Lush San Juan garden now an event venue

Imagine setting yourself adrift around one of the famous gardens of Florence in Italy. Towering old trees provide shade, with the relaxing sound of water gushing from the courtyard fountain.

Such imagery and feeling are the inspiration of Mango Tree Residences, the 3,000-square-meter property of Empire East.

Located on the quiet side of M. Paterno Street in San Juan City, the European-inspired garden gives clients and guests a relaxing atmosphere. It is different from the usual showroom or model unit. Empire East decided on this innovative marketing.

The garden is a perfect venue for wedding receptions and other special occasions. It is also an ideal setting for prenuptial video shoots, and for avid photography buffs.

“The idea of creating a park is a marketing approach to client prospecting,” says lawyer Charlie Yu, president of Empire East Land Holdings Inc.

“In any development, the lot is usually converted into a sales and model unit before the building construction. In our case, we decided to build a mini theme park to give value to the land as well as attract visitors and photography enthusiasts.

Paterno Street is very idyllic, with luxuriant mango trees and a community composed mostly of old-rich Chinese. The garden landscape will serve as inspiration for a luxurious, high-rise condominium development. Mango Tree Residences’ modern Asian architecture will highlight earth tones, wide-open spaces and wood elements. The old mango trees will play a significant part in preserving nature, integrated in the landscaped greenery.

The development will feature an on-stilts concept—no massive structures on the ground level. This layout yields more open spaces that enhance the exclusivity and privacy of the neighborhood. Its grand drop-off area and double-height lobbies will welcome residents to a five-star hotel ambiance.

The residential condominium will have two towers (34-story East Residences and 38-story West Residences), strategically located on the boundaries of San Juan, Quezon City, and Mandaluyong City.

Mango Tree Residences has good proximity to Xavier School, Immaculate Conception Academy and La Salle Greenhills. Efficient road networks in the vicinity easily connect to shopping malls, offices and healthcare institutions in Greenhills, Ortigas, Makati, Manila and Quezon City. Recreational amenities include a lap pool, kiddie pool, function room, fitness gym and wellness zone at the ground level, and five levels of parking. There will also be a garden deck on the seventh level. Future homeowners may choose from one-bedroom or two-bedroom suites ranging from 30 to 92 sq m; select units have exclusive patios. There are larger cuts of residential units on the penthouse level of each tower.