A new dorm to rise in BGC for traffic-worn workers
BGC/IMAGE Hans Olav Lien via Wikimedia
BGC’s droves and droves of workers might find themselves living closer to work as Ayala-led Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. (FBDC) looks to put up a dormitory building within the business district.
The dormitory building, called “The Flats BGC at 5th Avenue”, will rise along the 5th Avenue and will be located across St. Luke’s Medical Center. Future residents will be able to pass through or take a shortcut to EDSA, Kalayaan Avenue, C-5 Road, and 32nd Avenue, effectively cutting their travel time to and from BGC.
The dormitory building will cater mostly the workers from business process outsourcing (BPO) and other office workers in the said district as well as health workers.
BGC has a strong demand for living spaces, especially from employees. FBDC is expecting about 100,000 more workers coming in until 2019 from its current estimates of 120,000. The debuting builder wants to capitalize on this by providing affordable housing options that will help BGC’s employees avoid the traffic congestion happening in and around the business district.
FBDC is a venture between a private sector led by the Ayala Land Inc. and the Campos Group together with the state-controlled Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).
W CITY CENTER. The making of W City Center/IMAGE Hans Olav Lien via Wikimedia
“The Flats BGC at 5th Avenue” will have 375 units distributed across 16 stories, providing a total of 1,500 beds. Each unit will be fully furnished with a bed and mattress, workstation, wardrobe cabinet, toilet and bath and a mini kitchen. The Flat also have a Reception area, Laundry Shop, Water Refilling Station, and Convenience Store. Amenities like WiFi in Lounges and Decks are also available. A property management team will be also employed to take care of the building’s administration, safety and security.
The project has been to corporate accounts through lease arrangements for their employees. Locators have already expressed their interest to include accommodations as part of their employees’ compensation.
The idea of setting- up a dorm in BGC is based on a typical commuter’s hours of travel, its daily cost, the number of change of transits, and number of absences that can be done.
The dormitories are FBDC’s exploratory project as it welcomes the trend of “co-living,” which they described as “a modern urban lifestyle that puts a premium on openness, sharing, and collaboration” that leads to work-life balance for employees.
The addition of dormitories in a central business district can be seen as a new growth area for property investors and developers. Young people are part of the growing pool of office workers who had just entered the workforce. They’re the ones looking for a halfway sanctuary but can’t afford to purchase their own just yet.
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Times
Photos grabbed from: Wikimedia, Wikimedia
