BOO! BOO! BOO!

Wanna buy bad architecture? If you are looking for what could possibly be the worst planned residential/commercial condominium development and the most blatant example of false advertising ever, look no further than the Malate Bay View Condominiums now pre-selling near Remedios Circle in Malate (above).

Planned by a certain Mr. Tanlymco of Malate Bay View Mansions Development Corp in Binondo, the same developer who brought you the stunningly garish and still pretty unsold Malate Royal Apartments (above) at the corner of squatter paradise San Andres Street and Adriatico, this proposed structure will rise 38 storeys (yes, you read right – THIRTY EIGHT storeys) upon the site currently occupied by “The Library”, “Fab” and “Korea House”.

And aside from it’s fugly and inappropriate design by a certain Eduard Co Tan (note difference between actual location (above) from the background drawing(top), the oversized, overpriced Malate Bay View (around Php5million for 79sq.m) comes WITHOUT coordinated sewage planning with the government, WITHOUT thoughtful consideration for the environment around it, and WITHOUT an assured bayview at all to boot (the property faces EAST, not west - and any building can be built to block the view of the water since the developers DO NOT own the adjoining lot).

But that aside, what concerns me most is Mr. Tanlymco’s intentions to squish almost 40 concrete stories on a footprint area that is less than 1,600 square meters in a neighborhood unprepared for the pressures it will create. In comparison, think of a building roughly the height of Essensa in Fort Bonifacio being stuffed into an area a little over the size of a professional soccer field and a half in an area designed to have the density of a suburban subdivision. Now, I might be a bit alarmist. But doesn’t that sound like bad planning and engineering to you too? Moreover, it is being built on soft sandy soil by Manila Bay. It just doesn't seem smart. My fearless forecast: CLICK HERE.

And aside from destroying the low rise quaint character of Adriatico Circle, imagine the logistic nightmare it will impose upon the neighborhood. On a street that less than 40 meters wide and an alley measuring even LESS than that, Mr. Tanlymco plans to pack a building that will house a minimum of 600 residential units, 200 cars, and more than 1000 residents flushing their refuse down a minimum of 700 toilets into an inadequately designed century old sewage system. Adriatico Street will run with sh** no doubt. And if you think that weekend night traffic along that street is bad enough already, think what it will be like when their multi storey commercial area (without accompanying parking I’m sure) attracts even more cars and people to their corner of the world. And in order to maintain structural stability, I assume that they would have to dig at least six storeys under Malate’s soft surface. One can only imagine the structural damage it will do to the charming Malate Pensionne and Café Adriatico next door – as well as revenue lost by the construction noise and pollution compromising their outdoor seating. But most of all - and this I cannot overemphasize, the building is way too tall for it’s tight location. PERIOD.

So if anyone out there is concerned, do what I did and call MBMDC at 5360333 or 5362355 and tell them how shortsighted and greedy they are for attempting to pack a 38-storey building on a lot/street way to small to accommodate it. Tell them I sent you. Let's hope they'll change their mind and shorten the building to a decent ten storeys. Either that, or let's fly this by Manila City Hall. Maybe Mayor Lim would be the best guy to consult regarding this matter.