If you have been keeping tabs with the news these past few days, there was no way you would not have heard the controversy behind the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building II. Yes, that building built at PhP 2.4 billion which is said to be overpriced by PhP 1.6 billion. Now the Urban Roamer is not an expert on construction costs, nor does it dabble in political commentary. However, that does not preclude one from talking about the greater story which itself is interesting, the story of the Makati City Hall complex.
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Saving The Old, Building The New Mandarin Oriental Hotel Manila
As was talked about in this piece some time ago, the beloved Mandarin Oriental Manila will be closing down its operations this year. The hotel’s closing was being done in phases for quite some time, but on September 9, after 38 years in operation, the hotel will finally shut down its operations for good, at least in its current location. Come 2020, a new Mandarin Oriental hotel is expected to open its doors again, and it will be located right across its current location at Roxas Triangle, right at the northern tip of Ayala Triangle.
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The Twin Parks of Legazpi Village
Beyond the skyscrapers and the concrete structures that have been built all over the Makati CBD, and in the Legazpi Village area in particular, it is good to know that the provisions for needed green open spaces that help serve as natural lungs for a congested central business district have not been neglected. And in the case of Legazpi Village, the area itself is served with not just one, but two public parks right in the heart of the district, catering to the different needs of its residents and others who visit there.
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The Sunday Market at Legazpi Village
Note: Truth be told, this entry has long been overdue. Nevertheless, its publication came just in time on the occasion of a related event…more on that ahead. Weekends in the Makati CBD area can be pretty dull. After all, what is there to check out in area that thrives on the hustle and bustle of the people who go to work here mostly on weekdays? Come to think of it, I suppose it can be considered the underlying reason why weekend markets in the city have been set up and are doing pretty well thanks to a growing patronage not only among the villagers, (the real ones like Bel-Air and…