8 - save a copy of this picture ha. para when the lobbies are finished you can compare the pictures with the actual. :)

@ aaron - pa-huuug din ako!!!!!! hug nalang ha. yun lang libre e. :D

Will keep you posted for One Serendra.

looking forward for that :)

Hey :wave: Got them from the team of Two Serendra. Will keep you posted for One Serendra.

Thank you thank you. The materials used: natural tumbled stone or marble or tile? Very nice and clean looking. Can you take pics of hallways, common walkways? Would like to know or get an idea on dimensions, width of hallways, etc.

@ KiBeN - :wave: yah! shucks excited na'ko talaga...

@kunoL8 - save a copy of this picture ha. para when the lobbies are finished you can compare the pictures with the actual. :)

@ aaron - pa-huuug din ako!!!!!! hug nalang ha. yun lang libre e. :D

aaron, you'll have lots of hugs coming from your adoring fans. see, told ya! :)

Does anyone know how parking is controlled in condos? I mean parking slots are numbered and assigned but considering that Serendra is going to be a big community, is there a chance that you’ll find some else’s car parked in your slot every now and then? Intentionally, for whatever reason. Thanks :)

^^ well, you have the right to burn the car on your parking slot :D

^^ Aside from torching it , most condos will have controlled and uncontrolled parking areas, the access to the controlled will be with stickers which are ulitmately traceable to the owner of the unit, if your ind slot has someone elses car parked in it, chances are a quick complaint to the guard or administration will reveal who has parked there and this can be quickly remedied, if it is a perenial problem (unlikely) then it is something the condo board will have to address. Cars without stickers are not allowed into the controlled access parking area and ussually have a public parking area with specific slots for them.

^^ hahaha! yeah, c0kelitr0, i'm sure that will be really tempting! i was thinking more along the lines of having them towed though :)


bustero, thanks for that info... yeah, 1 slot = 1 sticker, i hope... otherwise it'll be chaotic! you know the way they issue so many stickers per household in villages :)

Would like to know or get an idea on dimensions, width of hallways, etc.

i was told that the hallway outside my unit is 7ft wide... maybe mitch can confirm? :)

have you been to the model units?? I think that's the actual hallway width..

i was told that the hallway outside my unit is 7ft wide... maybe mitch can confirm? :)

:) I've toured the models but for some reason I remember being told that hallways will be much narrower, not the same width as shown. The models give semblance of interior look and feel of units but I have not seen exteriors other than building facades as posted here.

It will be nice to see pictures of actual hallways, breezeways, walkways, and perhaps, some parts of the inside gardens, etc.

The Piazza at Serendra

30 to 40 of 40 pics - Last batch!!!

07.19.06

The West Entrance - facing Market! Market! and the beautifully landscaped rotunda.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_044x.jpg

CR
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_035x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_032x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_033x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_034x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_042x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_043x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_045x.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_046x.jpg

Other pics:

SoMa as seen from Piazza
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_040x.jpg

HSBC (the u/c on the right) and Bellagio I as seen from Piazza)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b210/ofngol/Photo_071906_048x.jpg

ganda ng cr...designed for pinoys who love to pee on the walls :lol: :jk:

^^ ;)

^^ Hehe, maganda ngang alternative just in case may mga gumagamit sa mga urinals at sa toilet, eh di use the halamanan. :rofl: :jk:

thanks aaron....another hug for you =)

love the piazza, love the mature tress also, i hope they are from the bursery and not from the rainforest =)

Thanks, Aaron! Another hug rin! :)

Those water features, are those meant for kids to play with? Knowing kids, I bet you they will! Although, these look so low and smallish I hope no one trips and fall on them while walking by.

^^very nice pictures, Thomasian. Great updates! I've been too busy (lazy to be more exact hehe!) to drive by the area to see them first hand :)


have you been to the model units?? I think that's the actual hallway width..

Yup, I did several times in fact. If that's the case then I think it's good enough... come to think of it that hallway did look like it was around 7 ft wide :)

the hallways are only 7ft. wide? parang ang kipot.

Thanks, Aaron! Another hug rin! :)

Sure, pero sana pala unit owner na lang din si Fhoy para may hug din ako sa kanya.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid210/p1fa5e3598a75739b515bc13895d19f74/edb66007.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid210/pb4e29e1952a9a019ebc0c49d57a04edf/edb9c0bc.jpg

My only worry about the design/structure of Serendra while I was looking at these pictures, were the corrugated metal sheets and tiles that were installed for its roofing. Although I’m not an architect, I’m concerned that this material might not stand a category one hurricane (74 -95mph wind force). Also, I'm not a big fan of the "hat" looking design of the roof, for during a typhoon, it can appear to be easily picked up by strong winds from underneath.

I appreciate those guys sending updates on a regular basis!

Sure, pero sana pala unit owner na lang din si Fhoy para may hug din ako sa kanya.

Sino si Fhoy? All you need to do is ask him/her. Now he/she knows you're his/her admirer! :laugh:

Thanks ulit sa pics. Can you post hallways, breezeways, gardens next, okay? :okay:

Thanks for the photo shots, pau_p1! More to come, I hope! :)

Thanks, pau_p1, nice pictures... Serendra from a different angle this time :)

My only worry about the design/structure of Serendra while I was looking at these pictures, were the corrugated metal sheets and tiles that were installed for its roofing. Although I’m not an architect, I’m concerned that this material might not stand a category one hurricane (74 -95mph wind force). Also, I'm not a big fan of the "hat" looking design of the roof, for during a typhoon, it can appear to be easily picked up by strong winds from underneath.

and speaking of roofs... while I'm confident that typhoons have been taken into consideration by the designers/architects, I still didn't get a unit on the top floor because roofs will inevitably leak and I didn't want to have to deal with the problem :runaway:

Sino si Fhoy? All you need to do is ask him/her. Now he/she knows you're his/her admirer! :laugh: OCdiva, Remember the 6 pack of beer you were offering Aaron? Well Fhoy is Cokelitro, the 6 pack soda of choice ni Aaron! Now you know the inside joke na! :)


Thanks for this post Aaron! :)
Take-up Of ALI’s Fort Boni Mall Upbeat
Business World - 7/11/06

Take-up for the Ayala group’s newest mall
is strong with foreign and upscale local
brands reserving space for outlets in the lifestyle
center, company officials said. In a recent
interview, Fort Bonifacio Development
Corp. (FBDC) head for commercial operations
Aniceto V. Bisnar, Jr. told
BusinessWorld that the City Center Retail
Promenade is almost fully taken up. The
Retail Promenade is the Ayala group’s lifestyle
mall which will rise on the city center
of the Bonifacio Global City by November
this year. The P600-million retail development
will be a 40-meter wide and 500-meter
long stretch which will be lined by stores
and restaurants. The strip, FBDC earlier
said, can fit 88 stores and will have eight parcels
allocated for land leases. Officials said
that of the 88 stores that are going to be
leased out, 60% to 70% are already spoken
for. Meanwhile, five of the eight parcels of
land that will be leased out have already been
reserved. These tenants, FBDC said, will be
given 800 square meters of land on which to
build their outlets. FBDC also said that
among those that will be opening stores in
the lifestyle mall are All Flip Flops, which will
be the flagship store for Havaianas, and
Mizuno. Among others, Mr. Bisnar said that
at least two multinational banks are looking
at relocating to the city center from the
Makati Business Center, but he declined to
name the banks.

the hallways are only 7ft. wide? parang ang kipot.

7 feet would be 2.13+ meters wide... hallway sa unit?? ok na yan... :D

7 feet would be 2.13+ meters wide... hallway sa unit?? ok na yan... :D


it's sa labas ng unit actually which is why it's medyo kipot but pwede na rin :)

actually standard yata yang 7 feet sa hallway.. sa GA Tower ganyan din..

pero yung hallway leading to the lifts mga 9+ feet..

it's sa labas ng unit actually which is why it's medyo kipot but pwede na rin :)

and speaking of roofs... while I'm confident that typhoons have been taken into consideration by the designers/architects, I still didn't get a unit on the top floor because roofs will inevitably leak and I didn't want to have to deal with the problem :runaway:[/QUOTE]

you made a good point. i beleive and hope they used a good quality metal roof material and fastened it really good to withstand storms.

and speaking of roofs... while I'm confident that typhoons have been taken into consideration by the designers/architects, I still didn't get a unit on the top floor because roofs will inevitably leak and I didn't want to have to deal with the problem

I think the roof is considered common area therefore will be fixed by the homeowner's association.(or property management) Tama ba ito or nagkakamali ako?

Hey everyone :wave:


Regarding roofing materials, Ayala (MDC/EEI) construction standards can guarantee that the roofs & tiles won't be blown away by category 1 hurricanes if ever we encounter(will refer to our engineers's technical opinion). We've used the same kind of material for roofing in our previous projects in the past and so far, the roofs are still intact. With typhoons recently (not so sure lang the exact wind speed per hr), the roofing materials across Section A's of both Districts are still intact. For possible leaks, at this point the construction team are doing tests, so with whatever problem that may occur, we can fix it right away. We don't hand you your (unit) Acceptance Letters for signature if there are problems like that in your unit - we tell you in the Punchlisting/Inspection stage (this is a requirement before formal turnover/delivery of the unit) the leaks and scratches so we can repair it first before we deliver it to you. :) Before the turnover month we make sure that every little detail (including the roof and piping) is well-tested. That's why we're always ahead of construction schedules - to atleast provide buffer periods for inspection. Your monthly association dues normally include repair costs but as much as possible, we make sure that we do our inspections first.


For the hallways, the width is just about 1.8m apart for One Serendra, 1.4m apart for Two Serendra. These are for both the Section A's of both Districts. For the succeeding phases, will have to verify if the measurements are the same. If you've been to the Serendra Sales Pavillion at the models units, the hallways leading the model units are about the same with the actual - just less than 2 small floor tiles apart.


Hope these helps. :)

I think the roof is considered common area therefore will be fixed by the homeowner's association.(or property management) Tama ba ito or nagkakamali ako?
Even if they get to fix it, you'll still be the first one to know if there is a leak in the roof. :D Besides, di naman yata nila aayusin o babayaran kung ano man ang maging damage dun sa unit mo kasi yung roof lang ang common area, ganun ba yun?

cover nang insurance yan.. so kung mag leak.. tapos may na damage.. sagot nang building insurance yan..

1.4meter? wala pang 5 feet yan.. medyo maliit yata yang hallway dyan..

Hey everyone :wave:

For the hallways, the width is just about 1.8m apart for One Serendra, 1.4m apart for Two Serendra. These are for both the Section A's of both Districts. For the succeeding phases, will have to verify if the measurements are the same. If you've been to the Serendra Sales Pavillion at the models units, the hallways leading the model units are about the same with the actual - just less than 2 small floor tiles apart.


Hope these helps. :)

^^ wow, hehe ganyan talaga mga developer , kahit ayala walang pagkakaiba, iyung subsequent unit liniitan na to the building code minimum! Pareho lang iyan sa low cost ko na condo except iyung sa amin 20k per sq.m. lang haha.

1.4meter? wala pang 5 feet yan.. medyo maliit yata yang hallway dyan..

yeah, even at 1.8 meters (5.9 ft)... pano na ang medyo obese hehehe! :jk:

cover nang insurance yan.. so kung mag leak.. tapos may na damage.. sagot nang building insurance yan..

yup but hassle nga lang :)

yeah, even at 1.8 meters (5.9 ft)... pano na ang medyo obese hehehe! :jk:
potpot busina muna mare hehe

san yan bustero?

^^ wow, hehe ganyan talaga mga developer , kahit ayala walang pagkakaiba, iyung subsequent unit liniitan na to the building code minimum! Pareho lang iyan sa low cost ko na condo except iyung sa amin 20k per sq.m. lang haha.

Hey everyone :wave:


Regarding roofing materials, Ayala (MDC/EEI) construction standards can guarantee that the roofs & tiles won't be blown away by category 1 hurricanes if ever we encounter(will refer to our engineers's technical opinion). We've used the same kind of material for roofing in our previous projects in the past and so far, the roofs are still intact. With typhoons recently (not so sure lang the exact wind speed per hr), the roofing materials across Section A's of both Districts are still intact. For possible leaks, at this point the construction team are doing tests, so with whatever problem that may occur, we can fix it right away. We don't hand you your (unit) Acceptance Letters for signature if there are problems like that in your unit - we tell you in the Punchlisting/Inspection stage (this is a requirement before formal turnover/delivery of the unit) the leaks and scratches so we can repair it first before we deliver it to you. :) Before the turnover month we make sure that every little detail (including the roof and piping) is well-tested. That's why we're always ahead of construction schedules - to atleast provide buffer periods for inspection. Your monthly association dues normally include repair costs but as much as possible, we make sure that we do our inspections first.


For the hallways, the width is just about 1.8m apart for One Serendra, 1.4m apart for Two Serendra. These are for both the Section A's of both Districts. For the succeeding phases, will have to verify if the measurements are the same. If you've been to the Serendra Sales Pavillion at the models units, the hallways leading the model units are about the same with the actual - just less than 2 small floor tiles apart.


Hope these helps. :)

oo nga pala bat di ko natanong sa kuya ko about dito, taga EEI pala sya... :D

san yan bustero?
hehe medyo low cost tayo pre, sa mga kasulukan ng pasig at qc, mga 4 story walk up lang kasi! pero ngayon alam ko na na kasing lapad lang ang corridor namin kay Serendra!

hehe medyo low cost tayo pre, sa mga kasulukan ng pasig at qc, mga 4 story walk up lang kasi! pero ngayon alam ko na na kasing lapad lang ang corridor namin kay Serendra!

Sorry, I can't help it -----sobra akong natawa dito! bustero/Peter, ang lakas mong mang-asar! :)

Sorry, I can't help it -----sobra akong natawa dito! bustero/Peter, ang lakas mong mang-asar! :)

ang hirap lang sa pang aasar niya, effective!!! :)

^^ Kasi totoo. Mataas ang credibilidad sa akin ni Bustero noh? :nocrook:

^^look at it this way... di ba ang aisle sa coach at sa business class ng airplane pareho lang din ang lapad? :)

^^look at it this way... di ba ang aisle sa coach at sa business class ng airplane pareho lang din ang lapad? :)

Business class has a wider aisle, more legroom, and leather seats compared to coach. Same with condominium, I guess. You pay P24K/sqm ... but don't expect a P100K/sqm facilities, amenities, and location. You pay P24K/sqm ... but don't expect a P100K/sqm appreciation in property values. I heard from my agent, Serendra has already appreciated 20% since I bought my unit last year.

^^I guess it depends on the airline, even first class sa PAL walang leather seats e :) ... but back to the topic, yeah I agree, I bought mine almost a year ago and the price has increased at least twice already since then... not bad :)

I'll be so disappointed if the lobbies leading to the elevator and the hallways don't have a centralized air conditioning system---makipot na nga, humid pa.

As an owner, I know I’m bound by the association's covenant as we call here in US as conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs). Owners who fail to follow the rules are fined and if fines are not paid, the association can put a lien on the property. I’m just curious diyan ba sa Pinas and for those who’ve experienced condo-living there already—ano ba ang average renter population allowed ng association? Here in US, most of the time there are clear rental policies sa signed agreement ng mga owners—like a threshold value of only10% renter population is allowed in the community or owners must have to wait for a certain time before they can rent their property.

Sorry, I can't help it -----sobra akong natawa dito! bustero/Peter, ang lakas mong mang-asar! :)


hehe sorry not my intention actually but as they say...
batobato sa langit...

As an owner, I know I’m bound by the association's covenant as we call here in US as conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs). Owners who fail to follow the rules are fined and if fines are not paid, the association can put a lien on the property. I’m just curious diyan ba sa Pinas and for those who’ve experienced condo-living there already—ano ba ang average renter population allowed ng association? Here in US, most of the time there are clear rental policies sa signed agreement ng mga owners—like a threshold value of only10% renter population is allowed in the community or owners must have to wait for a certain time before they can rent their property.

i've read the restrictions attached to the DOS... i don't remember anything about a threshold for renter population... but it was quite a long read so I might have missed it

hehe sorry not my intention actually but as they say...
batobato sa langit...

jbkayaker, is that you? :D

I’m just curious diyan ba sa Pinas and for those who’ve experienced condo-living there already—ano ba ang average renter population allowed ng association? Here in US, most of the time there are clear rental policies sa signed agreement ng mga owners—like a threshold value of only10% renter population is allowed in the community or owners must have to wait for a certain time before they can rent their property.

Hello ProjM!

I am active in doing condo rentals in Makati and Bonifacio Global City and at the moment, there is no "average renter population" policy. There are no restrictions with regard to this. Therefore, it is up to the landlord/unit owner whether he will use/occupy the unit or if he will lease out the condo unit.

However, everybody will follow the condo rules and regulations (ex, use of facilities, payment of dues, policy on pets , etc. etc) whether he is the unit owner or the tenant/lessee.

So, basically, that's how it goes here in the Phils.

jbkayaker, is that you? :D
naku ha ito ang intentionally nangaasar , hehe :scouserd: :)

ate lili, you flatter so baka maniwala na talaga ako :)

back to topic

Proj M. Real estate is not as developed and differentiated here so such restrictions have not been drawn up.

Mataas ang credibilidad sa akin ni Bustero noh? :nocrook:

oh yeah, i second that :)


does anyone know if the buyers of serendra are mostly homeowners (for their own use) or investors (to be rented out)?

I'll be so disappointed if the lobbies leading to the elevator and the hallways don't have a centralized air conditioning system---makipot na nga, humid pa. ....

Same with me. The hallways will really be tight if at 5.9 ft. Recalling my visit to the models at the sales office, the hallways' square tile's width, I think, is about 1 foot or 16 inches (if 16 x 16 floor tiles were used); that's pretty substantial if they take out two rows (from each side edge). At this point, it looks like I should expect the least (or unfortunately, the worst?). Is this still up to code? What happens on emergency situations? I hate to speculate.

Teka muna, akala ko may breezeways sa hallways to let the 'nature in'? I kinda remember reading this on some Serendra sales pitch materials, on web, brochure or postings. Too bad, it will make all this talk of light and air coming in for naught.

Perhaps getting a studio was the best decision after all. I hope I'm proven wrong. But then again, 20% gain still ain't bad.

And on a lighter note, this is an incentive for me to get back to my weight-watchers routine, or else,
I may have to use a ladder up the balcony to get to and from the studio :hahaha: !

Teka muna, akala ko may breezeways sa hallways to let the 'nature in'? I kinda remember reading this on some Serendra sales pitch materials, on web, brochure or postings. Too bad, it will make all this talk of light and air coming in for naught.

you're right about the hallways... i confirmed it with my agent :)

that's too bad there's no opening in the hallway, i guess because they took advantage of all the available windows for units. i hope there would be a/c or fan though,that would be nice.

not to bad really, even 5 star hotels have 1.4 meter windowless corridors for perspective, of course it's airconed but since you're a unit owner you probably don't want to pay for the airconditioning of the corridors too! Maganda naman overall ang project so give and take:)

sa GA tower, 7 feet ang corridors and they have windows and exhaust fan in all 4 corners.. so presko sya..

not to bad really, even 5 star hotels have 1.4 meter windowless corridors for perspective, of course it's airconed but since you're a unit owner you probably don't want to pay for the airconditioning of the corridors too! Maganda naman overall ang project so give and take:)

bustero
you got a good point, it would just be nice to have air-con hallways, feels like a hotel =)

it will be nice.. but your association dues will be too expensive..

re: association dues.. are they also gonna bill owners quarterly in advance?? an 80 sqm unit at 75.00 monthly dues.. that's 18T per quarter in advance..

bustero
you got a good point, it would just be nice to have air-con hallways, feels like a hotel =)

$75 for 80sq meter?

^^ Hehehe...ikaw naman o siyempre hindi Dollars yan kundi Pesos. It's P75.00/SQM so at 80SQM that's P6T/month or P18T/qtr. as Dvorak pointed out. :)

75 pesos not dollars hehehe! :)

i hope parking slots aren't included in the computation of sq meter basis of the HOA

does all units have parking slots? or is it just an option?

usually if it's just an option, and not all units have parking slot, they include the parking slot in the association dues.. so add at least 13 to 15 sqm for a parking slot.. say at 15sqm @ 75.00 pesos.. that's 1,125.00 per month or additional Php3,375.00 quarterly...

75 pesos not dollars hehehe! :)

i hope parking slots aren't included in the computation of sq meter basis of the HOA

^^ really? yikes! but, no mine came with them na, it wasn't an option... i think all one serendra units come with parking slots don't they? when i was estimating my monthly fixed costs i only considered the floor area of the unit *sigh*

^^I guess it depends on the airline, even first class sa PAL walang leather seats e :) ... but back to the topic, yeah I agree, I bought mine almost a year ago and the price has increased at least twice already since then... not bad :)

hi laquacherra, in only 1 year since you reserved/bought your unit and pay your MA, the price has increased twice po? (sounds soo good;) pwede po ba pakiexplain ng konti for a newbie like me on purchasing condo unit. :) pano pong nagincrease, parang yung kay sir asraz po? for example is twice nagincrease ng 10% ?thanks in advance.


@asraz - increase of 20% of the total value of your unit po? :) :)

hmmm hoa is pretty high, i hope we unit owners get a a return for paying high hoa's.

^^ Edmund, Aside from taking care of the infrastructure and ammenities, your HOA also covers all that open space in Serendra which adds a premium since the garden and greeneries do require periodical maintenance and upkeep (remember water is expensive in FBGC). The fact that Serendra is sprawling and covers a large area is probably why the HOA is on the high side compared to other developments.

In general I think you will find ALI projects , specially in their premier category a bit higher. Also management of facilities are either handled directly by the unit owners through the association or they hire a for profit facilities manager (who may be more efficient but more more expensive), in this case I think it would eventually be turned over to Ayala property managment.

Hi all! Galing talaga ni Sirs 3cr and bustero! I suspected as much when it came to HOA and the gardens. I hope the water used for the sprawling gardens come from recycled water. I think I did read something to that effect.

There are some posts on Thread 2 (last few pages) and at start of this thread re HOA fees, water, electricity, etc. from insider Mitch Rivera, realtor_manila, and my contacts from Serendra, bless their hearts all. It gives us clues on fees to expect...and don't forget the taxes one needs to pay every end of the year to the Phil. gov't, if unit is a rental (earned income after expenses), or sold as investment (cap gains).

On lightness and breeziness: if hallways will not have the 'breezeways' that was much touted about and was a factor in my decision to buy at Serendra, then all that marketing talk and ploy was just that, ploy. I feel kinda suckered in, were it not for the 20% or 100%(?!) price increases mentioned. I still love the gardens, being close to nature and it still is worth it. No regrets here.

Will the 'flick slicks' please post some views of the corridors and hallways to give us the real deal? How about it Aaron, realtor_manila, pau_p1, and others! Advanced thanks and friendly hugs OOO :) !

hi laquacherra, in only 1 year since you reserved/bought your unit and pay your MA, the price has increased twice po?

i've been told that one serendra prices increased jan/feb this year and then again just this august... i think by around 5 or 6% each time. plus at the time i bought mine i was told that prices had already gone up since ALP launched it a year earlier. so for those who bought much earlier than i did (like i assume asraz did) malaki na ang appreciation :)

In general I think you will find ALI projects , specially in their premier category a bit higher. Also management of facilities are either handled directly by the unit owners through the association or they hire a for profit facilities manager (who may be more efficient but more more expensive), in this case I think it would eventually be turned over to Ayala property managment.

I think so too. Ayala will be/is the managed-fee company for Serendra. Love it or hate it, they are a monopoly for this kind of business—setting-up 75 pesos per sq meter HOA dues while the property is still under development says a lot! Say a management fee contract of 10% of the total amount of dues collected monthly at 75 pesos per sq. meter while the common property is still new and very low on maintenance means that they’re going to make a lot of money with this deal due to a very low monthly overhead--money is not dispersed on repair costs.
The Piazza, a commercial establishment located within Serendra, advertised by Ayala as one of the amenities and since owners will be sharing title to common areas and amenities, we might end up paying for its maintenance and utilities???

^^hehe what can I say in the end ayala is just like any real estate development company which wants to make money. But seriously for all my bitching about what they do with the fort , Ayala land is expensive but you can at least be sure they will do a decent job even if their value proposition sits more on the lower scale. They will still be the yardstick by which buyers and real estate professionals measure their investments and projects against!

yeah i wont mind paying higher HOA as long as they maintain the place really good, which i am sure they will.

The Piazza, a commercial establishment located within Serendra, advertised by Ayala as one of the amenities and since owners will be sharing title to common areas and amenities, we might end up paying for its maintenance and utilities???

Hello ProjM!

The tenants (ie, restaurants, shops, etc) of the Piazza will definitely be paying association dues aside from the rental rate of the retail space. It's the same policy applied in all commercial establishments of Ayala Land (ie, Glorietta, Greenbelt, commercial spaces at 6750 Ayala Avenue, etc).

yeah i wont mind paying higher HOA as long as they maintain the place really good, which i am sure they will.

Ayala Land through its property management arm, Ayala Property Management Corporation (APMC), has properly maintained its residential condo and office buildings. Maayos talaga when it comes to maintenance and security.

Some of these residential condos include: One Roxas Triangle, One Salcedo Place, Two Salcedo Place, Three Salcedo Place, Bonifacio Ridge.

Office buildings: Ayala Tower One, 6750 Ayala Avenue

I can assure you that there are no roaming cats (na may dalang isda) in the condo floors and hallways! :)

thanks for the information.....yes i am very happy and comfortable having the ayala company build the condo and maintain the condo i just bought.

Hello ProjM!

The tenants (ie, restaurants, shops, etc) of the Piazza will definitely be paying association dues aside from the rental rate of the retail space. It's the same policy applied in all commercial establishments of Ayala Land (ie, Glorietta, Greenbelt, commercial spaces at 6750 Ayala Avenue, etc).

Thanks RM! That’s nice to hear. Oh by the way, do you think Serendra will be divided into three HOAs---one, two, and commercial?

thanks for the information.....yes i am very happy and comfortable having the ayala company build the condo and maintain the condo i just bought.

Same here…I won’t mind paying higher HOA fees as long as… “quid pro quo” as some people would say. Anyway, I have great expectations that Ayala is going to work out just fine. We’ll just wait and see.

Thanks RM! That’s nice to hear. Oh by the way, do you think Serendra will be divided into three HOAs---one, two, and commercial?

i was wondering about that too... considering there are restrictions on the use of amenities... amenities at one serendra strictly for one serendra residents; the same goes for two serendra

Actually, the establishment of HOAs ---whether one or more HOA--- will really depend on the members of the Condominium Corporation (ie, all unit owners of Serendra).

I want to cite an example regarding this . If you are familiar with the Alexandra Condominium located in Meralco Avenue, Ortigas Centre (near Benpres Building), there are different HOAs corresponding to each cluster. If I am not mistaken, I think there are 6 clusters of buildings in Alexandra , therefore, 6 HOAs. Each HOA sets its own condo dues/association fees. Also, if you'll go to the different clusters, each cluster/building has its own "look" for the lobby/reception area! Iba-iba talaga --- different colors, different furniture --- medyo na-chopsuey lang....

But knowing Ayala Land, I think they will still control the HOA. Otherwise, napakagulo.

With regard to amenities:

I know that there are amenities exclusive to One Serendra and Two Serendra residents only. Check out the Master Deed with the Declaration of Restrictions --- I think this particular provision is discussed there.

It is also possible that there will be one HOA for One Serendra and another HOA for Two Serendra. And then, there's a "Mother HOA" pa.

Hopefully, these details were discussed in the Master Deed.

But knowing Ayala Land, I think they will still control the HOA. Otherwise, napakagulo.

RM, I think it's the other way around. We-HOA will be represented by a board of directors that in turn will guide the management company.

Hi ProjM!

Yes, there's a board of directors. Usually, Ayala Land has x number of people as Board of Directors in the HOA, so that there's "control". As an investor, the most important thing that you have in mind is that the value of your property is preserved (or best case scenario, there is an increase in property values). Basta maayos ang property management, there's nothing to worry naman.

At the moment, all condos developed by Ayala Land are managed by Ayala Property Management Corporation (APMC). The rationale behind the "control" factor is that Ayala is really committed in taking care of the condos even after turnover. In general, maayos talaga.

There are so many condos in the market nowadays --pagandahan talaga. But if you will invest in a condo, find out if the condo/s built by a certain developer/builder has good property management. (Because the nice infinity pool that was advertised in the brochure might become a tilapia fishpond! :) )

The older Ayala dev't are independent.(twin, gilmore, etc) i.e. they are managed eventually by their own boards that's why it's very important through time that you know and approve of your neighbors. In time all these developments will revert to purely homeowners decision as to who will manage their facility, whether to keep it with Ayala Prop Mgnt or do it themselves or even give it to one of the big management companies like colliers etc.

It is also possible that there will be one HOA for One Serendra and another HOA for Two Serendra. And then, there's a "Mother HOA" pa.

Hopefully, these details were discussed in the Master Deed.


this is indeed in the master deed.

from what i've read, there will be just one condominium corporation for the whole of serendra -- one serendra, two serendra and the piazza at serendra. there will be just one board, and it will be comprised such that each section and the piazza are represented equitably. probably then, each section will just have their own committees to handle their own local issues.

in terms of interests to the different sections, voting rights will be given only to the members on whom those interests have a direct effect. in other words, one serendra residents cannot vote on interests affecting only two serendra residents. similarly, two serendra section a residents will have no say on things that affect only two serendra section b residents. and so on and so forth. on issues affecting the whole of serendra, that's only when the serendra universe will get to vote.

for me (as an eventual resident), this is the best because i don't want section b residents making pakialam on issues that will affect only my section, in the same way that i don't want to worry my head on things that won't affect me anyways...

any idea how much it would cost to have a mirror installed (floor to ceiling?) like this?

serendra model unit
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/d1-2br_03.jpg

Good point...Are the hallways and elevators air conditoned?

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/whereisbilly/5d63f127.jpg http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/whereisbilly/dc5ba7b2.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/whereisbilly/August2006006.jpg
Ganda na ng piazza at serendra!!!!!! :runaway:

^^ great pix dunamis! thanks! :)

i drove by serendra over the weekend too... brought my cam with me BUT it was impossible to take pictures while driving :( will try again this weekend and hopefully when there won't too many cars

anyways, serendra is turning out very nicely indeed... and to think it's gonna be home sweet home hehe! :)

dunamis! thanks for the photos, serendra piazza looks awesome. are some of the shops open?

I luv the Piazza!

is the Piazza open to the public already? or when is the actual opening?

Dunamis great shots! That Polo Kai Grill shown, sana meron siyang sports bar section... :) :)

is the Piazza open to the public already? or when is the actual opening?

yes it's open :-) enter 11th avenue and just park along the street while you still can :p

i know that it opened last june or july ata... pero di lahat ng shops...

may resto na bang open dyan?

great pics, dunamis. thanks a lot! any chance for pics of hallways or corridors inside Serendra?

may resto na bang open dyan?

i think GUAVA has already opened.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/jafhoy3/100_1160.jpg

^^ nice snapshot, c0kelitr0! thanks! :) :) :cheers: gosh, i'm getting palpitations :D

ano pong meron sa Guava?? baka puro may guava food don??

OT: uy coke! bakit di ka naki join sa EB??

great pics, dunamis. thanks a lot! any chance for pics of hallways or corridors inside Serendra?

I think serendra is off limits pa. When I get the chance, will take a picture of the hallways also. :cheers:

Yeah Guava looks finished na. Dont know if they have an official launch yet. Two establishments are officially open: 1. Nail Tropics (a foot spa) and a 2. Salon (forgot the name). It looks like serendra will have awesome tenants.

These establishments are located across Market Market.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/whereisbilly/August2006009.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/whereisbilly/August2006007.jpg

These are the names of the Shops at Serendra with their corresponding specialties (published in the Manila Bulletin) :

1) Hossein -- Persian delicacies
2) Guava --Filipino food
3) Gaudi - tapas
4) Cupcakes by Sonja and Chelsea --- sweet treats
5) Mezza Luna - Italian, Indian, Morrocan, Indonesian and Euro-Japanese cuisines
6) Rice Table -- Asian food
7) Tatami - Asian food
8) ZNH --Asian food
9) Polu Kai Grill --- Hawaiian food
10) Kape Isla --coffee
11) Larry's Espresso Bar --coffee

Other unique stores:

1) Nail Tropics
2) Fix Lab Salon
3) Durrani Carpets
4) Pharaoh ---for Egyptian inspired gift and accessories (Note: NOT Pharaoh KTV ha!)
5) Luna --precious stones
6) Seven Dials --Asian inspired store
7) World of Feng Shui - gift shop

Furniture store

1) Padua and Julianne Collection
2) Isa Casa
3) Habi Home
4) Finesa --Balinese inspired
5) Asian Finds --Asian furniture


Art Galleries:

1) Elite Gallery
2) Canvas
3) Art Verite

For kids:
1) Blow up Babies Photo Studio
2) Gymboree

As per Ayala Land, this is just a partial list!

Anyway, looking forward to a new "gimmick" area in Bonifacio Global City!

Thanks for this info Cynch / Realtor_Manila! The list of stores in Serendra's Piazza look good. Can't wait to find out what stores will occupy the Promenade as well. Yup I agree with you that there will be alot of gimmick places/areas in Fort Boni when all these commercial developments get done. December na ang Promenade di ba?

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/whereisbilly/August2006002.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/whereisbilly/August2006003.jpg
Bilis ng development. Enjoy!

^^yup, december na!!! and sakto sa uwi mo kuya boe!!! :D

uy lapit na yan!!!

I think serendra is off limits pa. When I get the chance, will take a picture of the hallways also. :cheers:

great, thanks! :cheer: :cheer:

thanks for the updates guys!

^^yup, december na!!! and sakto sa uwi mo kuya boe!!! :D Hi Steph. Kamusta na dear? Ang saya saya naman ng Manila Meet pics ninyo. We also had a grand time with our BayArea Meet. Uy great news kung open na ang Promenade by December in time for Christmas. Ay naku sayang nga kasi ang uwi ko depende yan kung kelan matatapos ang condo. Sabi lang nila sa akin mga 6 months out pa raw bago man possibleng maumpisahan ang move-in ng mga unit owners (which by my calculations is Feb/March 2007). Diba sa EEI nagtratrabaho ang kuya mo? Baka pwede naman niya tayo bigyan ng construction update ng FT. Mahirap kasi matiyak/masubaybayan at walang updated pics sa website nila lately kanya I can only go by what they tell me. Just PM me or post any updates na lang sa FT thread. Much Thanks. (sorry for being O/T) :)

thanks sa updates dunamis! mukang maganda kumain dito a, hihihi, grabe, matatapos na siya... hehehe

NOW OPEN at SHOPS AT SERENDRA, the newest Ayala Mall...


F SALON - Operated by the Bench Fix Group, this new pampering destination is located at the second level of Shops at Serendra.

NAIL TROPICS - An oasis of total hands, feet and nail care all at the palm of your hand. For appointments, you may call 0916-4611607.

GUAVA - Nelia Silverio Dee takes pride in serving Filipino comfort dishes done in a modern way. For reservations, you may call 0917-5277778.

GAUDI - The famous tapas bar and restaurant now has a new location in Serendra. Please call 856-0473 to 74 to book your reservations.

DURRANI CARPETS - Opening on Saturday (August 19), Durrani offers the best quality Persian, contemporary, tribal and oriental carpets with other decors to blend perfectly with them. For inquiries, you may call 856-0260 and 856-0280.



SOON TO OPEN THIS MONTH

CUPCAKES BY SONJA - Manila's first and only bakery dedicated to selling the best cupcakes in the city, this cozy, New York style bakeshop will take us back to a time when we simply did everything the old-fashioned way using the best and freshest ingredients and mixing them with lots of love.

POLU KAI GRILL - Featuring Hawaiian inspired Pacific Rim cuisine, this is Manila's first Polynesian / tiki style restaurant serving fresh seafood appetizers and freshly caught grilled seafood.

FEZ - This is the first Moroccan inspired fusion restaurant and bar blending Middle Eastern, European and Asian flavors.


MORE AND NEW EXCITING STORES AND RESTAURANTS COMING SOON!!!

Hey everyone! :wave: just got this from my inbox coming from CII/Two Serendra PDG team -

1) hallways have no airconditioning. having such will greatly increase the monthly dues of the residents and i don't think everybody will be willing to pay extra extra for something they use just a minute each day just walking through.

2) thus hallways are naturally ventilated through breezeways. breezeways are openings or windows along the hallways to allow fresh air to circulate. these breezeways are spaced strategically for optimal circulation.

3) serendra will have metal roofs and not roof tiles. our construction here is much stronger than in the US because we have regular storms and we are located in the earthquake belt. the roofing material are fastened based on more stringent standards, and our the roof eaves are covered and sealed to prevent strong winds from penetrating the underside of the roof and causing the roof to get blown away.


:)

Hey everyone! :wave: just got this from my inbox coming from CII/Two Serendra PDG team -

1) hallways have no airconditioning. having such will greatly increase the monthly dues of the residents and i don't think everybody will be willing to pay extra extra for something they use just a minute each day just walking through.

2) thus hallways are naturally ventilated through breezeways. breezeways are openings or windows along the hallways to allow fresh air to circulate. these breezeways are spaced strategically for optimal circulation.

3) serendra will have metal roofs and not roof tiles. our construction here is much stronger than in the US because we have regular storms and we are located in the earthquake belt. the roofing material are fastened based on more stringent standards, and our the roof eaves are covered and sealed to prevent strong winds from penetrating the underside of the roof and causing the roof to get blown away.


:)


Love this! I knew there were breezeways! They're keeping their promises, looks like. With a safe roof over our heads.

Again, no regrets here. It feels more and more that Serendra has been a fortuitous endeavor. I wish i could get another unit. Maybe... after the first gets delivered, we shall see! :cheers: to all! Can't wait!

Awesome news, Mitch! You're an angel! Thank you lots!

Hey everyone!

1) hallways have no airconditioning. having such will greatly increase the monthly dues of the residents and i don't think everybody will be willing to pay extra extra for something they use just a minute each day just walking through.

2) thus hallways are naturally ventilated through breezeways. breezeways are openings or windows along the hallways to allow fresh air to circulate. these breezeways are spaced strategically for optimal circulation.

3) serendra will have metal roofs and not roof tiles. our construction here is much stronger than in the US because we have regular storms and we are located in the earthquake belt. the roofing material are fastened based on more stringent standards, and our the roof eaves are covered and sealed to prevent strong winds from penetrating the underside of the roof and causing the roof to get blown away.

:)

I was led to believe that there would be air-conditioned hallways and I am extremely disappointed! The modern look of Serendra with the nice facades and great landscaping are excellent; but it just doesn’t make sense to me that convenience in the hallways and lobby aren’t provided.

I don’t think I could get by without A/C in the hallways. It really is a necessity in the heat of the summer for at least 6 months. And I think the “Breezeway-system” for a building, in a tropical country like the Philippines means inconvenience—check out the hallway floor plan on their website and you’ll notice that the openings for ventilation are not sufficient enough so that breeze can channel from side-to-side and from end-to-end.

A/C is a basic feature and I totally disagree that having one would be an extra cost for the residents...There are now A/C systems that provide year-round comfort at much lower operating costs, e.g. the water-cooled type. Also, preventative maintenance and implementing energy conservation policies—thermostat setting, etc. can also lower utility costs. Another important thing is that A/C provides a convenient means of removing ODORS in the hallways.

Ayala is trying to maximize its profit by not installing an A/C system with the expense of its clients. This question about the hallways was raised during one of their sales tours that I attended here in the U.S., and Ayala said that “the common areas like the lobby and hallways will be air-conditioned.” Ayala should and must provide the residents with this convenience and let the HOA decide how to manage the costs!

Ayala is trying to maximize its profit by not installing an A/C system with the expense of its clients. This question about the hallways was raised during one of their sales tours that I attended here in the U.S., and Ayala said that “the common areas like the lobby and hallways will be air-conditioned.” Ayala should and must provide the residents with this convenience and let the HOA decide how to manage the costs!

Misrepresenting a project on a sales tour in the US is a sure fire way to kill that project. If you remember the name of the person that answered the question about a/c in the hallways post their names here and let them clarify themselves. Or at the very least have somebody in authority make sure none of this misrepresentation occurs in future sales tours.

^^gosh, any kind of misrepresentation sucks... majorly! :runaway:

I was led to believe that there would be air-conditioned hallways and I am extremely disappointed! The modern look of Serendra with the nice facades and great landscaping are excellent; but it just doesn’t make sense to me that convenience in the hallways and lobby aren’t provided.

only the lobby of one serendra is air-conditioned... the hallways aren't... that's according to my ALP agent whom, i'd like to believe, has been pretty straight forward with me

I was led to believe that there would be air-conditioned hallways and I am extremely disappointed! The modern look of Serendra with the nice facades and great landscaping are excellent; but it just doesn’t make sense to me that convenience in the hallways and lobby aren’t provided.

Hi ProjM! Our apologies po if somehow we made you feel that way. I hope you will allow me to share a piece of my mind and in so doing, please note that all my comments are not necessarily official statements of ALI-Residential Buildings Group nor CII-Projects Development Group as I will have to secure their official statements first. I’m just hoping you would allow me to share what I personally think given the circumstances that I work for Ayala and directly report to the in-house group (and not the brokers’ group) of Ayala Land sellers.


Please note that in printing and distributing all of our sales visuals and brochures we always include a disclaimer saying,

"The particulars, details and visuals shown herein are based on the vision of the developer for the project and are only intended to give a general idea of the project. While such particulars, details and visuals have been prepared with utmost care and given in good faith, these are not to be relied upon as statements of fact and buyers are invited to verify their factual correctness and subsequent changes thereto, if any. The contents herein are subject to change without prior notice and do not constitute part of an offer or contract."

(This is found at the back of all sales visuals/brochures/flyers we are officially distributing.)


We in our part honestly believe that we exerted sufficient efforts to ensure avoidance of misleading statements by indicating that disclaimer in all our brochures and flyers. In this regard we do sincerely apologize if there had been any miscommunication given during those roadshows in the US – either my colleagues might have said it by plain oversight or honest mistake, or hasty assumptions since a lot of Ayala projects have airconditioned lobbies without first making the necessary clarifications from Technical. Do understand also that us agents work differently in terms of selling styles and after-sales servicing, others preferring to check on the validity of the details first before presenting the project details on a prospective client or closing in on the transaction, whilst others may have preferred “doing it fast.”

Taking that aside, I think there are also details noteworthy to point out. Please understand also that Ayala, as a seller/developer (like any other realty in the Phils.), may change or revise current plans especially on those details that will either sacrifice major aspects of the project - either the aesthetic value or maximum appreciation potential of the project, or if it will compromise the general convenience of the buyers/unit owners, or if it’s anything too costly that will put too much burden on maintenance costs and dues. For your dues you don’t only pay for the electricity of all the common areas, but also maintenance of the expanse gardens and landscaping, security services, real estate taxes on all the common areas, insurance of the common areas. That’s usually the case ha, I’m not entirely saying that this is going to be the current set-up for Serendra once finished so let me get back to you on that. If I may attempt to illustrate, your condo dues will cover your individual share of the total expenses of the–

- general common areas
- district common areas (if you are in either One or Two Serendra)
- section common areas (if you are in either Sec. A, B, C, D, E, F, or G)
- residential zone common areas
- limited commercial zone common areas

(as summarized from the Master Deed of Restrictions for One Serendra and Two Serendra)

Bottomline, if we are to aircondition all the hallways of both District 1&2, and 7 sections of each District, plus the common areas of the limited commercial zone areas in the Piazza, you can just imagine how expensive your condo dues will be – covering your share of the whole 11++ hectares of land in Serendra.

Apart from the condo dues, Serendra has always promoted its unique concept of lush gardens and greenery in the middle of the City. I will not fool you into thinking that it won’t be hot; honestly I think it’s really going to be hot during summer considering how humid and how strategically we are placed near the Equator. Now add the humidity of the exhausts coming from the a/c units of all the condo units of the entire Serendra. But to offset the humidity, we have a lot of trees in place (65% open spaces for greens, gardens), and themed gardens all over to encourage enough breeze flow. From a technical viewpoint, would you honestly think that the trees and greenery can still absorb all the humidity if we add up the heat coming from the hallway aircon’s exhausts – of all those buildings? All our gardens for Serendra will wither especially those that are placed very near the buildings. To avoid that we will now have to double (or triple) or garden maintenance costs on your dues if we’ll put the hallway aircons in place – when it can be avoided by encouraging natural air and ventilation to come in. That’s one reason why all windows from each building cluster are bigger than standard – to let natural air and ventilation to come in. For the odors, our mechanical exhaust set up for the entire project is going to be up-to-date in terms of technology considering Section A’s will be turned over next year. Not too advanced, but strong enough to control odors.

It has always been a constant practice for APMC to be part of the decision-making when it comes to HOA (or Condominium Corporation) and costs. This is to further instill the standards of Ayala in meeting the budgetary goals that they have in place to excellently maintain the property – all for the common benefit of unit owners/tenants/investors. The reason why all Ayala projects appreciate at a good rate (among other developers and projects that you can compare it with) is not only because of excellent maintenance and building management, but also because of strict implementation of building maintenance standards through efficiency in billing, collection, allocation and spending. APMC has been doing this job for a long time now, and right now the reason why it’s one of Ayala’s valuable asset is because they have been very very effective.


Just my 2 cents’ worth po. Will get back to you on ALI-RBG’s official statements.

Thanks Mitch for looking into this for projM. I'm sure the official reply would echo what you just posted. I hope Ayala will not hide behind this disclaimer printed in all your brochures as if to say it was the buyers fault for not being vigilant. I think projM did the right thing by asking his/her question at the sales tour and directed it to an Ayala representative. I mean if you're a sales rep by Ayala then your word should be beyond reproach. When projectM asked his/her question then he/she should be able to take that answer to the bank. I'm not being harsh on the sales rep but I think their prime directive(apologies to star trek fans) should be never answer a question if you don't know for sure. Every member of that sales team should be trained on this prime directive. They should be given enough authority to make long distance calls to Manila to get the correct information.
I guess bottom line is Ayala needs to double their training for their sales rep before they send them to the US. There is nothing worse than getting bad information. Better that they respond to an individual's question at a later time when they have the correct answer than to make something up and mislead the buyer.
Rule to thumb if you're selling in the US: a happy customer will tell four of his friends about your product. An unhappy customer will tell sixteen of his friends and neighbors about his bad experience. Why do you think they have a liberal return policy in US department stores?

Apart from the condo dues, Serendra has always promoted its unique concept of lush gardens and greenery in the middle of the City. I will not fool you into thinking that it won’t be hot; honestly I think it’s really going to be hot during summer considering how humid and how strategically we are placed near the Equator. Now add the humidity of the exhausts coming from the a/c units of all the condo units of the entire Serendra. But to offset the humidity, we have a lot of trees in place (65% open spaces for greens, gardens), and themed gardens all over to encourage enough breeze flow. From a technical viewpoint, would you honestly think that the trees and greenery can still absorb all the humidity if we add up the heat coming from the hallway aircon’s exhausts – of all those buildings? All our gardens for Serendra will wither especially those that are placed very near the buildings. To avoid that we will now have to double (or triple) or garden maintenance costs on your dues if we’ll put the hallway aircons in place – when it can be avoided by encouraging natural air and ventilation to come in. That’s one reason why all windows from each building cluster are bigger than standard – to let natural air and ventilation to come in. For the odors, our mechanical exhaust set up for the entire project is going to be up-to-date in terms of technology considering Section A’s will be turned over next year. Not too advanced, but strong enough to control odors.

i agree to this... :D through shading, natural ventilation, conduction control (if there is), radiation, and evaporation, pwede syang passive cooling, isa rin ba sya sa mga concept ng serendra?? :D

i agree to this... :D through shading, natural ventilation, conduction control (if there is), radiation, and evaporation, pwede syang passive cooling, isa rin ba sya sa mga concept ng serendra?? :D

true! i really like it too! :)

but see, people have diff priorities and for those who, like ProjM, want airconditioned hallways etc... they might have ended up picking some other project if they had known about it in the first place

Exactly, vagabondgirl (laquacherra). Maybe projectM would still buy in Serendra because he/she likes it so much in spite of not having a/c hallways. But the important point is he/she should have been given accurate information from the source itself. Not sure if at the time of the sales tour the current info is there IS a/c in hallways. I doubt it though because from all the posts it seems like it was planned that way from the beginning. But let's wait for Mitch to reply with the official statement. Maybe there's a reasonable explanation for why projectM was told there was a/c in hallway.

^yan pala ang condo mo sa pnas, palibre ng tira, uuwi ako

The conservation and good use of natural resources lead toward Environmental and Economical sustainability - preserving and enhancing the ecosystem locally and globally by improving on the environmental impacts thru sound business practices. No oil or electricity is expended in the use of windows and breezeways.

Caveat emptor. The buyer accepts the risks in any business. Regardless of what was promised, there is no perfect salesman, no perfect builder. A lot of caveats and disclaimers are true to the form of any enterprise whose bottom line spells P-R-O-F-I-T.
I am no perfect buyer either; I learn as I do and if I am proven wrong, I accept the reality, I give myself a break. Live and learn.

At the very best, Serendra has given Mother Nature a chance and head start in our smog-infested cities. This alone speaks volumes for me. I delighted in my fugue when I committed myself to it and I’m looking forward to experiencing more fugues while enjoying Serendra when the time comes.

My hat goes off to Mitch who has given his precious time and invaluable goodwill.

^yan pala ang condo mo sa pnas, palibre ng tira, uuwi ako

Tigs - si Bartman ang taga Serendra, pero kung kaya mong magtiis sa pobre section ng BGC you're welcome to use my condo in Hamptons.

There's no issue with the environmental benefits of non-a/c hallways. And I agree that Mitch has been nothing but helpful and informative in these forums. The issue was projectM got bad info at a sales tour of Ayala corp.
btw, isn't Mitch a she?

^^:lol: kasalan na nung sales rep, pero things change as time goes by, ang a/c naging breezeways na lng...

O.T. ayan tigs may venue na ung party natin this september,!!!:D

There's no issue with the environmental benefits of non-a/c hallways. And I agree that Mitch has been nothing but helpful and informative in these forums. The issue was projectM got bad info at a sales tour of Ayala corp.
btw, isn't Mitch a she?
yes, mitch (short for mitchelle) is a she

hello and aloha everybody, been a silent reader for quite a while....few months! thank you all for the updates and infos..bought a 2 bd rm penthouse level@serendra2 for my retirement place at home...

no a/c on hallways!? really thought there would be one but natural vent doesn't bother me, hopefully smogs will be filtered by the promised plants and trees all over serendra...mitch..very weel informed talaga from your previous postings..thomason, all pics taken says it all.....again, thank you and mahalo from hawaii!!!

yes, mitch (short for mitchelle) is a she

thanks for the clarification... thought mitch is a HE too :) these days you can't tell a person's gender by their names/nicks; case in point: jocelyn bolante

sorry for WOT :)

hello and aloha everybody, been a silent reader for quite a while....few months! thank you all for the updates and infos..bought a 2 bd rm penthouse level@serendra2 for my retirement place at home...

!!!

welcome and congrats, neighbor! glad you joined us....

bump

we're back! :)

reposting from the BGC thread... thanks, pau_p1 for the great picture! :)

Bonifacio Global City Center & Serendra
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/pau_p1/Global%20City/DSC09371_1.jpg

I just thought of this......Is there a separate room for driver's to wait? If not, then the lobby will be filled with drivers or where can they go? The room should at least have proper ventilation, a TV and a bathroom.

guys, just sharing what an agent sent me thru email:

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image004.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image005.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image006.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image007.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image045.jpg

eto pa:

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image046.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image047.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image048.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image049.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image050.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image051.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image052.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image053.jpg http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/glennbp/image054.jpg

thanks for the clarification... thought mitch is a HE too :) these days you can't tell a person's gender by their names/nicks; case in point: jocelyn bolante

sorry for WOT :)

me, too, sorry, mitch!

great pics, as always. thanks, gridlock, pau_p1 and laquacherra!

i truly missed this blog!

Better to send a late reply than never—just got back from vacation…

Hello Mitch,I just want you to know that your opinion is worth more than 2 cents. You’re doing great representing Ayala on this forum. Although your “2 cents” doesn’t reflect that of Ayala’s as you stated in the beginning of your message, I assume that it was based on their existing policies. I was gonna let this one go and end this topic about the hallway but I’ve read statements in your response that are bit puzzling to me and maybe worth clarifying.

You said, “…Ayala, as a seller/developer may change or revise current plans especially on those details that will either sacrifice major aspects of the project - either the aesthetic value or maximum appreciation potential of the project." This disclaimer sounds like one of those “sketch and build” developers that changes design requirements in the middle of the development. This change could be based on the current cost of materials or the complexity of the original design to maximize profits at the expense of the customers. Correct me if I’m wrong.

You said, “…or if it will compromise the general convenience of the buyers/unit owners”. Kindly provide an example why exactly “general convenience” triggers revision of the original design?

You said, “or if it’s anything too costly that will put too much burden on maintenance costs and dues.” HOA has always the final say on this via voting and not the developer, in my opinion.

You said, "Bottomline, if we are to aircondition all the hallways of both District 1&2, and 7 sections of each District, plus the common areas of the limited commercial zone areas in the Piazza, you can just imagine how expensive your condo dues will be – covering your share of the whole 11++ hectares of land in Serendra." What constitutes limited commercial zone? I was puzzled by your premise, “if we were to air-condition.” Is this an open area? And why do we have to pay part of the maintenance and utility costs for this commercial zone and not take it from the business owners’ dues?


You said, “Now add the humidity of the exhausts coming from the a/c units of all the condo units of the entire Serendra. But to offset the humidity, we have a lot of trees in place (65% open spaces for greens, gardens), and themed gardens all over to encourage enough breeze flow. From a technical viewpoint, would you honestly think that the trees and greenery can still absorb all the humidity if we add up the heat coming from the hallway aircon’s exhausts – of all those buildings?” To answer your question, A/C systems do not have exhausts, they are enclosed systems. The warm air that you feel blowing from a window type unit or split unit is the condenser fan that cools the coil that carries heat from the refrigerant to the outside. Also, air coming from the outside fan does not generate humidity—it is dry! On the other note, HCFC (HFC) is the coolant type that is widely used for refrigeration nowadays, even in the Philippines. This refrigerant type is tested not to cause ozone depletion.

Talking about humidity, I actually think that the more trees in the property, the lesser the circulation of air. Denser environment reduce air circulation and increase humidity (vapor in the air)—e.g. the humidity in forests or jungles. BTW, no breeze, no breezeway!

You said, “All our gardens for Serendra will wither especially those that are placed very near the buildings. To avoid that we will now have to double (or triple) or garden maintenance costs on your dues if we’ll put the hallway aircons in place – when it can be avoided by encouraging natural air and ventilation to come in. That’s one reason why all windows from each building cluster are bigger than standard – to let natural air and ventilation to come in.” I beg to differ. Warm air coming from the A/C condensing unit will not ever dry-up or cause gardens to “wither”—the air is not hot enough! The A/C system on hallways that I’m envisioning, which is just logical in a building setting, is the centralized systems that have air duct handlers installed on sections of hallways that return cold air. Its condensing unit is placed on the roof so warm air is thrown from the roof and not from the side of the building.

I was previously an HOA member before, so I’m pretty much knowledgeable how HOA funds are being dispersed—to add to your list, part of the dues also goes to a Reserve Fund for emergencies and capital improvements.

Btw, thanks for all those who posted great photos again! Peace!!

I couldn't resist the urge to respond :)

Let me start by saying, ProjM, that I'm no fan of the serendra sales reps.

Regarding the A/C of the hallway, heck we'd spend 20-30 minutes tops a day going through those hallways. Not worth cooling that awfully big space 24/7. Will also not make sense dollarwise.

Cross ventilation (the straight forward term for that fancy-schmanzy breezeway word) in those hallways should reduce the chance of us breaking a sweat during the short time we're at the hallway.

i'm pretty sure the lobby entrance will be airconditioned.. but the hallways on all floors.. well i haven't really seen a condo that has the hallway airconditioned...

I just thought of this......Is there a separate room for driver's to wait? If not, then the lobby will be filled with drivers or where can they go? The room should at least have proper ventilation, a TV and a bathroom.

like a drivers' lounge? never thought to ask about that coz i am THE driver hehe! i'll check with my agent though & post whatever i find out... at the malls the drivers' lounge is usually in a section just off the parking area

got a reply from the ALP agent: yup, there will be a drivers' lounge.

I couldn't resist the urge to respond :)

Let me start by saying, ProjM, that I'm no fan of the serendra sales reps.

Regarding the A/C of the hallway, heck we'd spend 20-30 minutes tops a day going through those hallways. Not worth cooling that awfully big space 24/7. Will also not make sense dollarwise.

Cross ventilation (the straight forward term for that fancy-schmanzy breezeway word) in those hallways should reduce the chance of us breaking a sweat during the short time we're at the hallway.

Gen1—true…but there are cost-effective ways to manage costs. For instance, A/C will only be turned on during the day and thermostat setting will be set to 83 degrees Fahrenheit—this will prevent the a/c compressor from running continuously. The exhaust system that Mitch mentioned for the hallway that will be used to extract odors and pull warm air as well, by the way, is a great tool to cool down the hallways only if there’s an A/C installed. Also, this may not be true, but I think A/C on hallways will bring the cost of the property up!

Dvorak—Mitch mentioned on her last post that some of the Ayala’s building have A/C on hallways. Please check it out!

which Ayala residential condo has a/c in their hallways?? does The Column has a/c??

Boni Ridge doesn't have a/c in their hallways.. but the lobby is a/c as most of the residential condos around..

also what's the big deal of having the hallways a/c anyways?? you will just pass thru the hallway from the lift and straight to your unit right?? that will not take 5 minutes.. just have your unit fully airconditioned and believe me you wouldn't notice that the hallway doesn't have a/c..

imagine if the hallways are a/c.. ehh di bubuksan na lang yung doors nang mga units.. di aircon na rin yung unit.. hehehe

imagine if the hallways are a/c.. ehh di bubuksan na lang yung doors nang mga units.. di aircon na rin yung unit.. hehehe

it's what i'd do! hehe :laugh:

:jk:

like a drivers' lounge? never thought to ask about that coz i am THE driver hehe! i'll check with my agent though & post whatever i find out... at the malls the drivers' lounge is usually in a section just off the parking area

got a reply from the ALP agent: yup, there will be a drivers' lounge.

ALL household help are not allowed to stay/tambay/gossip at the lobby of upscale condos. lowers the property values. (Owww! ! ! my UP activist schizo half just gave my snobbish homeowner half a roundhouse kick :bash: )

nice pics gridloc!!! :D

@kuya erwin- :lol: tama, buksan ang pinto for free aircon...

hallways are lease place for an activity in some residential condo, daanan lng sya talaga, depende na lng kung gawing tambayan ang 2.00m (tama ba??) na hallway sa serendra... :D

i'm told that 3 restos are open already at serendra... and 3 more real soon... does anybody know which ones specifically? :cheers: :eat:

ALL household help are not allowed to stay/tambay/gossip at the lobby of upscale condos. lowers the property values. (Owww! ! ! my UP activist schizo half just gave my snobbish homeowner half a roundhouse kick :bash: )

i don't have a split personality but i do have a rebellious streak... are we going to be neighbors by any chance? :)

wow! thanks sa updates @ gridloc! ganda na ng serendra

i'm told that 3 restos are open already at serendra... and 3 more real soon... does anybody know which ones specifically? :cheers: :eat:



i don't have a split personality but i do have a rebellious streak... are we going to be neighbors by any chance? :)


I think it's ipuka who's going to be a next door neighbor at the 14th of one serendra. but we can still meet at the piazza to holler "MAKIBAKA ! ! ! DON'T BE TAKOT ! ! ! " (ala mardi mapa) :)

yeah, the 14th would have to be at either sections B or C as there's only 9 or 10 floors at section A... i'm on the 5th of section A one serendra... turnover barely 6 months away (1st quarter 2007)! :D

but we can still meet at the piazza to holler "MAKIBAKA ! ! ! DON'T BE TAKOT ! ! ! " (ala mardi mapa) :)

haha! i didn't do that kind of thing all those years at the CBA in diliman and i'm not about to start now :lol: ... anyway that sounds so CBA or Econ :)

Here's a tip.. If you're going to get full-time drivers and maids, there's an upscale squatters community right behind the international school. it's around 2-300m from serendra and so it's walking distance from the development.

Your drivers can get a room there for 1-1500 pesos, and get a pretty filling meal for 30 bucks a pop. So you can convert your maid's room to some other use (I'm converting mine to some sort of a den)

It's an upscale informal settlers community bec the makati/taguig mayors pamper this vote rich area - got water (heck of a lot cheaper than what they will be charging us, and it's tapped from the same source), meralco power, paved and lighted footwalks.

thanks for that tip, gen1! and yeah, i do plan to convert the maid's room for my own use too that's if i won't be needing it for extra storage space

Here's a tip.. If you're going to get full-time drivers and maids, there's an upscale squatters community right behind the international school. it's around 2-300m from serendra and so it's walking distance from the development.

We have to feel sorry for the squatters and I'm not laughing at them. What took me by surprise is the category of UPSCALE squatters. I guess in the US that would be like a homeless person living in a 1976 Cadillac instead of a clapped out Rambler station wagon.
But seriously, Serendra is 2-300 meters....walking distance from a squatter community? Doesn't sound too good. Are balikbayan Serendra owners aware of this?

200 to 300 meters from serendra, and it's right behind IS?
so is the IS right across the street from serendra?

check out this map, courtesy of AkafloresToo... there are some minor corrections though (it's still a work in progress) but it will give you a clearer picture of where IS is in relation to Serendra

O ayan laquacherra, I have modified my FGC Google Map with more details like street name and restaurants. Streets have red markers. This is work in progress. Hope this helps.

Hirap lang sa Google Earth, masyadong malaki ang markers and font. Also, they don't have variety of markers. Kindly post any corrections, suggestions and recommendations.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l245/akaflorestoo/BongFort_082206.jpg

200 to 300 meters from serendra, and it's right behind IS?
so is the IS right across the street from serendra?

yup, IS is across serendra. That's C-shaped building in laquachera's map. the blue rectangle next to it is the school swimming pool. Right beside that is the squatter's community.

those squatters are likely to be the landlords of the salesladies and security guards of marketmarket and probably of serendra staff once our condo opens :) I wouldn't feel too sorry for them. those footpaths are cleaner than the streets of project 4, QC. (yup I've been to that squatters community)

Another way of keeping the maid's room for yourself is to employ live-out maids. the expats do that. two or three expat households (you know, the singles or young couples) typically share one live out maid. these super efficient and intelligent maids cost around PhP 10K a month but are well worth the money if you want hotel type service.

Hi ProjM! Thanks so much for the reply. I’m not so sure if I should bring up this topic of a/c in hallways, but I guess I have to clarify and answer a few points you raised…so yun po, just to answer the clarifications raised lang po, excuse me po for the off-topic post. :D Sorry for the late post narin po, just got back from a vacation.

Before I proceed po let me just clarify, please don’t get me wrong, that yes, there are some Ayala projects that have a/c in hallways. Just the commercial ones po and a bit of disclaimer, I don’t remember having said or described residential when I said that some agents may have somehow, assumed that Serendra (being residential) will have one. Oakwood as an example, and of course it being a hotel, it has to be airconditioned. Ayala Malls like Glorietta, Greenbelt, Town Center, even Cebu Ayala Center, have to have airconditioned hallways. Apologies again if I somehow made it appear that way.


Going to the existing policies, I’m no master of it all sir/ma’am, but we’re just merely guided by certain guidelines and some technical info we gathered from previous project briefings. It’s mostly coming from our personal conclusions from what we have gathered. In as much as I am representing our company in this forum, I am still in no position to substitute words that our company may officially have regarding this matter while we’re still waiting for outputs coming from both technical teams of both Districts (One Serendra and Two Serendra). No intention whatsoever po to misrepresent as I now speak in my personal capacity. ;)


Just my observation po, the previous condo developments including the future ones I know of never had airconditioned hallways in residential buildings. We aircondition lobbies, we aircondition office building and hotel hallways, but I’ve never encountered of any residential condo here in the Philippines that has airconditioned hallways. I’m not saying this to counter your arguments, kind sir/ma’am, just a noteworthy point to look at. As to why, well, I can easily say po that it’s expensive, but in these developers’ viewpoint, they may have better reasons why. Probably it’s about the practicality, or you may say that these developers are maximizing it all at the expense of the buyers, but to sum it all up it’s all about giving the end benefit of a home - it will just differ on the quality, add-ons, appreciation value, etc. It will always boil down to your main purpose of getting a condo unit – and a Serendra unit at that – of why you primarily need it, and what exactly about Serendra that made you decide to get one on it. I’m just hoping that it’s not only about the a/c in hallways po, and also I’m hoping that you never felt pressured to buy.


You said, “…Ayala, as a seller/developer may change or revise current plans especially on those details that will either sacrifice major aspects of the project - either the aesthetic value or maximum appreciation potential of the project." This disclaimer sounds like one of those “sketch and build” developers that changes design requirements in the middle of the development. This change could be based on the current cost of materials or the complexity of the original design to maximize profits at the expense of the customers. Correct me if I’m wrong.


Kind Sir/Ma’am, the exact wording of the disclaimer is as follows:

“ "The particulars, details and visuals shown herein are based on the vision of the developer for the project and are only intended to give a general idea of the project. While such particulars, details and visuals have been prepared with utmost care and given in good faith, these are not to be relied upon as statements of fact and buyers are invited to verify their factual correctness and subsequent changes thereto, if any. The contents herein are subject to change without prior notice and do not constitute part of an offer or contract."


”….based on current cost of materials or the complexity of the original design” probably it might be, but to maximize profits at the expense of customers? I would humbly beg to differ po. Let me elaborate.

I interpret this disclaimer as the developer having the right to change whatever it is in the plans for whatever purposes it may deem necessary – although it doesn’t exactly word it as such. I think any developer in the Philippines will claim and acknowledge this right. Probably other developers may sell you wood parquet flooring but instead delivers vinyl stickers or sell you a 42-sq m studio then surprises you with a 37 sq m studio at the same high price you got it without any notice at all after your payment and your unit delivery, but what I see with Ayala is this. I think they’re coming to terms of good faith and as I can see them as using this right with extreme caution and discretion, Ayala subsequently informs us of whatever changes they impose on the project. They do not entirely change the plan into something really really strange, it still is conceivable and recognizable as Serendra; they do not change plans in Sec. A initially planned as low rise then after receiving payment, they build Sec.A as high-rise, no they don’t do that. Once flooring changes in Serendra (probably due to a sudden price increase of flooring material costs beyond Ayala’s control, or supplier-related issues that the suppliers had to change sources), management cascades the info to all sellers, sellers then later cascade it to their buyers, and let you sign an amendment to the contract regarding such. If you don’t agree to the changes, you are most welcome to visit our bosses either to formally agree, negotiate or maintain your same flooring. If they don’t tell you the changes at all or don’t negotiate with you way before your unit turnover and suddenly surprise you with vinyl flooring come unit delivery time, or sell you a 42 sq m studio then delivers you a 37 sq m one, then I would agree with you in saying that they really are maximizing profits at the expense of the buyers.


You said, “…or if it will compromise the general convenience of the buyers/unit owners”. Kindly provide an example why exactly “general convenience” triggers revision of the original design?

Sir/Ma’am, I am contemplating a scenario of what happened to the Serendra masterplan from the time we launched it in 2004 til now 2006 nearing completion – if I may include “enjoyment” as part of this phrase. If I may illustrate in this picture–

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1842/serendramasterplanevolutionbv7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

If you may notice on the bottom most part as the first plan in 2004, and compare it with the latest one in 2006, you will notice that there are more units in the original plans than with the latest. Why? A lot of buyers will complain that we’re selling gardens but there are more units and neighbors than gardens. So how can they enjoy the gardens more? Solution – lessen the number of buildings and spread it out for each unit owner to maximize the views and the fresh breeze of the gardens. Another concern was that, they felt claustrophobic at the mere sight of the old plans – those unrevised parts of future sections surrounding Sec.A – what more if they live in it? The reason why this masterplan has been revised to what it is now is exactly to counter that real major concern. Another example? We hold FGU’s (Focus Discussion Groups) comprising of buyers and hot prospects (usiseros not allowed) to give the project development team an idea of what to improve on the next tower, or the next phase of a project. If they have been inconvenienced of what happened in Phase 1, they scrap the old plans and adopt the new plan according to the buyer’s preference and conveniences. That’s what we did with Anvaya, Ayala Greenfield and The Residences at Greenbelt.


You said, “or if it’s anything too costly that will put too much burden on maintenance costs and dues.” HOA has always the final say on this via voting and not the developer, in my opinion.

Yes sir/ma’am, you are most correct. However, with all Ayala developments, the reason why we stand out from the rest is because of our strict imposition and implementation of building administration standards. Probably if you’ve been an Ayala resident before, you would notice that part of all the HOA meetings include a representative of APMC, and in all contracts that you will sign, the Master Deed will always dictate that there would be APMC presence and atleast, a bit of influence, in HOA decision-making. Others pa nga dictate that the HOA will decide matters in accordance of APMC set guidelines e. In my opinion naman po, HOA’s concerns are limited to their own units, common areas, and the condo or subdivision they’re in. While for Ayala as a huge business house, not only they have to care about the residents and their residential investors, but their other residential projects, the buyers and the investors, and earnings from the real estate sector which comprise of a good 35-40% of Ayala’s total annual earnings reported to all the stockholders. So in short we have to elevate standards (and make sure of its implementation) in building administration/management because Ayala, as a corporation, could not constrain their thoughts on just one development alone. Granting that Serendra buyers like you don’t have anything to do with these people or factors, please understand also that these elevated standards (building management-wise) is just more than a single-handed benefit. You get superior and up-to-date services, the entirety of the project is well-maintained, you get good appreciation/resale value. You may want to look at other developments across Metro Manila who handled the HOA all by themselves. Just from where I live now, the whole HOA is having problems collecting dues because a good majority of tenants (most of them renters, about 95% of the whole building population) do not pay dues on time. Most of the time for repairs and maintenance, abunado sila kaya tinipid nalang and hindi na maganda ang quality. But probably for future Serendra homeowners like you would insist to aircondition the hallways, a good majority approves it as per by-laws, and if in case APMC concedes, then why not.


You said, "Bottomline, if we are to aircondition all the hallways of both District 1&2, and 7 sections of each District, plus the common areas of the limited commercial zone areas in the Piazza, you can just imagine how expensive your condo dues will be – covering your share of the whole 11++ hectares of land in Serendra." What constitutes limited commercial zone? I was puzzled by your premise, “if we were to air-condition.” Is this an open area? And why do we have to pay part of the maintenance and utility costs for this commercial zone and not take it from the business owners’ dues?

Sir/Ma’am let me clarify po. You don’t have to pay for the dues of the commercial areas if you are a residential unit owner; hence if you are a commercial unit lessee you are just limited to the dues payment of the commercial area. In the same way that you don’t have to pay a pro-rata share of the limited common areas of Sections A,C,D,etc. if your exclusive enjoyment and benefit of your unit is in Sec. B. I was trying to convey the thought of how expensive the maintenance costs and other charges for the entire Serendra if we were to aircondition every building of it and not exactly pointing out that you have to pay for something that you don’t use. Your Master Deed of Restrictions (if you already have your Contract/Deed of Sale copies) says it all. For what constitutes the Limited Commercial Zone, let me get back to you on that.


You said, “Now add the humidity of the exhausts coming from the a/c units of all the condo units of the entire Serendra. But to offset the humidity, we have a lot of trees in place (65% open spaces for greens, gardens), and themed gardens all over to encourage enough breeze flow. From a technical viewpoint, would you honestly think that the trees and greenery can still absorb all the humidity if we add up the heat coming from the hallway aircon’s exhausts – of all those buildings?” To answer your question, A/C systems do not have exhausts, they are enclosed systems. The warm air that you feel blowing from a window type unit or split unit is the condenser fan that cools the coil that carries heat from the refrigerant to the outside. Also, air coming from the outside fan does not generate humidity—it is dry! On the other note, HCFC (HFC) is the coolant type that is widely used for refrigeration nowadays, even in the Philippines. This refrigerant type is tested not to cause ozone depletion.


Sir/Ma’am, correct me if I’m wrong po, but are you referring to split-type aircons? If you were, I haven’t heard of any plan of District II/Two Serendra Technical to put up split type aircons in hallways if the unit owners are only restricted to window type ones which emit warm air – directly – outside your window. Parang malabo po kasi as per company policy, everything has to be standardized. Just sharing you my thoughts po.


Talking about humidity, I actually think that the more trees in the property, the lesser the circulation of air. Denser environment reduce air circulation and increase humidity (vapor in the air)—e.g. the humidity in forests or jungles. BTW, no breeze, no breezeway!

Kind Sir/Ma’am, I am just basing it po from experience po here in Manila (born and raised). Lesser trees, more humidity. More trees, lesser humidity. Will try to search for a scientific explanation for this po aside from the process of photosynthesis. :D


You said, “All our gardens for Serendra will wither especially those that are placed very near the buildings. To avoid that we will now have to double (or triple) or garden maintenance costs on your dues if we’ll put the hallway aircons in place – when it can be avoided by encouraging natural air and ventilation to come in. That’s one reason why all windows from each building cluster are bigger than standard – to let natural air and ventilation to come in.” I beg to differ. Warm air coming from the A/C condensing unit will not ever dry-up or cause gardens to “wither”—the air is not hot enough! The A/C system on hallways that I’m envisioning, which is just logical in a building setting, is the centralized systems that have air duct handlers installed on sections of hallways that return cold air. Its condensing unit is placed on the roof so warm air is thrown from the roof and not from the side of the building.

Just contemplating po on the scenario that if the planners intended to put window type aircons on residential units in Two Serendra, it’s deviating from the standard if split type aircons would be installed on its hallways if ever. I’m not sure po, just my personal musing. But Sir/Ma’am, you may be right. I'm just hoping that that technology your referring is as readily and inexpensively available already in the Phils. With the Laguna Tower of The Residences at Greenbelt, if I'm not mistaken it has almost the same idea of an aircon you were referring to (like the ones in the hotels) having cooling towers (meaning that airconditioning is centralized in all residential units, lobbies, function hall, though NOT in the hallways) - thereby giving it a very high price/sq m on each of the unit because of this add-on. That one is high enough so warm air (being thrown from top of the building not to affect whatever landscaping is in place. With Serendra, I'm just basing it from personal experience again from my condo where I have small plants on my window flower box which is near the back of my window-type aircon (which was made 2006 btw with HFC) that withered (despite of daily watering and sunlight) because of all window type aircons's warm dry air circulating all over. When we used to have split type's (condensers almost on top of the roof) in our old home our plants never withered.


I was previously an HOA member before, so I’m pretty much knowledgeable how HOA funds are being dispersed—to add to your list, part of the dues also goes to a Reserve Fund for emergencies and capital improvements.


Wow, I learn something new everyday. Kind Sir/Ma’am, thanks much for the heads-up po. :D


Novel ends here po :D I hope that even in my personal thoughts I somehow helped even for a bit. Although I’m still waiting for official outputs which may officially address your concerns, rest assured that we’re working on it.


Warmest regards. :wave:

p.s. Yes po Mr/Ms. Gasrock, I'm a she! :D

Hi laquacherra.
Here below is the answer to your inquiry. Hope it helps. :)

budget around 92Php per sq.m. plus installation (you can diy if you know how, not that difficult) otherwise add 20 -30%. These are standard 1/4 inch polished wall mirrors. Iba ang presyo ng disco ball at round mirror on top of your bed.

any idea how much it would cost to have a mirror installed (floor to ceiling?) like this?

serendra model unit
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/d1-2br_03.jpg

hey, 3cr! thank you! :) 92 per sqm plus installation doesn't sound too bad...

disco ball & round mirror on top of the bed? bustero's not all serious talk pala haha! :hahaha:

You're very much welcome! Glad to be of help.
Thank You too for your post regarding the mirror.
The pics you posted were very helpful in visualizing things.
Salamat ulit.
Boe/3cr

^^ooops sorry but miss typed that , it's 92Php / sq.ft! That makes it 920Php / sq.m.!!!

and excuse me, but a disco ball and round mirror are totally serious! (for some people at least :))

^^ Ah ganun ba? Hehe, siguro madudumi lang utak nung mga nagreply at napagkamalang pang-motel yung design.

...ay isa pala ako sa mga nagreply doon. :D

^^:lol: sayo nga nagstart yan aaron eh, kaya ayun un ung na stuck sa utak namin... :D

anytime 3cr! :)

i finally got to take my first walk around the piazza at serendra today (sunny day for a change!). i couldn't stop smiling the whole time i was there hehe! :happy: what a feeling really! only two restos are open as of today - guava and gaudi. basement parking is still free. i noticed that basement parking area is kinda smallish compared to GB3's but maybe it's coz they're still only partly open.

anyways, bartman here are the close ups of one serendra's section A facing market2. i deliberately took close ups coz as a unit owner it's as close as i could get to checking out the units under construction... at least you see what the balcony looks like hehe! i used a phonecam (in a moving car) which is why the pictures are somewhat fuzzy :)

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/DSC00036.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/DSC00037.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/DSC00038.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/DSC00039.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/DSC00040.jpg

and then here are close up pictures of one serendra section A units facing BGC City Center

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/DSC00041.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/llaurenversion3/09032006006.jpg

ARE THOSE EXPOSED FLOOR DRAIN PIPES UNDERNEATH THE PORCH/LANAI ? ! ? ! :mad:

ANAK NG TOKWANG PANIS ! ! ! ANO BA YAN ! ! ! :rant:

Thanks for the updated pics of Serendra Laquacherra. Looks quite massive/thick pala when pics are taken that close/range. It's coming along nicely at mukhang malapit na rin ito ma-turnover sa unit owners! :) :) :)

Gen1, I'm not sure if we are looking at the same thing but I think those pipes underneath the balcony/porch/lanai are actually part of the scaffolding so they should only be temporary. I would like to think Ayala would not do such a thing especially with the kind of buyers/investors targeted by their Serendra project. :) :) :)

^^ yup, it looks like turnover will be on time :)

^^ and do you know what's so funny... i got so excited looking up at my unit that i didn't even notice the promenade? :bash: gosh! that was really stupid actually considering it was just right there argh! haha! :lol:

3cr,

if you look closely at the second to the last of laquacherra's pictures, the units fromthe third floor up, you will see an elongated Y shaped pipe running from the bottom of the porch to the porch below it. I'm pretty certain those are 2" sanitary pipes.

OT : pare atenista ka pala. sa Dec 9 ang general homecoming natin :drunk: , uwi ka kung libre ka. malaki tsansa na triple champion tayo this year (banned kasi lasalle :) ). Batch namin ang taya this year. The former head of Ayalaland, TG Limcaoco, is Batch80. Bait na tao yun, sayang nga lang he is with Ayala Corp na ngayon. Kwentuhan natin sa dec 9 tungkol sa serendra :)

3cr,

if you look closely at the second to the last of laquacherra's pictures, the units fromthe third floor up, you will see an elongated Y shaped pipe running from the bottom of the porch to the porch below it. I'm pretty certain those are 2" sanitary pipes.

OT : pare atenista ka pala. sa Dec 9 ang general homecoming natin :drunk: , uwi ka kung libre ka. malaki tsansa na triple champion tayo this year (banned kasi lasalle :) ). Batch namin ang taya this year. The former head of Ayalaland, TG Limcaoco, is Batch80. Bait na tao yun, sayang nga lang he is with Ayala Corp na ngayon. Kwentuhan natin sa dec 9 tungkol sa serendra :)

OT din: guy ka pala, gen1?

Mitch,

Sorry, pero deretchahan na lang.

Are those exposed pipes running from the bottom of the porches to the porch
of the units below it exposed sanitary pipes of the porch floor drains?

Kung yes ang sagot mo please tell us na hindi ninyo gagawin yan sa sections B and C. Under construction pa naman ang mga iyon kaya mareremedyohan nyo pa.

I wouldn't want to have paid 100k/sqm for a unit which will remind me of the BLISS condos at Philcoa :wallbash: .

OT din: guy ka pala, gen1?

opo. pero my wife also uses my handle to post dito. kaya kung medyo malambot yung post under gen1 either of two things lang - misis ko ang nag post or I'm off my medication.

thanks for the pictures :)

i don't see the pipes in question :dizzy:

might have to ask some1 to pour a couple of pails of water onto the balcony above me just to see if it's gonna leak

btw, i asked mitch if it was possible to get unit measurements (height and witdth of walls and spaces for appliances. she said she'd see what she could come up with. otherwise, does anyone else know how to get the information?

i haven't made up my mind whether to ship furnitures/appliances or not. i've seen at least one 40 inch lcd tv that runs on 220V (which leads me to believe other sizes and makes are also available).