DMCI Homes develops more transit-oriented developments

Recognizing how the pandemic has magnified the need for walkable communities with convenient mobility choices, Quadruple A developer DMCI Homes is rolling out more residential projects strategically located near rail transportation networks.

Over the years even before the coronavirus health crisis, the property arm of DMCI Holdings, Inc. has been developing condominiums near train stations and big transport hubs and terminals to make it easier for residents to move around and get to work or school conveniently.

Among these projects are La Verti Residences in Pasay City; One Castilla Place and Zinnia Towers in Quezon City; Sorrel Residences and Torre De Manila in Manila; Sheridan Towers in Pasig City; Flair Towers in Mandaluyong City; and Brio Tower in Makati City. 

Also currently being constructed meters from train stations are preselling projects such as The Crestmont and Infina Towers in Quezon City; Satori Residences in Pasig City; and The Aston Place in Pasay City.

DMCI Homes Vice President for Project Development Dennis Yap said for this year, the company has also launched The Oriana along Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City to take advantage of easy access to transportation in the area like the Light Rail Transit Line 2 and the upcoming Metro Manila Subway System.

“The growing focus on health and well-being which stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the need for more walkable communities where people have easy access to all essential services. That is what we aim to provide with our new projects like The Oriana,” Yap said.

The two-tower condominium, The Oriana, is just a short walk from the existing Anonas and Katipunan stations of the LRT line 2 from Recto Avenue to Masinag in Antipolo and also the proposed Anonas Station of the highly-anticipated Metro Manila Subway project which will run from Valenzuela City in the north to Taguig City in the south.

A transit-oriented development or TOD is an urban planning concept that is being practiced in many Western and Asian cities such as Vancouver, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo. 

The Transit-Oriented Development Institute in the United States defines transit-oriented development as "a creation of compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use communities centered around high-quality train systems.”

Living near train stations and transportation hubs makes perfect sense for Dyan Dimaculangan who works for a printer supplier based in San Antonio Village in Makati City.

Dimaculangan, a resident of La Verti Residences along Taft Avenue in Pasay City said living near the Gil Puyat station of the LRT Line 1 and transportation hubs enables her to easily go anywhere around the metro and in going to her home province of Batangas.

“If I have to go somewhere, you have a lot of options. You can take a bus or a train. I really like the location because it is close to everything,” Dimaculangan said.

“If you need to go to the supermarket, you can go to Libertad or Cartimar. It’s also near Cash & Carry. It’s really accessible to nearby cities like Makati and Manila. Every Sunday, we bike going to MOA (Mall of Asia) or to Binondo in Manila,” she added.

For Dimaculangan, living in a community where everything is within easy reach is essential at any circumstance because of the time she is able to save in moving from one point to another. 

“Sometimes I even walk from the office going home because I hate being stuck in traffic. It only takes me 30 minutes of brisk walking from our office to our condo,” Dimaculangan related.

“Instead of being stuck in traffic, you can use your time relaxing at home instead. That’s the most important for me. That’s why I really like living in La Verti because it is close to everything, church, hospital, supermarket, and transportation terminals,” she continued.

Rafael Gilberto Lim, a resident of One Castilla Place in Barangay Valencia, Quezon City is likewise grateful to live in a condominium that is surrounded by various transportation options that include the LRT-2.

Lim said having multiple transportation options made it easy for him to go to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) San Juan Campus where he took his undergraduate studies.

Likewise, if he would need to go to the PUP main campus in Sta. Mesa Manila, he would walk a few steps from One Castilla Place to go to Gilmore Station of the LRT-2 and take a train to Pureza Station, which is located near the state university.

“Before the pandemic, I got to use the LRT a lot in going to places within its line from Cubao to Recto,” shared Lim who is now working for a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm.

For Lim, living in a good location is especially beneficial during the pandemic when mobility is limited. “If I need a couple of things, I will just walk to Robinsons Magnolia or Savemore. I can also go to Puregold Agora and Greenhills Unimart for my groceries,” he said.

Moreover, Lim said living in a central location also makes it easy for him to use his bicycle in going around the metro.

“I use it to visit friends and also to do errands. Being in One Castilla Place has made it accessible for me to go around the places where I and my friends visit,” Lim shared.