BACOLOD CITY – Megaworld, the country’s leading real estate developer, will put an iconic addition to its 34-hectare property here with the construction of The Upper East House.
The Upper East House is a three-level township showroom that will be designed to pay tribute to the historic institution that used to occupy the township’s current location, the Bacolod-Murcia Milling Company (BMMC). It is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2023.
It’s Megaworld’s way of paying tribute to the rich history of the sugar industry here.
“We take pride in The Upper East bearing a part of the legacy of its location as the former site of the Bacolod-Murcia Milling Company, an institution that played a pivotal role in jumpstarting economic progress in Bacolod City,” said Jennifer Palmares-Fong, vice president for sales and marketing of Megaworld Visayas.
Fong said that they continue to honor such legacy, as they develop this historic site as Bacolod City’s iconic central business district and once again become a catalyst of progress in this part of the region.
The expansive township showroom will occupy more than half a hectare lot along Upper East Avenue just within the curated park beside the soon-to-open McDonald's Upper East.
Its vintage look takes inspiration from the elegant and sophisticated design of the BMMC’s ‘white mansion,’ an old bahay na bato house that used to be inside the former sugar milling complex.
Beside The Upper East House will be the retrofitted and refurbished century-old BMMC Train that used to be the main mode of transport to deliver sugarcanes during the early days of the sugar mill.
A gallery featuring memorabilia from the historic sugar mill will also be the main highlight of the structure.
As a showroom, The Upper East House will also feature model units of the township’s residential developments and sales offices complete with facilities. Meanwhile, the upper ground floor will also have spaces for retail shops and cafes.
According to local historian and journalist Modesto Sa-onoy, who specializes in the history of Negros island, the BMMC spurred economic growth here, and influenced social development, as well as the political rivalries and alliances in the island.
“But, most specially, it drew into Bacolod a lot of population, not only from Negros but also from the entire Panay Island,” Sa-onoy said.
Just recently, Megaworld announced that Landers Superstore will open its first superstore in Western Visayas inside the township next year.
It will occupy a 25,000 square meter or 2.5 hectare property along Upper East Avenue, just across the two latest residential condominium developments, Two Regis and Herald Parksuites, as well as the upcoming BPO office towers.
Pieter Lukman, COO of Landers Superstore, said that Bacolod stood out among other cities in the region for its tremendous economic growth over the years and its solid reputation as one of the most business-friendly cities in the country.
Aside from bringing in huge investments, Landers will also be providing valuable employment to the local workforce, as it is expected to generate about 500 jobs from construction phase to its full launch in March 2023.