In this part of the city where I live, there has not been much high-rise developments here. After all, Santa Mesa’s environment is considered more of the “suburban” type, an environment which usually is spared from infiltration of high-rise structures.
But as land becomes more scarce in this dense metropolis, developers are looking at every vacant piece of property available as a possible real estate development opportunity. Whether they turn out to be a hit or a dud is another story altogether.
One example here in the area is a piece of property at the corner of V. Mapa and P. Sanchez streets (along the R-5 network) which is familiar to semi old-timers like me as the old Santa Mesa campus of the National College of Business and Arts. (NCBA) For some reason, NCBA eventually abandoned the area, leaving the Cubao, Fairview and Taytay campuses as the remaining campuses of the college to this day. (hope anyone who may know the real score can shed some light as to the reason why NCBA left Santa Mesa)
The abandoned property was then acquired by real estate developer DMCI, also known as the current concessionaire of Maynilad Water which supplies water to the western part of Metro Manila, as well as parts of Cavite. It was only a matter of time before DMCI would take its turn in developing the land as their new residential project dubbed as the Illumina Residences.
Renders show Illumina to be a 32-storey T-shaped condominium building, possibly the tallest building in Santa Mesa when it’s completed. All 540 units to be constructed in this building are going to have balconies, (which is interesting) and will have natural light, which may be why it’s called “Illumina.” And of course, there are the amenities like fitness gym, swimming pool, study hall, and a deck garden.
Currently the building is around 25-30% complete; (my estimate, at least) the Illumina Residences is expected to be completed by August 2011.
Stay tuned for further developments on Illumina Residences as far as I can gather.
©2009 The Urban Roamer
