SNEAK PEEK: Here's a Look Inside the New Gateway Mall 2

(SPOT.ph) When one thinks of Cubao, Araneta first comes to mind. Previously called Araneta Center, the mixed-use space rebranded to Araneta City in 2019 with management’s commitment to making it a “City of Firsts.” At its heart stands the Gateway Mall, which is set to gain a seatmate in the form of Gateway Mall 2.

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Gateway Mall opened in 2004 and has since become a fixture in the lives of many Filipinos across all ages and demographics—those looking to run an errand or grab a meal during commute, post-work dinners for the working crowd, and of course, the designated meet-up place and grub hub for sports fans and music lovers catching a game or show at the Smart Araneta Coliseum or New Frontier Theater.

While Araneta City stands strong as is—with Ali Mall, Farmer’s Plaza, the coliseum, and its connection to the LRT and MRT lines—it was time for Gateway Mall to gain a younger sibling: the New Gateway Mall 2. This space sits right beside with more restaurants, eateries, activities, and space to accommodate and entertain both Cubao locals and visitors alike. Currently partially open, Gateway Mall 2’s grand opening is tentatively slated for late August or early September. We took a walk through the mall to see what's in store.

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The New Gateway Mall 2

The P5-billion mall covers 100,000 square meters over eleven levels of parking, shopping, dining, and entertainment. Though grand and new in many ways, Gateway Mall 2 will remain connected to both Farmer’s Plaza and the original Gateway Mall via walkways in the Upper Ground B floor and upwards. That means seamless transfer from mall to mall without having to step out into the sweltering heat or pouring rain.

From the get-go, Gateway Mall 2 looks different from Araneta City’s other commercial establishments. Instead of replacing the malls Filipino crowds have come to know and rely on, Gateway Mall 2 aims to add to the overall experience of being in Araneta City. Lighter, airier, and bigger, the new mall has something different without taking away from the OGs.

Coliseum Plaza

Anyone who’s ever watched a game or concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum knows the pressures of arriving early enough to be able to eat or walking out of the venue fast enough to catch a restaurant still open to orders. And if not that, it’s often dealing with long lines or packed eateries during concert or game weekends.

Or if you’re not the type to grab a bite before or after a solid show, you know just how crowded the coliseum can get outside, filled to the brim with fans and supporters before the show even starts. With the Coliseum Plaza, Gateway Mall 2 is able to diffuse crowds and offer food options.

Linked to the Big Dome’s Red Gate, the Coliseum Plaza is an open-air passageway that houses restaurants like Manam, with Nono’s, Shake Shack, Mo’s Burger, and Tim Ho Wan set to open. Apart from the choices, the restaurants have al fresco seats so diners can enjoy the breeze that enters the passage. Look up and you’ll spot the mall’s escalators naturally lit by the sun through glass panels.

The Red Gate entrance features a drop off for cars, along with clearance space and big doors to accommodate crowds lining up to enter. Just look for the red columns—you won’t miss it.

Also read: Neighborhoods: Why Araneta City in Cubao Is the Metro's Christmas Blueprint

Quantum Skyview + Activity Center

Next up, meet the Quantum Skyview, a LED-powered ceiling that gives a stunning overhead visual experience. Spanning 700 square meters, the ceiling display hangs in a customized wave over the mall’s Activity Center in Upper Ground B. Be it car shows, movie premieres, or artist promotion for concerts, the Quantum Skyview can display just about anything, making it a visual treat for those below and even those on the upper floors.

But let’s talk about the Activity Center, too, which is just as grand, and more notably, officially the largest activity area in any Araneta City mall. Photos don’t do its size justice, as it is wide as it is tall. Apart from car shows, sales, and other promotions, management is also looking to hold press conferences and fan activities pre-concert for when artists come to perform at The Big Dome.

Shopwise International

A mall just isn’t a mall without a grocery and Gateway Mall 2 went all with its branch of Shopwise International. The 3,7000-square meter grocery offers both local and international brands Filipinos grew up with and have come to look for in recent years. It opened its doors on July 28 and is connected to the basement parking with its own drop-off, and elevator and escalator access.

The best part? No membership required.

Church + upcoming Sensory Garden

Step onto the new mall’s roof deck and you’ll be greeted with pocket gardens and the upcoming Sensory Garden, which boasts green grass, trees and plants, and tiny waterworks for a bit of tranquility in the midst of the city’s chaos. Though the Sensory Garden is not yet complete and not yet open to the public, we did manage to snap a photo of one of the smaller pocket gardens.

Apart from being a laid-back environment to unwind, we predict the Sensory Garden will be quite the photospot for OOTDs and barkada pics once it’s fully open.

Walk further down the path and you’ll spot the new mall’s church on your left. The Sagrada Famiglia Church on the roof deck of Gateway Mall 2 resembles a bishop’s mitre from the outside and has a capacity of 1,000 people. Though not yet open to the public, it’s set to have multiple operational air conditioning units and mass services on Sundays. Mass services for holidays like Holy Week are also in the discussion.  

The sun’s rays filter strategically through its thin windows, creating a halo of light that illuminates the altar and its pews. Though already serene and calming as is, stained glass windows are soon to be installed to create a similar lighting effect inspired by churches locally and abroad.

Ibis Styles Hotel

Past the church and through the Sensory Garden stands Ibis Styles Hotel at Araneta City. Managed by Accor Hotels, the same group behind Novotel in Araneta City as well, Ibis Styles Hotel has roughly 300 rooms meant for the business folks on a quick schedule or the traveller on the go. Its lobby is on the roof deck, but there’s also an access point from the Coliseum Plaza, where you take the elevator to reach the main lobby. The Red Gate entrance serves as its drop-off point if you’re coming via car and have luggage to haul with you.

Though not yet open to the public, management is targeting to have the hotel fully operational by August—in time for the FIBA Basketball World Cup.