The 53rd supermall of SM Prime and second in Nueva Ecija after SM Megacenter which is also located at the heart of this city, SM City Cabanatuan is a 153,756 square-meter five level shopping and leisure place that will cater to customers here and nearby towns of Nueva Ecija.
SM Prime Holdings, Inc. President-COO Hans Sy was joined by Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara, his wife businesswoman Ria Vergara, and other officials during the mall blessing that was held Thursday, a day before the mall’s grand opening.
Vergara said the city government has set infrastructure requirements, particularly construction of various road networks that were funded by the local government, in anticipation of the influx of mall goers along with maintenance of peace and order.
Socialite Alice Eduardo was also seen with actress Kris Aquino hopping from one stall to another after the concelebrated Mass that was officiated by San Jose Bishop Roberto Mallari.
“Inihanda na natin ang Cabanatuan sa ganitong kaunlaran at patuloy na progreso,” Vergara said, adding the city government has provided the local police with a number of patrol cars and communication equipment for the upkeep peace and order.
The main mall entrance is elevated slightly from the main frontage road, with the sidewalk designed with landscape, strategic signage and a unique stair ramp. Two sky gardens, the Garden Park and the Roof Park, are visible from the exterior of the building.
The Garden Park at the malls’ second level is an outdoor elevated garden with canopied walkways while the Roof Park is a little oasis above the mall. At the fourth level is an air-conditioned indoor park with waterscapes and lush land surrounded by restaurants.
Sheen Crisologo, of the mall’s public relations office, said SM City Cabanatuan’s interiors are organized around a simple “yet efficient plan that allows clear line of sight to all shops at all levels at all times.”
“It’s focal point is a dynamic ceiling that utilizes the dramatic height of the interior with large rectilinear that vary in depth,” she said, adding that two large glasses wall systems that lead directly to outdoor terraces provide ample daylight.
Besides a long line of mainstays such as SM Appliance Center, Ace Hardware, Already with Watsons, Surplus, The Body Shop, SM City Cabanatuan promises shopping fun ahead with global brands Philip Stein, Guess, Guess Kids, The Face Shop, Melissa and Ed Hardy getting along with well-love local Human within the year.
Iconic global brands Uniqlo and Terranova are scheduled to open in 2016, says the mall’s public relations office.
The mall also features six digital cinemas, including the Large Screen Cinema that can accommodate 507 guests in a stadium much like that of the IMAX Theater. Amusement areas like Kidzoona and Sports Zone as well as the wellness outlets Laybare and Body Tune Spa are expected to complete the goers’ malling experience.
The mall has 2,058 parking slots with additional 476 for motorcycles.
