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 Greenbelt in 2023 | |
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| Location | Ayala Center, San Lorenzo,Makati,Philippines |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 14°33′06.6″N121°01′19.9″E / 14.551833°N 121.022194°E /14.551833; 121.022194 |
| Opening date | 1988; 37 years ago (1988) |
| Developer | Ayala Land |
| Management | Ayala Malls |
| Architect | Greenbelt Square (old Greenbelt 1):Leandro Locsin Old Greenbelt 1: Leandro V. Locsin Partners Center Mall (old Greenbelt 1): WV Coscolluela & Associates Greenbelt 2 to 4: Callison, GF & Partners (associate), and Edward D. Stone & Associates (landscape) New Greenbelt 1:Gensler |
| Stores and services | 300+ |
| Floor area | 250,000 m2 (2,700,000 sq ft) |
| Floors | Mall: 5 (maximum)[a] Greenbelt Townhomes: 3 (maximum) Basement Parking: 1 |
| Parking | 2000+ cars |
| Website | Greenbelt Website |
Greenbelt, also known asAyala Malls Greenbelt, is a shopping mall located atAyala Center,Makati,Metro Manila,Philippines. It is owned byAyala Malls, a real-estate subsidiary ofAyala Land, which is an affiliate ofAyala Corporation. It opened in 1988 after merging existing structures and is one of the Ayala Corporation's flagship projects. The mall offers a mix of high-end retail shops, restaurants, amenities, leisure and entertainment. Currently, the mall has five sections: two enclosed areas, two buildings with open-air shopping areas, and Greenbelt 5, which was opened in 2007.[1]
The origin of Greenbelt could be traced to the 1970s as an open-space park also known as Greenbelt Junction, which had anaviary and was surrounded by low-rise structures featuring various dining establishments.[2][3] The park underwent renovations, followed by the inauguration of the Santo Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel on the park in 1983 and the decommissioning of the aviary later that decade.
In 1982, Greenbelt Square, a three-storyBrutalist building containing cinemas and retail spaces, was inaugurated. It was designed byLeandro Locsin, who would later be named as aNational Artist for Architecture. Structures that were later added are:
The park, aforementioned buildings, and open parking area collectively formed the retail complex known as Greenbelt,[5] officially opening as such in 1988 as the secondAyala Mall.[6] Real estate companyAyala Land conceptualized Greenbelt as the Philippines's first lifestyle center with bars, posh boutiques, lush tropical greenery, aworld-class museum, and an elegant chapel.[7] In the 1990s, Greenbelt, along with the adjacent Makati Commercial Center, was integrated into theAyala Center.[8]
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Greenbelt underwent enhancements, starting with the construction of the indoor Center Mall from 1989 to 1994 and the renovation in 1994 that addedwheelchair ramps. The original wing was subsequently renamed Greenbelt 1 in 2000 as part of an expansion project, which involved renovation until 2001, redevelopment of theAyala Museum from 2001 to 2004, expansion of the park, and the addition of Paseo Steel Parking and new wings such as Greenbelt 2 and 3 (ground broke in 2000 and opened in 2002), Greenbelt 4 (ground broke in 2002 and opened in 2004 on the old site of Ayala Museum), and Greenbelt 5 (opened in 2007).[9][10] Demolition of surrounding structures, including United Supermarket, Garden Square Building, Shop & Lift Plaza,[11] Greenbelt Arcade, and Greenbelt 1's service driveways occurred until 2006, mostly due to expired contracts, making wayfor these developments.[5][9][12]
The mall underwent major redevelopment, with the ground level of Greenbelt 3 closed in 2019 for renovation.[13] The new area reopened in October 2021, which now hosts luxury labels and a newly renovatedStarbucks Reserve cafe.[14] Greenbelt 4 was later renovated from the third quarter of 2022 to its reopening in April 2023.[15]
On July 25, 2023,Ayala Land filed a Petition to Remove the Presumption asImportant Cultural Property designation from Greenbelt 1 before theNational Commission for Culture and the Arts, arguing that alterations made to the original structure as a result of renovations over the past decades had made the building unrecognizable from its original design.[5][16]
Greenbelt 1 and 2 are undergoing a major redevelopment, costing₱13 billion, since the first quarter of 2024. Greenbelt 1's redevelopment is also funded by a fraction of a₱12.87 billion (US$225 million) loan by Ayala Land from theInternational Finance Corporation.[17] Greenbelt 2's ground level was closed in January 2024 for renovations scheduled to be complete in 2026.[18][19][20] Greenbelt 1 was later closed on April 1, 2024, for its eventual demolition alongside the Paseo Steel Parking.[21][22][23][24] It will be replaced by a newer complex that will include a hotel, office spaces, a larger cinema complex, a four-level shopping mall with four parking levels beneath, and possibly a new park expected to open in 2028.[18][25] In addition, renovation works at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas began in early 2025.[26] Ayala Malls has tappedSan Francisco-based architectural firmGensler for the redesign of Greenbelt.[27] Despite the mall's renovation, McDonald's Greenbelt would remain open, with their lease extended until 2027 and drive-thru lanes also undergoing renovation.[4]
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Greenbelt, located inAyala Center, has a gross leasable area (GLA) of 250,000 m2 (2,700,000 sq ft), making it theeleventh largest shopping mall in the Philippines in terms of GLA, tied withGlorietta andAyala Center Cebu. Its lot is bounded by Legazpi Street, De la Rosa Street,Makati Avenue, Esperanza Street, andPaseo de Roxas.
Greenbelt consists of five separate retail wings and the Ayala Museum that encloses a central garden, Greenbelt Park, which contains the Santo Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel and is bisected by Greenbelt Drive. As of 2024, Greenbelt 2 to 5 are interconnected through walkways on their respective second levels. The walkways also connect Greenbelt to nearby landmarks: from between Greenbelt 5 and the Ayala Museum to theDe la Rosa Elevated Walkway, from Greenbelt 4 toThe Landmark Makati, and from Greenbelt 2 toThe Residences at Greenbelt.
Prior to its temporary closure in 2024 due to a needed renovation, Greenbelt 1 featured lifestyle, food, and supply stores, as well as two cinemas and the OnStage Theater, a performing arts theater that hostedRepertory Philippines from 2002 to 2024. It was also the location ofThe Marketplace supermarket,National Book Store and anAutomatic Centre branch.[28] The renovated Greenbelt 1 will feature new spaces for flagship stores.[29]
Greenbelt 2 features the Greenbelt Townhomes, a two- to three-story condominium on top, and, until 2024, high-end al fresco restaurants.[30] The redevelopment will convert it into an indoor space with retail shops, as well as rooftop dining.[29]
Greenbelt 3 has 4 retail levels, featuring a mix of international brands including luxury labels at the ground level's indoor area. Sit-down restaurants with al fresco seats are located on the outdoor units of the ground level facing Greenbelt Park. The upper levels feature more dining establishments, retail, and entertainment facilities, including five cinemas and MyCinema, a private mini-theater.[31] The cinemas are under renovation since February 2025.[26]
The largest Philippine branch ofLouis Vuitton and the country's onlyHermès boutique is found here.[32][33][34] It is also the location of the Philippines's third4DX cinema, launched in 2016.[35]
Greenbelt 4 features high-end boutiques on its enclosed ground level.[36] On the second and third levels is anH&M branch. Greenbelt 4's second level hallway serves as a rear access to theAyala Museum and an extension of the Dela Rosa Elevated Walkway connecting the latter to The Landmark, the rest of Greenbelt, and Ayala Center.
Greenbelt 5 is the largest wing, divided into 2 sections: Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 has 3 retail levels, houses boutiques of Filipino designers, luxury boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. Phase 2, with 5 levels of retail space, one underground and four over ground, features the high-end department store Adora, entertainment facilities, luxury boutiques and restaurants. Phase 2's underground level connects to Greenbelt Drive beneath Greenbelt Park. The garden facing side of Greenbelt 5's ground level is lined with sit in restaurants with al fresco seats. Both phases are connected through an elevated atrium that is used for events.
Restaurants are located in Greenbelt 3 and 5, as well as in Greenbelt 2 prior to its ongoing renovations from 2024 to 2026, known for their sit-down dining options. Greenbelt 1 concentrated more on fast food until its closure in 2024.
The complex is also home to a colony of well-fedcats who lounge around walkways and in unoccupied al fresco cafe seats.
Greenbelt is served by an interconnected basement parking built beneath it, as well as the above-ground carpark inside Greenbelt 2.[37]
Former parking facilities at Greenbelt were the Paseo Steel Parking at the corner ofPaseo de Roxas and Esperanza Street, Greenbelt 1 (the portion initially known as Greenbelt Mall), and an open parking area, all above-ground. The open parking area has since been replaced by new wings in early 2000s, while Paseo Steel Parking was interconnected with the parking in Greenbelt 2 until its demolition in 2024 as part of a redevelopment that also involved the demolition of Greenbelt 1.
Santo Niño de Paz Greenbelt Chapel is aRoman Catholic place of worship in Greenbelt Park at the complex's center. It is under the mission station of the same name of theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. Built as an open-air, concrete dome in the middle of a pond, the chapel holdsmasses and other religious services every day. It celebrates its titularfeast day every third Sunday of January. It was inaugurated on July 28, 1983, and designed by architects William Fernandez and Jess Dizon.[38] Additionally, glass sculptor Ramon Orlina contributed to the design by creating the tabernacle altar, the cross at one of the entrances, among others. Additionally, ceiling art was made by painter Jermaine Alvarez.[39]
Point-to-point (P2P) bus stops are also located on Legazpi Street, just beside Greenbelt 5 and, formerly, Greenbelt 1, respectively.[40] Additionally, a jeepney terminal and another P2P bus stop is located at The Landmark, adjacent to Greenbelt acrossMakati Avenue. Greenbelt can be accessed throughMRT 3 through Ayala Center's elevated pedestrian connections between its malls andAyala station.
On October 18, 2009, between 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m.PHT, heavily armed thieves overpowered the mall's security guards and broke into aRolex watch shop in Greenbelt 5. The thieves, dressed in bomb squad uniforms, hammered the glass cases containing Rolex watches. A suspected robber was killed by two police escorts ofTaguig MayorSigfrido Tiñga who, incidentally, happened to be present upon the heist while the other gun-men escaped with an undetermined value of expensive watches.[41][42]
