SM City San Pablo is the 38th shopping mall owned by SM Prime Holdings. It is the 2nd SM Supermall in the province of Laguna. It is located at the entrance of Riverina Residential and Commercial Estates in Maharlika Highway, Barangay San Rafael, San Pablo, Laguna and has a gross floor area of 59,776 square meters (643,420 sq ft).[2][3][4]
SM City San Pablo has two levels and has over 100 shops. It has a semi-eye shaped atrium for events. The mall's atrium has perforated ceiling.[5][failed verification] SM City San Pablo's design team includes Design Associates Inc., mall designer; Jose Siao Ling and Associates, architects; DA Abcede and Associates, project manager; and DDT Konstract, general contractor.[citation needed]
As early as 2008, SM Prime Holdings was planning to open SM Supercenter San Pablo (a downsized SM mall, originally) but this was shot down due to political pressures. After several attempts to build a similar establishment, SM Prime Holdings was given its go signal in July 2008 to push its construction ahead.[6][failed verification]
It was expected to be completed in August 2010, but due to strategic location and growing demands for commercial establishments in San Pablo, it was upgraded into SM City San Pablo on April 28, 2010.[7][failed verification]
The mall opened on October 1, 2010.[8] The cinema commenced operations on December 3, 2010, ahead of the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival.
On October 28, 2016, the Cyberzone was completed and opened to the public. Along with it additional stores also opened including Yellow Cab, Starbucks, Oxygen and Mesa.
In July 2010, during the mall's construction, 2 construction workers died and 7 others were injured when a scaffolding, on which three layers of metal pipes were also piled up, collapsed and hit the victims on site. This accident caused the delay of the mall's completion and opening.[13]
On June 25, 2016, a shootout happened at Blue Magic, a gift shop. It was later reported that the gunman escaped the mall without the guards noticing.[14]
On May 3, 2022, a criminal group called "termite gang" invaded the mall by accessing one of the nearby road's drainage system, no items were stolen in the incident.[15]
