Finding love, inspiration at Verona
T
hey say beautiful places could make you fall in love. It allows you to appreciate even the most mundane of things and fascinate you with life’s simple surprises.
All these and more are probably the reasons why Suntrust Properties Inc. developed the 63-hectare Suntrust Verona. Inspired by its namesake Italian city Verona, this enclave is made up of six residential phases and a variety of single-detached and duplex homes set amid lush spaces, designed to exude romance, love and harmony.
“As we all know, Verona is the setting for Shakespeare’s immortal work, Romeo and Juliet. Their timeless love story captured the hearts of romantics all over the world. I guess that inspired us to bring Verona in the country and allow Filipinos to experience the grandiose nature of an Italian city,” said Suntrust Properties Inc. president Harry L. Paltongan.
A slice of Italian paradise
According to Paltongan, the idea of creating this romantic sanctuary came after a trip he made to the city. Impressed by Verona’s charm, he knew that he had to bring the same kind of development here and create their own piece of Verona to provide Filipinos a home where they can also experience the beauty of it without having to leave the country.
“The gentle rolling terrain and cool weather at Suntrust Verona make it an ideal setting for our own slice of Italy. Boticelli’s Venus Rising inspired our grand fountain. Venus, as we know, is the goddess of love and we want a community where families would be inspired to nurture love every day. We want to portray the essence of renaissance art in our project. It connotes the emergence of cultural movement in Italy. In
French, it means ’rebirth’ and it gives a profound meaning to what we want to create in Suntrust Verona,” he further said.
Today, Suntrust Verona boasts of a strategic location which only adds to its value as a truly practical investment for many homebuyers. From here, residents are given easy access to various institutions, commercial establishments and even leisure spots. Its design meanwhile was created to promote love and bliss among residents who are trying to find refuge from life’s daily grind.
Welcoming residents and guests to this Italian-inspired enclave is a grand fountain named La Fontana Di Venere, which serves as centerpiece of the circular driveway. Behind it is a pair of stone tower archways with a large clock face that keeps a close watch over those entering and leaving the property.
On the left of the entrance stands a replica of the Casa di Giulietta or the House of Juliet popularized by the film, Letters to Juliet. Further in, at a small courtyard with a wishing well, lies the Love Lock Fence and a replica of Scaliger Bridge (Ponte di Castelvecchio) for lovers where they can profess their love for each other with the symbolic love locks.
“We hope to capture the hearts of Filipino families who would like to settle in a quiet and secure neighborhood away from the maddening crowd. It allows homeowners to just stay in the province to work, to school their children, and live a comfortable lifestyle,” Paltongan shared.
Indeed, Suntrust Properties, through Suntrust Verona, has managed to provide not only a safe dwelling place but also a conducive, nurturing environment that fosters love and lasting relationships. The residents themselves can readily attest to this, as they shared their stories of love and romance nurtured right here at Suntrust Verona.