Since its foundation, the St. James the Greater Parish has been a primary destination in Talisay, Negros Occidental. With a master plan anchoring on the church’s presence, it will look to attract more visitors to the site — and Talisay — which will help support the surrounding communities by generating more income.
This master plan of a 30-hectare mixed-use development will turn the spotlight on the existing St. James the Greater Parish, which is the third replica of the original in Medjugorje, Bosnia in Europe. It will also support other current activities on site including the Dr. Trino Montinola Elementary School, the Technological University of the Philippines campus, and the Negros Occidental Language and Information Center as well as several residential communities that are home to surrounding farm workers and their families.
Pursuing a synergistic and harmonious relationship among different land uses based on existing local market needs, the development will look to maximize the potential of the land considering future possibilities of land appreciation and urban growth. A future mix of commercial, residential, and recreational spaces will arise, supporting the surrounding communities and the entire integral ecology — highlighting spirituality; social equity; environment; economy; history; culture; and the humanities.
Welcoming motorists from Bacolod City through the Bacolod-Silay Airport Road, the development will continue to attract locals, religious patrons, tourists, and even passers-by who look to stop by for rest and recreation. A wide tree-lined pedestrian network will lead towards the church, putting the St. James the Greater Parish front and center of the main spine. Riverfront parks will line two sides of the development, allowing visitors to enjoy food kiosks; playgrounds; amphitheaters; bike trails; and the like along the views of the river. More greeneries will be grown on the site to help improve its microclimate, bettering the overall air quality of the neighborhood. Generous landscape and open spaces like urban parks and esplanades will also be strategically located throughout, allowing opportunities for rest, recreation, physical activities, and leisure. This way, visitors will also be able to enjoy a safe, accessible, walkable, bikeable surroundings and a well-connected environment.
Community developments such as a mixed-use transport terminal, Wet and Dry Market, a Hospital, a Fire Station, and a Museum will also arise to support the communities who will live within and nearby the development.
