Township developer Megaworld is allocating PHP1.8 billion to build its first full-scale mall development in Central Luzon, the Capital Mall, inside the 35.6-hectare Capital Town in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

To be completed in 2022, the Capital Mall will be a three-level mall with a gross floor area of around 33,000 square meters. Construction will start by first half of 2020.

The Capital Mall is highlighted by its unique architecture that mimics the sugar mill, reminiscent of the original structure that stands on the same spot of the township.

The area in which the township is being built used to be the site of the historic sugar central of Pampanga Sugar Development Company (PASUDECO) built a century ago.

The mall, which will be operated and managed under the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls brand, will also feature the re-created chimneys of the PASUDECO central, and the bricks recovered from the original sugar mill will be used for mall’s interior walls.

“We are curating a new and unique design concept for this mall. As a tribute to the legacy of Pampanga’s oldest sugar mill, we will build the Capital Mall with its rich cultural heritage in mind. Other recovered portions of the sugar mill such as the giant bull gears, sprockets, and mechanical parts will become part of the mall’s interiors,” Megaworld chief strategy officer Kevin Tan said.

The Capital Mall will have a landscaped garden enclave of restaurants and cafes surrounded by water ponds and century-old trees.

It will also have four state-of-the-art cinemas, a food hall, and a shophouse strip.

“Even the food hall will sport an industrial architecture highlighted by more mementos of the sugar central. The cinemas will also feature the 1960s charm & ambience,” Tan added.

Just like in its other new malls, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls is integrating sustainability features for Capital Mall such as solar roofing provisions, and rain water harvesting facility.

Megaworld has been known for its Lifestyle Malls brand, and is currently operating 17 commercial and mall properties in its portfolio.

Just a few days ago, it also announced that it is building a ‘beach mall’ in Mactan, Cebu, another new concept in mall development in the Visayas. (PNA)