Written by: Arch. Vittoria Mawis-Aliston

Nowadays, going to the grocery can seem like a life-threatening experience. With the enhanced community quarantine, it sometimes takes hours to buy one’s daily needs. This inconvenience is accompanied by the risk of coming in contact with the virus. During these difficult times, one sometimes wishes one lived in a mall.
While living in a mall may seem unrealistic, thankfully there are homes today that offer this kind of lifestyle.

Apart from the grocery, these homes are also located within the vicinity of essential shops such as pharmacies and service centers. Living in these places not only provides convenience and comfort. In times of crises, these residences pretty much ensure that you don’t have to suffer to survive.

SM Development Corp. (SMDC), the primary residential arm of property giant SM Prime Holdings Inc., pioneered this mall-centered lifestyle which gave new meaning to the terms modern comfort and convenience—one that is made highly apparent in this ongoing quarantine. As it is backed by SM Prime and supported by its affiliates SM Markets and Watsons, SMDC is able to afford residents unique synergies within its integrated retail developments.

Indeed, the ones fortunate enough to be enjoying the mall lifestyle offered by SMDC would know that there is more to life amid the lockdown.

Jazz Residences

Located near Buendia Avenue in Makati City, this mixed-use development provides an opportunity to maintain a balanced lifestyle. Living here means having that convenient and direct access to the Jazz Mall, a stand-alone mall that houses establishments providing basic needs to residents such as SM Hypermarket (which is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Watsons (which operates from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Other establishments are open for take-out, like Tous le Jours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Space 88 is open for take-out and delivery from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aquabest is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Sunday, on which it operates from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

MPlace at South Triangle

This community of four-tower residential buildings was designed for independent young professionals in the South Triangle area of Quezon City, providing easy access to the restaurants, entertainment venues and bars that nearby Timog Avenue is known for. The condominium sits atop a stand-alone mall, M Place Mall, which has several retail stores that make independent living easy for its residents. During the current lockdown, residents have easy access to Savemore Market (9 a.m. to 7 p.m.), 7-Eleven and the Mayon Clinical Lab (6 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at the ground level. LBC and Twin Bubbles Water Station have both remained open to serve residents from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Shore Residences

Another SMDC project located on the Mall of Asia grounds, Shore Residences is the ideal home for those who love living near the sea. It has a great view of Manila Bay and provides convenient access to several dining places, retail shops and service centers located within its commercial strip. Here, two branches of Alfamart (both open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) cater to the residents, as well as several restaurants offering Chinese, American, Filipino and other types of cuisine, such as Trendy Dimsum and Hong Kong Roasting, both open from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., as well as Grandma’s Kitchen (10 a.m. to 1 a.m.).

Sun Residences

This gem along Mayon Street in Quezon City offers daily essentials and more to its residents. Located on the ground floor is Sun Mall, where a branch of SM Hypermarket currently serves the needs of residents from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Also open are Watsons, Hydrocore and LBC, which are currently operating from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. BDO, the banking arm of the SM Group, is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition, there are several food choices here that cater to the most demanding of taste buds. This condominium is highly capable of getting people through the most challenging quarantines and crises.

Light Residences

Within this SM community along bustling Edsa is practically a full-scale mall that can amply provide the necessities of every resident here. Light Mall houses an array of comfort restaurants and essential shops that are operating during the current ECQ, such as Savemore Market (9 a.m. to 7 p.m.), Alfamart (6 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Watsons and Hydrocore (both open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.). A satellite clinic of Medical City (open from 8a.m. to 5 p.m.) is situated within the mall, providing residents with easy access to medical care when they need it, especially during these times of disease and dread.

Green Residences

Green Residences, one of the tallest residential condominiums in Manila, is just a short walk away from De La Salle University, College of St. Benilde, St. Scholastica’s College and other universities along Taft Avenue. It boasts of student-oriented facilities and amenities such as a study hall, a gym, a fitness center, function rooms and a swimming pool. Bringing a different kind of convenience to its residents, this SMDC project has its own community mall, the Green Mall, where Savemore Market has remained open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to serve the needs of its residents during the ECQ.

Grace Residences

Beyond providing affordable, yet high-quality home in a strategic location, this four-tower development has its own mall, Grace Mall, which means that one need not venture far to buy one’s essentials. Here, the Alfamart is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., while H20 to Go serves customers from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Shell Residences

This mid-rise condominium development offers more than resort-style living with its Boracay-inspired facilities, lush tropical gardens and a stunning view of the famed Manila Bay sunset. Taking centerstage during this ECQ is The Strip at Shell Residences, which houses Alfamart (open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), bringing the essentials closer to the neighborhood and serving as the lifeline of many residents in the area.

Trees Residences

SMDC made good its promise of comfort and convenience when it launched Trees Residences. The Strip at Trees Residences has become a refuge for its residents during the current ECQ, with Alfamart open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and LBC from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The same holds true of other SMDC developments including Mezza Residences, Breeze Residences, Sea Residences, Blue Residences and Berkley Residences, which have their respective commercial strips that ensure convenience for their residents and people in the neighborhood. SMDC’s Facebook page has the full list of open establishments, including their operating hours, during this period.

One does not have to venture out of the building and risk one’s life to make sure one’s family can make it through these tough times. Living near a mall does not only give one a comfortable and convenient lifestyle. It also ensures one’s safety and security in times of a crisis.

In an SMDC development, the mall comes to its residents.

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