Greenbelt Square (old Greenbelt 1):Leandro Locsin Old Greenbelt 1: Leandro V. Locsin Partners Center Mall (old Greenbelt 1): WV Coscolluela & Associates Greenbelt 2 to 4: Callison, GF & Partners (associate), and Edward D. Stone & Associates (landscape) New Greenbelt 1:Gensler
Greenbelt, also known as Ayala Malls Greenbelt, is a shopping mall located at Ayala Center, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is owned by Ayala Malls, a real-estate subsidiary of Ayala Land, which is an affiliate of Ayala Corporation. It opened in 1988 after merging existing structures and is one of the Ayala Corporation's flagship projects. The mall offers a mix of high-end retail shops, restaurants, amenities, leisure and entertainment. Currently, the mall has five sections: two enclosed areas, two buildings with open-air shopping areas, and Greenbelt 5, which was opened in 2007.[1]
History
The old Greenbelt 1, captured from Gamboa Street, featuring the component Brutalist structure formerly known as Greenbelt Square.
Origin
The origin of Greenbelt could be traced to the 1970s as an open-space park also known as Greenbelt Junction, which had an aviary and was surrounded by low-rise structures featuring various dining establishments.[2][3] The park underwent renovations, followed by the inauguration of the Santo Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel on the park in 1983 and the decommissioning of the aviary later that decade.
In 1982, Greenbelt Square, a three-story Brutalist building containing cinemas and retail spaces, was inaugurated. It was designed by Leandro Locsin, who would later be named as a National Artist for Architecture. Structures that were later added are:
Fair Center, a three-story department store opened in 1983, later known as Shop & Lift Plaza. Demolished in 2006 to make way for Greenbelt 5;
Greenbelt Arcade, a two-story shopping arcade opened in 1985; Partially demolished in 2006 to make way for Greenbelt 5, the remaining parts were merged into Greenbelt 1. Demolished along with Greenbelt 1 in 2024;
Greenbelt Mall, a three-story building with parking spaces, boutiques, and shops, opened in 1987. Renamed to Greenbelt 1 in 2000, demolished in 2024[4]
As an Ayala Mall
The park, aforementioned buildings, and open parking area collectively formed the retail complex known as Greenbelt,[4] officially opening as such in 1988 as the second Ayala Mall.[5] Real estate company Ayala Land conceptualized Greenbelt as the Philippines's first lifestyle center with bars, posh boutiques, lush tropical greenery, a world-class museum, and an elegant chapel.[6] In the 1990s, Greenbelt, along with the adjacent Makati Commercial Center, was integrated into the Ayala Center.[7]
Greenbelt underwent enhancements, starting with the construction of the indoor Center Mall from 1989 to 1994 and the renovation in 1994 that added wheelchair ramps. The original wing was subsequently renamed Greenbelt 1 in 2000 as part of an expansion project, which involved renovation until 2001, redevelopment of the Ayala Museum from 2001 to 2004, expansion of the park, and the addition of Paseo Steel Parking and new wings such as Greenbelt 2 and 3 (ground broke in 2000 and opened in 2002), Greenbelt 4 (ground broke in 2002 and opened in 2004), and Greenbelt 5 (opened in 2007).[8][9] Demolition of surrounding structures, including United Supermarket, Garden Square Building, Shop & Lift Plaza,[10] Greenbelt Arcade, and Greenbelt 1's service driveways occurred until 2006, mostly due to expired contracts, to make way for these developments.[4][8][11]
The mall underwent major redevelopment, with the ground level of Greenbelt 3 closed in 2019 for renovation.[12] The new area reopened in October 2021, which now hosts luxury labels and a newly renovated Starbucks Reserve cafe.[13] Greenbelt 4 was later renovated from the third quarter of 2022 to its reopening in April 2023.[14]
Future redevelopment
Greenbelt 1 being demolished in July 2024 as part of a major redevelopment.
On July 25, 2023, Ayala Land filed a Petition to Remove the Presumption as Important Cultural Property designation from Greenbelt 1 before the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, arguing that alterations made to the original structure as a result of renovations over the past decades had made the building unrecognizable from its original design.[4][15]
Greenbelt 1 and 2 are undergoing a major redevelopment, costing ₱13 billion, since the first quarter of 2024. Greenbelt 2's ground level was closed in January 2024 for renovations scheduled to be complete in 2026.[16][17][18] Greenbelt 1 was later closed on April 1, 2024, for its eventual demolition, done gradually with Paseo Steel Parking and McDonald's.[19][20][21][22] It will be replaced by a newer complex that will include a hotel, office spaces, a larger cinema complex, a four-level shopping mall with four parking levels beneath, and possibly a new park expected to open in 2028.[16][23] Ayala Malls has tapped San Francisco-based architectural firm Gensler for the redesign of Greenbelt.[24]
Greenbelt consists of 5 separate retail wings and the Ayala Museum that encloses a central garden, Greenbelt Park, which contains the Santo Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel and is bisected by Greenbelt Drive. As of 2024, Greenbelt 2 to 5 are interconnected through walkways on their respective second levels. The walkways connect to the De La Rosa Elevated Walkway between Greenbelt 5 and the Ayala Museum, to The Landmark Makati between Greenbelt 4 and 3, and to The Residences at Greenbelt at Greenbelt 2.
Greenbelt 1
Prior to its temporary closure in 2024 due to a needed renovation, Greenbelt 1 featured lifestyle, food, and supply stores, as well as two cinemas and the OnStage Theater, a performing arts theater that hosted Repertory Philippines from 2002 to 2024. It was also the location of The Marketplace supermarket and Automatic Centre branches.[25]
Greenbelt 2
Greenbelt 2 features the Greenbelt Townhomes, a two- to three-story condominium on top, and, until 2024, high-end al fresco restaurants.[26] The redevelopment will convert it into an indoor space with retail shops.
Greenbelt 3
Greenbelt 3 has 4 retail levels, it features a mix of international brands including luxury labels at the ground level's indoor area. Sit-down restaurants with al fresco seats are located on the outdoor units of the ground floor facing Greenbelt Park. The upper floors feature more dining establishments, retail, and entertainment facilities, including five cinemas and MyCinema, a private mini-theater.[27] The largest Philippine branch of Louis Vuitton, and the country's only Hermès boutique is found here.[28][29][30] It is also the location of the Philippines's third 4DX cinema, launched in 2016.[31]
Greenbelt 4
Greenbelt 4 features high-end boutiques in its enclosed first floor.[32] The second and third floor features an H&M branch. Greenbelt 4's second floor hallway serves as an open air extension of the Dela Rosa Elevated Walkway connecting the latter to The Landmark Makati and beyond.
Greenbelt 5
Façade of Greenbelt 5Interior of Greenbelt 5
Greenbelt 5 is the largest wing, it is divided into 2 sections, Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 has 3 retail levels, houses boutiques of Filipino designers, luxury boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. Phase 2, with 5 levels of retail space, one underground and four over ground, features the high-end department store Adora, entertainment facilities, luxury boutiques and restaurants. Phase 2's underground level connects to Greenbelt Drive below Greenbelt Park. The garden facing side of Greenbelt 5's ground floor is lined with sit in restaurants with al fresco seats. The 2 phases are connected through an elevated atrium that is used for events.
Restaurants
Restaurants are located in Greenbelt 3 and 5, as well as in Greenbelt 2 prior to its ongoing renovations from 2024 to 2026, known for their sit-down dining options. Greenbelt 1 concentrated more on fast food until its closure in 2024.
The complex is also home to a colony of well-fed cats who lounge around walkways and in unoccupied al fresco cafe seats.
Parking
Greenbelt is served by an interconnected basement parking built beneath it, as well as the above-ground carpark inside Greenbelt 2.[33]
Former parking facilities at Greenbelt were the Paseo Steel Parking at the corner of Paseo de Roxas and Esperanza Street, Greenbelt 1 (initially known as Greenbelt Mall), and an open parking area, all above-ground. The open parking area has since been replaced by new wings in early 2000s, while Paseo Steel Parking was interconnected with the parking in Greenbelt 2 until its demolition in 2024 as part of a redevelopment, which also involved the demolition of Greenbelt 1.
Santo Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel
Santo Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel
Santo Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel is a Roman Catholic place of worship in Greenbelt Park at the complex's center. It is under the mission station of the same name of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. Built as an open-air, concrete dome in the middle of a pond, the chapel holds masses and other religious services every day. It celebrates its titular feast day every third Sunday of January. It was inaugurated on July 28, 1983, and designed by architects William Fernandez and Jess Dizon.[34] Additionally, glass sculptor Ramon Orlina contributed to the design by creating the tabernacle altar, ceiling art, the cross at one of the entrances, among others.[35]
Transportation links
Point-to-point (P2P) bus stops are also located on Legazpi Street, just beside Greenbelt 5 and, formerly, Greenbelt 1, respectively.[36] Additionally, a jeepney terminal and another P2P bus stop is located at The Landmark, adjacent to Greenbelt across Makati Avenue. Greenbelt can be accessed through MRT 3 by way of Ayala Center's elevated pedestrian connections between its malls and Ayala station.
Incidents
On October 18, 2009, between 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. PHT, heavily armed thieves overpowered the mall's security guards and broke into a Rolex watch shop in Greenbelt 5. The thieves, dressed in bomb squad uniforms, hammered the glass cases containing Rolex watches. A suspected robber was killed by two police escorts of Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tiñga who, incidentally, happened to be present upon the heist while the other gun-men escaped with an undetermined value of expensive watches.[37][38]
Fire incidents
April 15, 2010: A fire broke out from an Indian restaurant in Greenbelt 3 at 6:44 p.m., causing adjacent restaurants and the nearby cinemas to temporarily close.[39][40]
July 4, 2016: A fire broke out from a BPI branch in Greenbelt 1 at 9:11 a.m.[41] It reportedly started from the bank's warehouse.[42] It was put out by 3:31 p.m.[43]
April 9, 2024: A minor fire broke out in Greenbelt 2 at 9:28 a.m., raising it to first alarm two minutes later. It was put out at 9:40 a.m.[44]
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