The History of Barangay Bel-Air over the Years

Bel-air is an affluent enclave in the heart of Makati’s Central Business District which was established early in 195o’s. It has a total land area of 1.7121 square kilometers. and is the third largest among the posh villages comprising Cluster 1 or the Central Cluster. As of 2010, the population of the barangay reached 18,280 according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Built in four (4) phases – Bel-Air I to IV, the barangay now includes Ayala North, Buendia Avenue Extension, the Ayala Triangle, and the entire Salcedo Village. The predominant land use of this tobacco pipe shaped barangay is both residential and commercial. The barangay boasts of its skyscraping buildings and establishments and offers wide arrays of choices for bed, dine and businesses.

Bel-air is an affluent enclave in the heart of Makati’s Central Business District which was established early in 195o’s. It has a total land area of 1.7121 square kilometers. and is the third largest among the posh villages comprising Cluster 1 or the Central Cluster. As of 2010, the population of the barangay reached 18,280 according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Built in four (4) phases – Bel-Air I to IV, the barangay now includes Ayala North, Buendia Avenue Extension, the Ayala Triangle, and the entire Salcedo Village. The predominant land use of this tobacco pipe shaped barangay is both residential and commercial. The barangay boasts of its skyscraping buildings and establishments and offers wide arrays of choices for bed, dine and businesses.

Bel-Air Village

Bel-Air Village is the third subdivision developed by Ayala. The development, which started in 1957, was undertaken in four phases. The Village boundaries are: Estrella Street, EDSA, Jupiter Street, Nicanor Garcia (Reposo) Street, Kalayaan Avenue, Amapola Street. The total land area of Bel-Air Village is 78.7242 hectares, of which 64.6748 hectares is subdivided into 950 residential lots.

All properties located in the open (not fenced in) perimeter roads have been converted to controlled commercial zones. Consequently, a height restriction of 12 meters for edifices constructed along Jupiter Street is allowed, compared to only nine meters for residential houses inside the village. The other perimeter roads converted to commercial zones retain the nine-meter height limitation.

Social Affairs

It is in the Phase III Park where all the social affairs of the Barangay, including Community Day festivities, Bingo Socials, Valentine’s Dance, KST Program, Easter Egg Hunt, and Trick or Treat events, are held. A regular event in the Covered Court is the Saturday Anticipated Mass, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve Masses. The conference pavilion has become the favorite of Makati City Hall for seminars.

Open Space Parks

The village has two open space parks, one in Phase II, and the other in Phase III. The Association and Barangay offices are in the Phase III Park. The park in Phase II has an open air basketball court, playground equipment, and a pavilion. Phase III’s park contains a covered basketball court, playground equipment, health gym, conference pavilion, and an employees’ cooperative canteen.

Commercial Streets

The significant commercial streets are Jupiter, Makati Avenue, Nicanor Garcia, Estrella, and portions of Neptune/Buli, Orion and Polaris Streets. (While various commercial areas) restaurants are the predominant establishments along Bel-Air’s perimeter roads.

Salcedo Village

Salcedo Village, with a land area of 45 hectares, is the largest of the four Makati Central Business District (MCBD) areas under the jurisdiction of Barangay Bel-Air (the other MCBD areas are Ayala North Block, Ayala Triangle, and Buendia Extension Block). Developed in 1975, Salcedo Village now boasts of over 1.59 million square meters of total gross floor area distributed among 131 completed buildings.

Salcedo Village is managed by the Makati Commercial Estate Association (MACEA), whose General Manager is Jonathan C. David. Velasquez Park, in the heart of Salcedo Village, is a welcome oasis of greenery in the midst of this concrete jungle. Barangay Bel-Air provided playground equipment for the use of the children who live in the residential condominiums in the area.

Population

The population of Salcedo Village surges during weekday working hours. During these times, over 15,500 employees work in the various corporations in the area. By the end of the day, the population shrinks to the 3,600 persons who reside in the Village.

Buildings

Salcedo Village boasts of having the tallest building in the country, the newly completed Petron Center. Prior to the completion of this building, the 55-storey PBCom Building was the tallest structure, soaring to a height of 232.56 meters.

Worship

Several houses of worship can be found within Salcedo Village, including the International Baptist Church, the Jewish Synagogue, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, and the Asian Center for Christian Ministry.