Property giant Megaworld is currently transforming its first township project in Davao City – the Davao Park District — into a smart development through iTownships model, which is the first in Mindanao.
Now classified as iTownship, the 11-hectare Davao Park District will have space-age amenities and cutting edge features such as fiber optic-ready infrastructure, designated bike lanes and bike rental systems, LED-powered signages and digital walls, creative pedestrian crosswalks and urban art installations, LED and solar-powered streetlamps, vertical open spaces and gardens, green and art roofings, public and street WIFI access, electric car charging stations, and a Township Operations Center with 24/7 security and safety monitoring, among others.
“Our goal is to future proof this township which means there will be features and facilities within the township that maximize smart innovations, use of internet , and digital lifestyle,” said Jericho P. Go, senior vice president and head of business development and leasing group in a press conference yesterday at Park Inn by Radisson Davao.
The office towers in the township will house modern facilities, highlighting features that put safety and security as priority. Currently, they have their team deployed to study what other things they can integrate into the Davao Park District as part as their technology and state-of-the-art development.
The 14-story Davao Finance Center targeted for completing within the first half of 2018 will also feature nine elevators with one designated exclusively for the parking floors. It will have its own automatic fire suppression system, fire detection and alarm systems (FDAS) dedicated fire water storage tank, three fire exits with fire-rated pressurized doors for smoke-proofing as well as state-of-the-art, 24/7 CCTV and communications system.
An iconic clock tower will be connected to the finance center which will house some retail spaces.
“We really planned for this (clock tower) to be iconic but more importantly this symbolizes that Davao has come of age and this is our time and our turn, tayo naman ang magpasikat, Davao naman ang pansinin nila and we want to emphasize that this is a dawning of a new age for Davao and we will finally have a worldclass integrated city through the iTownships model,” Go said.
The adjustment in the design (from the original design) is part of Megaworld’s aim to make Davao associated with something modern, intelligent, and advanced.
“ITownship if I have to summarize it is integrated by fusing local flavors into it through live, work, play. We want to bring new development so that Davao is now known as more modern, better equipped, and more advanced. It is also intelligent as we are putting in WIFI, this district has conduits laid down so you won’t need telephone companies to put in manhole,” he said.
Harold C. Geronimo, senior assistant vice president and head of public relations and media affairs, said aside from being a iTownship, Davao Park District would become a very known development.
“It will have sculptures, bronze statues, that is something that will give it character but I will not give details yet because we want to surprise the Dabawenyos,” he said.
“We want to make sure that this township model will resonate to all Dabawenyos and to all Filipinos all over the world that Davao’s time has finally come. Being part of Davao is what we feel makes the project unique and if you look at the building I don’t think you will see any kind of building that is like this. Like glass to glass from ground floor to top floor,” Go said.
“The Davao District Park will become the township of the future and we envision it to become the first smart township in Mindanao,” Go said.
