A City Within A City That Never Sleeps

Sooner than you thought possible, Limketkai Center would have completed a missing link in its menu of offerings to make it truly a "ity within a city that never sleeps."

The new cluster would address the market niche of night owls and early birds who are looking for a place to serve their varied needs after the rest of the Limketkai Mall closes for the evening around 11PM and before its early morning establishments get going at 6AM the following day.

"e envision a 24/7 operation which shall feature automated teller machines (ATMs), convenience stores, drug stores, and fast food outlets where travelers and residents alike can drop by at any hour of the day or night," said Albino U. Limketkai, executive vice president of Limketkai Sons, Inc. in a recent interview with CdO Real Estate Update. "We are now trying to convince a national fast food chain to invest in this project as its anchor establishment."

Work is now underway on the project which sits astride Limketkai Avenue next to busy Claro M. Recto Avenue fronting the Mindanao Polytechnic State College. Besides being a mini-business district by itself, it would also complement the newly opened Sky Park by acting as a people aggregator to channel visitors up to the Sky Park during the evenings and on to Limketkai Center itself during the daytime.

The Sky Park Resto Bar is the anchor establishment of the Sky Park, an elevated walkway cum entertainment strip that seems to float in mid-air over Rosario Arcade, the original entertainment section of Limketkai Center that contains a wide variety of restaurants, cafes, family KTV bars, and a fitness center, among others.

"We have a live band four times a week offering acoustic music on Wednesdays and Thursdays and a wider play list for weekends," Mr. Limketkai said."On Sunday to Tuesday, we have a wide screen television monitor to entertain them."

At present, there are already two establishments in the Sky Park, the other being Alegre Bakery and Café which is open from 6AM-11PM weekdays and up to 2AM on weekends. Of the four establishments in Limketkai Center which offer breakfast, Alegre is the only one which offers hot bread, says Jade P. Seriña, manager.

Although the new establishment has been open only since February 8, Ms. Seriña assures their customers will appreciate their extensive experience in operating bakery operations. Alegre's pedigree includes the Sugarland Bakery and Shell Select convenience store in Iligan City which owner Edna Puertas has been operating for the last 20 years, and PFC, the in-house bakery of Robinson's Big R Superstore in Limketkai Center.

Alegre complements Sky Park by offering wines and liquors, while the latter only serves beer. Carlene Domo-Mendoza, leasing officer for Limketkai Sons, Inc., says there are still three spaces ideal for food-related establishments with 123, 171 and 176 square meters available in the second floor of Limketkai Mall which links it with the Sky Park and the new 24/7 Convenience Center.

Limketkai Sons, Inc. pioneered the first mall in Cagayan de Oro in the 1990s, creating a new business district in what were formerly rice paddies. After eight years of operations, it undertook a successful expansion and renovation program which enabled it to regain market share in the intensely competitive wholesale and retail industry.

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