Business & Economy
The massive shopping mall revealed plans to become a fully incorporated city-state, complete with residential districts, schools, and municipal services, eliminating the need for shoppers to ever leave.
Diana Reyes (staff writer)
SM North EDSA Announces Expansion to Include Residential Units, Citizens
SM North EDSA shocked the retail industry by announcing plans to transform from a shopping mall into a fully incorporated municipality, complete with residential towers, schools, and civic services, allowing customers to live their entire lives within the air-conditioned complex.
Total Lifestyle Integration
Mall Manager Roberto Santos unveiled the “SM City North” masterplan during a presentation at the mall’s cinema complex, explaining that the expansion addresses customer requests to never have to leave the premises. “We realized our most loyal customers already spend 12-16 hours here daily. Why not just let them move in permanently?” he announced.
The planned residential district will occupy levels 6-20 of a new tower complex, featuring apartments with direct mall access, built-in shopping delivery systems, and windows overlooking the food court for entertainment. Unit prices start at ?3.5 million for studios with “limited natural light but unlimited mall access.”
Municipal Services and Governance
The development will include SM Elementary and SM High School (curriculum focused on retail management and consumer studies), an SM Hospital specializing in shopping-related injuries, and an SM City Hall where all municipal transactions can be paid for using SM Advantage Points.
Urban planning expert Dr. Lisa Mercado notes the project’s innovation: “SM North is essentially creating the Philippines’ first mall-based city-state. Residents will have cradle-to-grave mall integration, with birth certificates issued at the Customer Service counter.”
Early interest has been strong, with frequent shopper Maria Cruz already placing a deposit: “I practically live here anyway. Having my own apartment means I can be first in line for midnight sale events without having to go home and come back.”
The Quezon City Government is reviewing SM North’s application for municipal incorporation, though they admit they’re unsure about the legal precedent of shopping malls becoming independent cities.