▁for ▁a ▁re development ▁of ▁the ▁site ▁into ▁resident ial ▁building ▁complex ▁with ▁a ▁sho pping ▁center ▁by ▁SM ▁Prime ▁Hold ings . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁First ▁opening ▁ ▁The ▁property ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁a ▁former ▁c emetery , ▁which ▁was ▁destroyed ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁and ▁cleared ▁of ▁gra ves ▁afterwards . ▁Before ▁the ▁development , ▁the ▁area ▁used ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁as ▁Fort ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Ab ad ▁in ▁Mal ate , ▁Man ila , ▁Harrison ▁Park , ▁and ▁Er m ita ▁C emetery , ▁respectively . ▁ ▁Harrison ▁Pla za ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁modern ▁sho pping ▁m all ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines ▁after ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁Ali ▁Mall . ▁The ▁Mart el ▁family ▁le ased ▁the ▁lot ▁on ▁the ▁place ▁where ▁the ▁m all ▁is ▁standing ▁under ▁the ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁city ▁government ▁of ▁Man ila . ▁Despite ▁being ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁former ▁c emetery , ▁very ▁few ▁urban ▁leg ends ▁involved ▁the ▁place . ▁The ▁ret ail ▁center ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁air - condition ed ▁sho pping ▁m all ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines . ▁ ▁Fire , ▁two - year ▁closure , ▁second ▁opening ▁After ▁the ▁m all ▁was ▁raz ed ▁by ▁a ▁fire ▁the ▁sho pping ▁m all ▁was ▁sh utter ed ▁for ▁renov ations ▁which ▁was ▁done ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁When ▁it ▁was ▁re open ed ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁the ▁m