A refreshing update

INSTITUTIONS need to be regularly updated to keep up with the times. For the board of the City Sports Club Cebu (CSCC), the time for redevelopment has come for the complex, which opened its doors in 2001. Partnering with Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) and its design team, the renovation is also in keeping with the Cebu Business Park redevelopment plan.

Club manager Micmic Solon says, “The new design centers on clean lines, giving emphasis on space,” maximizing its use.

Manny Illana, senior architect of the ALI-Innovation and Design Group, says, ”We wanted to achieve a modern look with a light airy ambiance; to improve the natural ventilation of the indoor and outdoor spaces.”

According to Jean San Juan-Yap, Ayala Land Premier Project development manager: “There were two main considerations in determining what areas to focus on: what facilities and amenities are mostly used that need updating and rehabilitation, and what areas are currently not being used and how to generate activities and interest out of them.

A major change to the sports complex is Bistro88, which occupies what was once the boardroom, the pro- shop and the cafe. It is done in glass, metal and wood in neutral shades for a contemporary look. Already open, it has attracted members who patronize the restaurant for its “unpretentious meals at modest prices” from its chef, Brian Bersonda and his team.

Also in for a major renovation is the semi-outdoor veranda, which “will have a lounge and dining seating, looking out into the newly landscaped gardens and pool area.”

Manny says, “The design will allow maximum views, provide an airy feel while creating a proper breezeway.” Beside it will be a new kiddie pool.

The pool surface will be replaced with glass tiles. The gym will be made more spacious and will have some new equipment. The boardroom will be redesigned and will be located at the place once occupied by the business center. Even hallways and toilets will have their own “facelifts.”

The total redevelopment plan is to be completed by the end of 2013. But some changes are already in place, like the Bistro88 and the gym that is now brighter, more spacious and with some new equipment already in place. And members are getting reacquainted with their club and enjoying its facilities.

By the end of its renovation, City Sports Club Cebu will be “a contemporary space that houses a traditional sense of community with beautiful landscaping and a brighter, more airy and spacious feel.”