Davao City’s popular coastline Times Beach is up for transformation.
A joint venture between Davao’s Villa-Abrille family and Cebu Landmasters are on the final stages of finalizing a megaproject along the public coastline in Matina Aplaya that will change the face of this famous dining and nightlife destination into a glamorous stretch of lifestyle and entertainment boulevard. More like the Sta. Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, California–a place where one can have a real good time.
Times Beach is home to a stretch of barbecue and seafood restaurants, videoke joints and pubs.
If the transformation to a Sta. Monica-type vibe materializes, the area will be vibrant 24/7–entertainment, food, shops, and rollerblades.
Frederick Yuson, president of YHES ((Yuson Huang Excellence Soberano) Inc., a joint venture with the Soberanos of Cebu Landmasters and the Villa-Abrille Family Inc. disclosed plans to develop a complex in the area for an event center and lifestyle hub with restaurants and hotel.
The joint venture will be developing a six-hectare property which was initially launched last year but twas temporarily put on hold pending the completion of the coastal road project by the national government.
“It is part of our projects but we got held up by the construction of the coastal road project. The roads have been widened. So we are looking at the completion of the coastal road so we can plan this development properly,” said Yuson.
Jose Franco Soberano, chief operating officer of Cebu Landmasters, said that although the plan is still in the developing stage, he is hopeful that they could realize their ideal concept in the area.
“We feel in that area you have that beach and seaside experience that is close to the city. In the area we can put high-end “dampa” on the nicer side where you can cook fresh seafood and a hotel. It is something when we first came to the market, we said we will be doing this,” Soberano said.
A yacht club is also part of the concept but Soberano said it depends on the city government’s allowable restrictions.
“After the coastal road area we will check what is allowed for us to develop in the area,” he said.
Yuson said the property, which is owned by his mother, will be transformed into something that Davaoeños can be proud of.
“It will have a boardwalk and an event center, a hotel, residential, and food-something for Davaoeños to go for the weekend and this is close to SM Ecoland,” he said.
Yuson is hopeful that they can start the project next year.
Among the Cebu Landmasters and the Villa-Abrille family’s partnership ventures include the development of the 22-hectare Davao Global Township located in Matina District, the two-tower MesaTierra Garden Residences in Arellano St., and The Paragon Davao, a P2.6 billion master-planned mixed-use development.
