The University of the Philippines Town Center, commonly known as the U.P. Town Center and abbreviated as UPTC, is a shopping center in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, managed by the Ayala Malls group. It opened on September 30, 2013.
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| Location | Quezon City, Philippines |
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| Coordinates | 14°39′04″N 121°04′30″E / 14.651°N 121.075°E |
| Address | Katipunan Avenue, Brgy. U.P. Campus, Diliman |
| Opening date | September 30, 2013 |
| Developer | Ayala Land |
| Management | Ayala Malls |
| Architect | Benoy |
| Total retail floor area | 174,000 square meters (1,870,000 sq ft) |
| No. of floors | Phase 1: 2 Phase 1A: 3 Phase 2: 3 |
| Public transit access |   Katipunan 19 UP Town Center |
Development
editAyala Land secured a 25-year lease[1] with the University of the Philippines to develop a 7.4 ha (18 acres) lot in the university's campus to build a shopping mall complex. The lot was the former location of the U.P. Integrated School under the University of the Philippines Diliman. The trees in the lot were not cut down, and 40 percent of the land is designated for open space.[2]
The U.P. Town Center has three phases. The first phase, covering 4,700 square meters (51,000 sq ft), is primarily for restaurants and retail stores. It also hosts a two-level Timezone arcade. The second phase, covering a 26,000 square meters (280,000 sq ft) floor plan, contains more retail and dining outlets and was completed by May 2015. The third and last phase, covering 37,000 square meters (400,000 sq ft), was completed in 2016, containing four cinemas, including one 4DX cinema,[3] offices, and more retail stores and restaurants, including a 2-storey H&M store.[2]
Architecture
editThe architectural design and master planning of the U.P. Town Center was done by the international architectural firm Benoy.[4]
Facilities and tenants
editThe U.P. Town Center is marketed as the "first and only university town center" in the Philippines, primarily targeting students from universities and other educational institutions along Katipunan Avenue, such as the University of the Philippines Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University and Miriam College.[2]
Shortly after the first phase of the complex was opened, most of the tenants were restaurants and other dining outlets. In November 2013, there were 30 tenants, 28 of which were dining outlets and only two retail stores. By this time, Ayala Malls reportedly prioritized new restaurant and dining brands over popular fast-food chains and restaurants since many of these brands already have outlets along Katipunan Avenue.[5]
When the second phase was completed, numerous retail brands primarily selling fashion, sports, tech, and stationery goods or services targeting millennials opened stores at the U.P. Town Center.[2]
U.P. Town Center also has a supermarket named Merkado Supermarket. It is a 50-50 joint venture between Ayala and Puregold, and the outlet in the shopping complex is the first outlet under the brand name.[6]
References
edit- ^ Aquino, Tricia; Montealegre, Krista Angela (November 3, 2013). "3 hurt as ceiling collapses at UP Town Center". InterAksyon.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Cabatit-Alegre, Julie (May 23, 2015). "UP Town Center rises". The Philippine Star. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ Tantuco, Vernice (July 16, 2016). "IN PHOTOS: Inside the new UP Town Center 4DX cinema". Rappler. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ "UP Town Center". Benoy. Benoy Limited. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ Baga-Reyes, Vangie (November 28, 2013). "New dining hub rises in Katipunan, QC". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ "Ayala, Puregold launch supermarket in UP Town Center". Rappler. July 27, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.