First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos unveiled a historic gallery at The Upper East House inside Megaworld’s 34-hectare The Upper East township in Bacolod City, Saturday afternoon, October 21.
She was joined by Kevin L. Tan, Alliance Global Group Inc. chief executive officer, during the unveiling, which was also attended by Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
Among the historic items that form part of the gallery include photos of some of the sugar planters of Negros, who are acknowledged as founders of the Bacolod Murcia Milling Co. (BMMC) that was formerly located at The Upper East site.
Also in the gallery are old photos of the BMMC sugar central from the early 1900s, as well as the original BMMC Executive Guesthouse, which hosted elegant gatherings in the past attended by people who figured prominently in the rise of the sugar industry in Negros.
There is also a photo of the century-old Murcia train, which was used to transport sugar cane from the plantations to the mill.
Occupying a prominent space in the gallery is a preserved portion of one of the windows of the original guesthouse.
The Upper East House is Megaworld’s three-story Township and Information Center in Bacolod.
The Upper East was one of the major venues of this year’s MassKara Festival in Bacolod.
Meanwhile, Megaworld recently announced that a fifth residential condominium development inside The Upper East, the 26-storey, two-tower Kensington Sky Garden, is soon to rise.
The firm will also soon begin constructing the 12-story Kingsford Hotel Bacolod under Megaworld Hotels and Resorts.
Offering almost 300 room keys, it is poised to become Bacolod’s biggest and most iconic hotel to date that boasts the most number of spacious suites in the city, including a Presidential Suite.
It will also feature a huge ballroom that can accommodate up to 700 people, as well as Bacolod’s first-ever Executive Lounge facility for VIP guests, a Megaworld press statement said.
Next year Megaworld will also begin construction for the Upper East Mall to be operated by Megaworld Lifestyle Malls. Featuring a gross floor area of 24,200 square meters, the mall will feature state-of-the-art cinemas, topnotch retail outlets, and restaurants, and will be directly connected to Landers Bacolod via a walkalator, it added.
Over at Northill Gateway along the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road, Megaworld recently unveiled the redesigned master plan for its 2.4-hectare retail and commercial development, Northill Parade.
Northill Parade will be home to standout international shopping and dining brands.*