Green. Both the color and the environmental movement has played significant and differentiating roles in the development of projects by Ortigas & Co., the firm behind Circulo Verde—a prime riverside address that offers convenience, exclusivity, and 70% open space ideal for healthy, active lifestyle.
The color green has been particularly lucky for the company from 80 years ago, when it started developing properties. Hence, the use of the words “green” or “verde” (the company has a rich Spanish heritage which it celebrates) in the name of its developments.
“We sell our units on the merit of the product. As a company, we have always been value-driven and have built a solid name for ourselves over the years,” said Joey Santos, General Manager of Ortigas & Co., Real Estate Division. OCLP Holdings is the parent company of Ortigas & Co.
Some of the projects that Ortigas & Co. have put up have significantly changed the landscape of its host cities and the lives of many people for the better.
In what was a groundbreaking project in its time in the 1960s, the Greenhills Shopping Center was the place-to-be. It was a venue that puts together in one place schools, churches, with a retail component at the center of everything.
The plan was a hit. For almost half a century, the Greenhills Shopping Center has become a landmark venue; famous all over the world over for its items that are unique and pocket-friendly.
With Architect Juan Nakpil at the helm, Greenhills stood out from the rest. It helped that the Greenhills subdivision, all of its 197 hectares, was a ready market for the commercial complex. For the better part of the last decade, the property has undergone a massive redevelopment transforming it into the country’s premiere shopping, entertainment, and dining destination, with over 2,000 stores and venues.
To date, Greenhills Shopping Center is undertaking another redevelopment that includes adding more parking and retail spaces. The plan also calls for the construction of a premiere residential tower called Viridian.
Frontera Verde and Tiendesitas
Frontera Verde is an 18.5 hectare development project at the corner of Ortigas Avenue and E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue (C-5) in Barangay Ugong, Pasig City.
Its anchor locator, Tiendesitas, is Pasig City’s most happening shopping and family entertainment destination. It is different from other commercial centers as it caters both to foreign and local shoppers looking for the best Philippine products from food to fashion; antiques and accessories; wardrobe and handicrafts; and novelty items among many others from more than 450 traders from across the country.
Tiendesitas sits on a 30,000 square meter area within Frontera Verde, which houses 12 Maranao architecture-inspired pavilions called “villages” instead of the usual departments in malls.
Luntala is a 77-unit residential townhouse development located along Firefly Street, inside Valle Verde 6-A. A mere 10-minute-drive to Ortigas Center, a premiere commercial business district Luntala residents have access to just about everything—from shopping, dining and recreation centers such as the Tiendesitas, SM Hypermarket, Fun Ranch, Ark Avilon, and Silver City, all found inside Frontera Verde.
Should medical need arises, Medical City Hospital along Ortigas Avenue is a 5-minute journey. A cozy low density community, the development catered mostly doctors and people within the Mandaluyong, Pasig, and Ortigas areas.
Luntala was Ortigas & Co.’s first townhouse development venture. In less than a year after its announcement to the public, all 77 units were immediately sold out.
With the sheer size of the property, it would take up to approximately 20 years before the four phases of construction at the 10-hectare Circulo Verde is completed. No doubt that the “community within a community” would be worth the wait.
Designed to encourage residents to enjoy the outdoors in a safe environment, it provides a balance between nature and life in the city, where modern amenities coexist with nature’s beautiful landscape. Many properties have a river fronting them, but very rare do you see a development with a river (the Marikina River) that wraps around it. Gifted with unobstructed views of sunsets, the Ortigas skyline, and the Sierra Madre mountain range, nobody would blame you for wanting to be home all the time.