AT a press conference for the Panagbenga Festival held on February, Bagu io City officials and stakeholders underscored the dire need for a massive rehabilitation of Burnham Park by saying that what was once a showpiece of the country’s Summer Capital has been bumped off by SM City Baguio in the list of major tourist attractions. 

Could it be that somewhere down the road farther down south of this islands republic, one of Cebu’s current tourist attractions-say, the Lapu-Lapu Monument-would also have to give way to a development bearing the powerful SM brand in a similar list? 

In a word, the answer is: yes. 

As the City of Cenu thrives and its economy flourishes, SM Supermalls, the country’s largest chain of malls, gives their vote of confidence in the city’s growth potential by developing what will become a major new landmark at their South Road Properties (SRP) site. 

A new mall, aptly called SM Seaside City Cebu, will be one of the first developments in the masterrplan ofSM Properties for their 304,100-square-meter site, which stretches from the northern part of the SRP to the sea. 

Designed by Arquitectonica, an international architecture, interior design and planning firm from Miami, Florida, the grand, first-of-its-kind urban development at the SRP will dramatically change the landscape of the city with its nautilus-inspired design of expanding, concentric arcs from a central multipurpose space. A large church-a sleek, modem all-white structure nestled among lush foliage-will be the first to be built and completed in the SM SRP complex. 

Hotels, a conference and convention center, residential buildings and community facilities will follow, and will be designed to span out from the SM Seaside City Cebu mall, which will be located at the center of the entire development. The mall will be interconnected with these other structures through.elevated walkways. 

With a lot area of 93,570-sq-m and a gross floor area of 291,043-sq-m, SM Seaside City Cebu will combine modem design with green architecture initiatives. A 100-meter iconic viewing tower will give one a breathtaking view of the Queen City of the South, while a cube inspired by the Globe of the SM Mall of Asia will have dazzling LED lights to welcome visitors with visual drama. 

These will serve as the mall’s landmarks, as will the roof garden, a 23,442-sq-m elevated park with dining establishments among verdant foliage and soothing water features. This four-level, circular shaped, world-class retail mall with multiple anchors, including a two-storey SM Department Store and SM Hypermart, a five-theater cineplex and IMAX Theater, an 18-lane SM Bowling and Amusement Center, and a food court flanking an ice skating rink. In addition, the mall will have over 800 food and retail shops, including international brands.

Retail shops will occupy the outer arc of the mall on the ground floor. This area will include a furniture zone, as well as a fashion boulevard to showcase the talent of Cebu’s many local designers. Numerous new winning-and-dining outlets will face an inner circular garden, increasing in number as shoppers proceed to the higher floors. On the third floor, these outlets will have verandas facing the garden below while the fourth floor will have restaurants and bars on the outer circuit of the circle with verandas on the north side of the mall looking out to the sea. The mall will also have a covered event area for concerts and shows at the fourth floor, as well as ;;t roof garden with ponds and trees, and restaurants to enjoy the beauty of the greens from. 

Keeping with the nautilus-inspired theme, the mall’s car park will be incorporated into the structure, helping to define the semi-circular volume of the building. The mall’s layout induces traffic to flow inwards and upwards. The second-level garden has a drop-off area for private vehicles, while public vehicles will have their own transport interchange at the ground’ level with different areas dedicated’ to taxis, public utilities and buses. The retail and food outlets at the ground level will be easily accessible to the riding public while service and delivery bays for tenants and SM anchors are set aside at strategic areas. 

SM Seaside City Cebu will be one of the first establishments to create an address in this district of Metro Cebu, and will pave the way for development in the area.