THE newly-launched Ayala Business Center located inside the Matina Town Square (MTS) complex is eyed to be fully occupied with tenants by the end of the year.
Fred Yelinek, project manager of the center, told VoxPop Davao in an interview that one-third of the six-storey has been leased.
“We are bullish that the building will fully occupied by yearend. Offsourcing is expanding here in Ayala Business Center occupying the fifth and sixth building,” he said at the sidelines of the center’s blessings and ceremonial lighting last Tuesday, November 8.
The building, developed by JFM Development Corporation, has a total leasable area of 7,212 square meters (sqm).
Offsourcing, the first committed Business Process Management (BPM) firm locator of the Peza-accredited building will employ 1,500 call center agents.
Yelinek added that the second to fourth floors will also be occupied by three expanding BPM firms that are currently operating in the city.
“They (three BPM firms) are negotiating with us to take the remaining space. We also have many applicants for the ground floor spaces which are intended for commercial,” he said.
The ground floor has 11 retail spaces with an estimated area of 71 to 88 sqm. per stall.
The center, which was completed within 27 months, will be turn-over to tenants in a bare shell condition. The tenants can start its interior construction by December this year.
The building has special features which include sound proof, column free interiors for better office space planning and efficiency, state-of -the-art fire alarm and protection system and two high-speed elevators.
William Leh, executive vice president and chief operating officer of JFM, in a press statement said the center will provide readily available office spaces that are convenient and accessible to employees, have good building facilities, safe and conducive working environment, especially for BPM companies which operate almost on 24-hour shifts.
Andy Mark Villorente, head of asset management and leasing group, for his part, said locating in Ayala Business Center is fun as it is within the MTS compound.
“This is not your typical ICT facility since support services for employees like restaurants, convenience stores, entertainment establishments, among others, are already in place.”
Yelinek, however, said though property development in the city is on an upward trend, low occupancy of some mixed-use properties is still evident.
“Davao is growing rapidly, the challenge now is how to sell our city to new prospective investors,” he said.
Peace and order, he said, play a vital role in driving in investors in the city.
“The property developers are convincing investors that it is safe and wonderful to live and work here in Davao. Every foreign investor who came here to see the building, they love what they see here but are still reluctant to commit to invest because of the image the Mindanao has -- war zone,” Yelinek added.
Developers are committed to sell the city but Yelinek underscored that with the peace process initiative of the Duterte administration and the push for independent foreign policy, brighter prospects await the industry.
