This is the activity center of the Ayala Mall Central Bloc, which is located at the Ayala Central Bloc at the Cebu IT Park. | Rhobie Ruaya
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A new shopping experience will be available as the P4.6-billion Ayala Malls Central Bloc opens its doors on Friday, December 6.
Cebu’s newest shopping mall is part of the Ayala Central Bloc, the 3-hectare superblock that also includes a hotel and two office buildings for business process outsourcing companies.
It is owned by the Central Block Developers Inc., which is jointly owned by Cebu Holdings Inc. (55 percent) and Ayala Land Inc. (45 percent).
The mall, which has a gross area of 45,000 square meters, has four levels of shops that feature both local and foreign brands.
The total investment for the entire development reached P9.5 billion.
What makes it different from other shopping malls is the Trading Bloc, which provides physical space for online sellers.
The new mall has four cinemas. | Rhobie Ruaya
Janra Montilla, marketing associate manager for AyalaLand Malls Inc., said that the Trading Bloc, located at the mall’s second level, would offer spaces to online sellers.
The Trading Bloc would provide online and startup sellers the opportunity to market their products at a physical store, Montilla said.
About 70 merchants have contracted to occupy the bazaar-like spaces of minimum 12-square-meter space for one year.
The mall has around 300 tenants, 100 of these located at carts and kiosks, Montilla said.
The food choices section is on the fourth floor of the mall. | Rhobie Ruaya
The shops on the ground floor will feature comfortable and stylish fashion options. At the second floor, shoppers can find more fashion options as well as specialty shops.
The third floor shops offer products for basic needs and for hobbies.
The shops at the fourth floor would showcase the latest trends in digital world. Two major mobile phone brands would open their first concept store in Cebu, said Montilla.
Food Choices is also located at the 4th level.
One of the cinemas has reclining chairs. | Rhobie Ruaya
The mall has four cinemas, one of which has reclining chairs, located at the fifth level.
Mall hours will be from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. but food outlets at the periphery has the option to open 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Seda Hotel would open January next year.
One of the two office towers is scheduled to open this month or January 2020 while the second office tower is projected to open by the second or third quarter in 2020./dbs