Megaworld begins One Manhattan turnover as prices surge

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Property developer Megaworld is set to begin turning over units soon at the 14-story One Manhattan, its third residential condominium development inside the 34-hectare The Upper East township.

Harold Geronimo, first vice president and head of PR and media affairs at Megaworld Corporation, said residential condo prices for its Bacolod City properties have jumped by up to 147%.

Geronimo led Bacolod media and vloggers on a walk-through of One Manhattan on Friday.

One unique feature of One Manhattan is the private dining room, the first so far in condo living, where unit owners can host family or guests for lunch or dinner.

It has its own kitchen if one wants to have a chef cook their meals.

For entertainment, it also has a sing-along system.

Since its launch in July 2020, One Manhattan—the first smart-home condo development in Bacolod City—has seen a 44% increase in property prices, climbing from PHP 154,000 to approximately PHP 222,000 per square meter.

Overall, the average price among residential condos inside The Upper East registered a 147% jump, from PHP 103,000 per square meter in 2018 to about PHP 254,000 per square meter today.

“The demand for our residential condos in The Upper East remains high, and we are very happy with the market’s response to our developments here in Bacolod City,” says Jennifer Palmares-Fong, head of sales and marketing, Megaworld Bacolod.

“We are especially excited to welcome the new residents of One Manhattan who will now enjoy the convenience of being in a township, as well as the generous layouts and unique amenities of their new address,” she says.

Located at the corner of Manhattan and Lexington streets, One Manhattan features a total of 260 units, ranging from studio units up to 33 square meters, one-bedroom units up to 85 square meters, two-bedroom units up to 112 square meters, and three-bedroom units up to 153 square meters.

Except for studio units, all units at One Manhattan come with multiple layout choices, including bi-level garden units, and loft-style units with private lanais or balconies.

Each unit is equipped with wireless smart-home systems that can be accessed remotely to control lighting fixtures and other smart appliances using a dedicated phone app.

Units also come with a dedicated audio-phone intercom system linked to the ground-floor reception area that allows residents to see their visitors before access is granted to their unit.

One Manhattan features several first-in-Bacolod amenities that include a private dining room that can accommodate up to 15 people and that features its own kitchen and living area.

Both its fitness area and game room feature loft-style spaces that offer more options, and more freedom of movement, for residents.

One Manhattan residents also get access to a wall-climbing facility, a putting green, a mini track oval with a gym, and an outdoor Jacuzzi at the second-level amenity deck.

At the roof deck of One Manhattan is an exclusive bar and lounge that provides an unimpeded view of Bacolod’s cityscape, as well as views of the Negros mountains to the east and the sunset on Guimaras Strait to the west.

To date, Megaworld has launched 1,787 residential condo units from five properties in The Upper East.

Aside from One Manhattan, other Megaworld condo developments inside the township include the 14-story One Regis with 328 units, the 14-story Two Regis with 310 units, the 12-story Herald Parksuites with 246 units, and the 26-story Kensington Sky Garden with 643 units.

Continuing its emergence as Bacolod City’s modern central business district, The Upper East also features green office buildings, street-level commercial components in office and residential buildings, the country’s most beautiful McDonald’s, and the Philippines’ biggest Landers Superstore.

Construction is ongoing for the 12-story The Kingsford, the first development by Megaworld Hotels & Resorts in Bacolod, which will have about 300 rooms and several unique amenities, such as its own executive lounge and a high-ceiling, pillarless grand ballroom.