Ayala Avenue

Ayala Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Makati, Philippines. It is one of the busiest roads in Metro Manila, crossing through the heart of the Makati Central Business District. Because of the many businesses located along the avenue, Ayala Avenue is nicknamed the "Wall Street of the Philippines" and dubbed in the 1970s and 1980s as the "Madison Avenue of the Philippines". It is also a major link between Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and Metropolitan Avenue. Part of Ayala Avenue from Metropolitan Avenue to Gil Puyat Avenue, known as the Ayala Avenue Extension, also forms part of Circumferential Road 3.

History

Ayala Avenue's segment from the present-day Gil Puyat (Buendia) Avenue to Makati Avenue used to be the primary runway of the Nielson Airport, which was inaugurated in 1937 and was one of the first airports built in Luzon, while its extension occupies a segment of an old road that connected the Santa Ana Park and McKinley–Pasay Road. The airport was destroyed during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines on December 10, 1941, and resumed operations after the end World War II in 1947. The airport closed in 1948 and its permanent facilities were passed on the owner of the land, Ayala y Compañía. The runways were then converted into roads as part of Ayala's plan to build a new business district in the area. The modern avenue was completed in 1958, eventually connecting it to Highway 54 (now EDSA).

It later created a new segment between Kamagong Street in San Antonio Village and Metropolitan Avenue, connecting it to South Avenue. In 1998, a flyover was built for left turners onto EDSA northbound.

Landmarks

Ayala Center

The Ayala Center, which comprises eight distinct shopping centers, is partially located on Ayala Avenue, specifically the Glorietta complex, including Rustan's, and 6750 Ayala Avenue, as well as the Makati Shangri-La Hotel and the One Ayala complex.

Ayala Triangle

The Ayala Triangle is a sub-district of the Makati Central Business District, comprising the parcel of land between Ayala Avenue, Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, as well as the buildings on those streets. Many multinational companies, banks and other major businesses are located within the triangle. A few upscale boutiques, restaurants and a park called Ayala Triangle Gardens are also located in the area.

PBCom Tower

PBCom Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the Philippines, is located at Ayala Avenue and V.A. Rufino Street. It serves as the headquarters of Philippine Bank of Communications. It was the tallest building in the Philippines from 2000 to 2017.

Apartment Ridge

Apartment Ridge is a complex of apartment and condominium buildings along the streets of Makati and Ayala Avenues outside Urdaneta Village. In this area, The Peninsula Manila, Makati Tuscany, Discovery Primea, The Estate Makati, Ritz Towers, Pacific Plaza Condominium, Twin Towers, and Urdaneta Apartments are located along the avenue.

Government-owned buildings

* Makati City Police Station
* Makati City Fire Station

Other famous buildings

Ayala Avenue is home to many other landmark buildings, which house many large Philippine businesses including:
* PNB Makati Center (Allied Bank Center; former headquarters of Allied Bank)
* Alphaland Makati Place
* Alveo Financial Tower
* Ayala North Exchange
* Ayala Avenue Office Tower (headquarters of Monde Nissin Corporation)
* Ayala Tower One (headquarters of the Ayala Corporation and home to the Philippine Stock Exchange's Makati trading floor)
* Bank of the Philippine Islands headquarters
* Convergys Philippines Services Center
* The Enterprise Center neoclassical twin towers
* G.T. International Tower
* Insular Life Building (old headquarters of Insular Life)
* LKG Tower
* L. V. Locsin Building
* Makati Sky Plaza
* STI Holdings Center
* The Peninsula Manila
* PeopleSupport Center
* PLDT Tower (headquarters of PLDT, Inc.)
* RCBC Plaza (headquarters of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation)
* Rufino Plaza (headquarters of the Rufino Family)
* Security Bank Center (headquarters of the Security Bank Corporation)
* Smart Tower (headquarters of the Smart Communications)
* SSS Makati Building (former headquarters of Union Bank of the Philippines, Inc.)
* Sycip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. (SGV) Building (a member firm of Ernst & Young Global)

Other structures

* The monuments of Benigno Aquino Jr. and Gabriela Silang
* Pedestrian underpasses at Parkway Drive (Glorietta), Legazpi, Paseo de Roxas, V.A. Rufino and Salcedo/H.V. Dela Costa intersections

Intersections

References

{{coord, 14, 33, 22, N, 121, 1, 19, E, type:landmark, display=title

Streets in Metro Manila
Makati Central Business District
Shopping districts and streets in Metro Manila
Zobel de Ayala family