Ayala Avenue

Ayala Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Makati, the 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".

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 the mid-1950s, eventually connecting it to Highway 54 (now EDSA).

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

The avenue, particularly its extension north of Gil Puyat Avenue, was also once a component road of Circumferential Road 3 of Manila's arterial road network.

Bicycle lanes
In 2020, in response to the growing popularity of bicycle commuting and ownership amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Makati Central Estate Association (MaCEA) and Ayala Land through its Make it Makati campaign designated 3 m bicycle lanes along Ayala Avenue from Gil Puyat Avenue to EDSA, protected by bollards and exclusive to non-motorized bicycles and scooters. Bicycle boxes were also added to intersections to allow left-turns. The lanes underwent a trial run on August 7, 2020, and were completed on September 7, 2020. Following this, designated stops for public transport services were also moved to the middle lane of the road.

Shared lanes scheme controversy
On February 10, 2023, Make It Makati announced plans to replace the Ayala Avenue bicycle lanes with sharrows effective February 15, prompting opposition from cyclists and organizations concerned about safety. Despite backlash, Make It Makati proceeded with the changes, leading to the formation of the #MakeItSaferMakati movement. On February 12, the movement organized a protest bike ride along Ayala Avenue. In response, Make It Makati deferred the implementation of the sharrows scheme to March 6, to gather feedback and engage in dialogue with the biking community.

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

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. Ayala Corporation itself and many of its subsidiaries and affilities, 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 the 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:
 * Alphaland Makati Place
 * Alveo Financial Tower
 * Ayala North Exchange
 * Ayala Avenue Office Tower (former headquarters of Procter & Gamble Philippines, Inc.)
 * 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 (under reconstruction)
 * 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
 * NEX Tower
 * The Peninsula Manila
 * PeopleSupport Center
 * PLDT Tower (headquarters of PLDT, Inc.)
 * PNB Makati Center (Allied Bank Center; former headquarters of Allied Bank)
 * RCBC Plaza (headquarters of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation)
 * Robinsons Summit Center
 * Rufino Plaza (headquarters of the Rufino Family)
 * Security Bank Center (headquarters of the Security Bank Corporation)
 * Smart Tower (headquarters of Smart Communications)
 * SSS Makati Building (former headquarters of Union Bank of the Philippines, Inc.)
 * STI Holdings Center
 * Sycip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. (SGV) Building

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
 * Buendia Freedom Park