MANDANI Bay, the waterfront development in Mandaue City, has added new “safety” features for its tower projects to boost buyer confidence during this time of pandemic-stricken environment.
Although it already integrated state-of-the-art features in its residential towers prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, developer HTLand Inc. made some enhancements such as adding air-filtration systems in elevators to provide better ventilation and ultraviolet light handrail sanitizer in escalators to wipe out germs, among others, as part of the firm’s Covid-proofing measures.
According to Gilbert Ang, HTLand’s project director, the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed developers like them to re-evaluate the design features of their current and future projects to make them more relevant in today’s new way of living and working.
“These enhancements have made construction costs up lightly,” said Jeffrey Lun, HT Land’s project advisor. “But these are necessary upgrades under the new normal environment.”
Real estate services and consultancy firm JJL Philippines earlier noted that sustainability, wellness and technology will be the main themes for future developments to make structures pandemic-proof.
Sales
Like other real estate developers, HTLand also saw a slowdown in sales particularly from foreign buyers. However, it has observed a healthy sales performance from overseas Filipino market (OFW) since the lockdown in March 2020.
Audrey Villa, HTLand’s sales head, said they saw a healthy buying appetite from the OFW market, particularly those working in the health care sector. “Many of our OFWs now see real estate as a good investment for their hard-earned money,” he said.
Moving forward, the HTLand officials refuse to be affected by the pandemic.
“We need to move forward. We want to adjust to the new normal safely. We are positive with our outlook this year, especially with the Covid-19 vaccines now available,” said Ang. “We can now get back the opportunity we lost in selling to foreign markets.”
To show the firm’s renewed confidence, Mandani Bay partnered with Cebu’s acclaimed abstract painter Dennis “Sio” Montera for a painting exhibition that showcases “creativity and world-class vision,” two characteristics that are both inherent in Cebu and Mandani Bay.
HTLand exclusively commissioned Montera to do the paintings of Mandani Bay Suites, the development’s first two towers. Sio’s exhibit, whose art pieces went through an in-depth screening and approval process, will be on display at the Mandani Bay Show Gallery from Jan. 14 to Jan. 31. (KOC)