High-Rises in Punta Cana

[ju10prd]

I don't think the East coast was ever quaint, at least not since the days of the Beach Casitas at the old Punta Cana Hotel. For quaint, see Samaná. The Macao area, still relatively unspoiled, could emulate that smaller-scale tourism model - a high-rise in Macao would be even more incongruous than in Cap Cana.

In any case, high-rise in tourism areas is completely outdated. Think of places that have had their heyday like Acapulco, Torremolinos and Benidorm - now synonymous with tacky. Even in Punta Cana, people are still seeking the image of a natural paradise, not compartments in a sterile high-rise, however luxurious. The only thing they would have going for them would be the views.

You said it.

We Europeans don't like this type of development for sure.

However the unfortunate reality is that the North Americans don't care about a high rise on the beach and Miami epitomises their ideal of the tropics.

Sadly the Caribbean is being ruined by such desires. Look at Baha Mar in New Providence as an example.

My heart is with true Caribbean life and my hope is that sincere Caribbean governments stop this rape of their heritage and focus on quality and true Caribbean experiences and not those to appease a paying audience with little appreciation of the region.

 

[Matilda]

I lived in Juan Dolio for 9 years which when I arrived was a thriving tourist resort, with tourists, ex pats, loads of bars and restaurants and a beach road which actually ran along the beach. Fast forward to when I left in 2010. There were high rises all along the beach - far more than the 3 or 4 storeys before. From the beach road you could not see the beach and in fact you could not even go to the beach as security stopped you. The businesses closed, the hotels were razed to the ground for high rise apartment blocks, the expats left. Haitians entered by the hundreds to work in construction, building huts in the woodland. the apartments were bought mainly by Dominicans who came for the weekend and did not leave their apartments apart from the beach. The place was a ghost town in the week and full from Friday to Sunday. No idea if it has changed now. In addition, as far as I am aware, Macao and the mangrove swamps are actually a protected area and under the law all building has to be carefully controlled. The damage to the fragile ecosystems could be immense.

Matilda

 

[NALs]

Torre Siete Mares in Cap Cana appears to be the first highrise to rise due to the change in limits. This project has been in the works for a few years. Perhaps the law was the only thing keeping it frozen in time.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

I hear that electricity delivery is more reliable in Punta Cana - it better be as stratosphere dwellers won't tolerate having to walk up 22 flights of stairs with their groceries. Same for the pumps to supply water to flush the toilet.

Firefighting was an excellent point. I won't live on the 22 floor of a building at home knowing that rescue equipment can't reach me when needed. I get that some people don't care but they will when poor wiring causes a fire on 8th floor, fire burns upwards and sprinkler systems aren't even in the building codes here.

As with development that is exclusively profit driven, sooner or later PC will face the same economic pressure seen on the North Coast during its hay-day resulting in increased costs to use the airport and the general cost of living. At that point the charter planes will start going elsewhere and PC with its economy now solely dependent on foreign investment and laundered business profits, will begin to resemble Playa Dorada and all those potential timeshares will remain unsold and unused.

The Uber Rich notwithstanding, their motivation and practical reality is of their own making and they would probably prefer if PC was a ghost town except for themselves and their ilk.

 

[bluenose]

Shame - Once paradise to me, has been ruined.

Saddened to read of the change allowing high rises for development.

The following is my thoughts and my opinion only.  Some may agree, some may not.

People who have lived in the Punta Cana/Bavaro area may see my insight on my comments.

I started travelling to Punta Cana in 2000, from Canada, when all-inclusives became a popular thing.

I developed a love for the Country and enjoyed every visit there.

Back then the Airport was a small thatched hut style building and it gave warmth to the greeting.  We travelled the old road through Veron to get to the resorts in the Bavaro area.  Very rural roads, no highways like today.  This also attracted me even more to the country.

Even though I stayed at resorts, I met friends and ventured off the resorts to areas in Bavaro and Higuey.  Plaza Bavaro was the main attraction back then.  Friusa was not developed nor was Cortecito or Los Corales area.

After about 5 years of resorts, I ventured to renting condos for my stay, a month to six weeks at a time, a couple of times a year.

I stayed in the Cortecito area in what then were the new construction buildings but now almost 20 years old.

Amenities were limited but that's what I liked about it.  There was one main grocery store in Cortecito, across from Captain Cooks.  To me, it was island/Carribean like.

In 2009 I developed a more liking for the area and desired to move there.  In 2010 I arrived and began my adventure.  I knew it wasn't going to be my home forever, but didn't know how long.

Development and amenities increased, some good, some bad.  I was feeling the place I had adored was loosing what I had liked about it in the beginning - peace and tranquility.

I know the development in amenities was due to a lot of expats living there and wanting modern living conveniences, but to me, that takes away some of the ambience of island living.

Development continued and resorts, condos were being developed like ants on top of one another.

To me, it was loosing its flair that I enjoyed.

Over the years there were so many changes, crime increased, the beaches were a mess with seaweed due to years of water activity, and by 2009 I sadly felt it was time to move on as it was not what it had once been.

In 2010 I returned to Canada and have really no desire to return to the East Coast.

To some, bigger is better, and yes the investors have to go where it is booming, but to me, and perhaps others, it's not the answer.

I said a long time ago, Punta Cana/Bavaro will drop like the North Coast tourism did, and I wonder how far off that is....

This is just my opinion, and feel my thoughts relate to the topic of The Tourism Minister approving high rise development, as I think it will ruin the area even more.

It's all about the money though.

 

[Caonabo]

You said it.

We Europeans don't like this type of development for sure.

However the unfortunate reality is that the North Americans don't care about a high rise on the beach and Miami epitomises their ideal of the tropics.

Sadly the Caribbean is being ruined by such desires. Look at Baha Mar in New Providence as an example.

My heart is with true Caribbean life and my hope is that sincere Caribbean governments stop this rape of their heritage and focus on quality and true Caribbean experiences and not those to appease a paying audience with little appreciation of the region.

Miami? This is not a sound example. Although some "North Americans don't care about a high rise on the beach", this is not entirely the case. What of South American beachfront communities? All in all, who are the major investment groups of these projects? European and South American conglomerates. I put their greed on top of the list, before that of utopia seekers desiring high-rises.

 

[cobraboy]

However the unfortunate reality is that the North Americans don't care about a high rise on the beach and Miami epitomises their ideal of the tropics.

Those Miami hiugh rises are being fueled much more by Latin Americans than North Americans.

"North Americans" moved north to Palm Beach county and beyond long ago.

 

[slowmo]

I unabashedly love the view from the upper floors of these buildings but they surely don't need to be beachfront.

 

[franco1111]

I hear that electricity delivery is more reliable in Punta Cana - it better be as stratosphere dwellers won't tolerate having to walk up 22 flights of stairs with their groceries. Same for the pumps to supply water to flush the toilet.

Firefighting was an excellent point. I won't live on the 22 floor of a building at home knowing that rescue equipment can't reach me when needed. I get that some people don't care but they will when poor wiring causes a fire on 8th floor, fire burns upwards and sprinkler systems aren't even in the building codes here.

As with development that is exclusively profit driven, sooner or later PC will face the same economic pressure seen on the North Coast during its hay-day resulting in increased costs to use the airport and the general cost of living. At that point the charter planes will start going elsewhere and PC with its economy now solely dependent on foreign investment and laundered business profits, will begin to resemble Playa Dorada and all those potential timeshares will remain unsold and unused.

The Uber Rich notwithstanding, their motivation and practical reality is of their own making and they would probably prefer if PC was a ghost town except for themselves and their ilk.

Electricity in Punta Cana/Bavaro is provided by a private company - CEPM. We have electricity 24/7. When the grid that feeds the local supply goes down, CEPM fires up their massive generators. It usually takes about 15 minutes for the power to come back on. There are occasional outages that last longer, maybe twice a year.

The PC airport is privately owned - Grupo Punta Cana. Grupo Punta Cana also owns massive amounts of residential and commercial real estate - developed and un-developed. The real estate part of the business depends on the airport to keep the planes and money coming.

 

[rfp]

You said it.

We Europeans don't like this type of development for sure.

However the unfortunate reality is that the North Americans don't care about a high rise on the beach and Miami epitomises their ideal of the tropics.

Sadly the Caribbean is being ruined by such desires. Look at Baha Mar in New Providence as an example.

My heart is with true Caribbean life and my hope is that sincere Caribbean governments stop this rape of their heritage and focus on quality and true Caribbean experiences and not those to appease a paying audience with little appreciation of the region.

I didnt like this post

Miami in its current state was built with Colombian drug money filtered through Panama. Take a walk on South Beach and see how much English you hear and how many people visiting are the evil white monsters destroying the environment.

We rent our Miami house out to Latinos from Venezuela, if we wanted our kids to grow up surrounded by Latinos worried about only image and money we would have stayed in Santo Domingo. Northern Florida works far better for us.

Europeans travel elsewhere to enjoy natural beauty because it was destroyed in their countries centuries ago. I can assure you that the US has more protected land per percentage of land mass than whatever country you came from.

 

[DRob]

Those Miami hiugh rises are being fueled much more by Latin Americans than North Americans.

"North Americans" moved north to Palm Beach county and beyond long ago.

That's exactly right. Those buildings are the world's largest laundromats, with ever-so-lovely views....

 

[LTSteve]

I knew it was a matter of time for this to happen.

Diario Libre published an article stating that the Ministry of Tourism changed the rules of the touristic development game in the Punta Cana - Bávaro - Macao area. From the very start it was agreed that Punta Cana should be different and more environmentally friendly compared to other international beach destinations. As a consequence, a height limit that initially implied ‘no taller than the tallest coconut palm’ and later was institutionalized with an official limit of 4 floors.

It turns out that back in September 2017, the Ministry of Tourism changed the height limit for the Macao area to a whopping 22 floors! The other area where the limit was risen considerably is Cap Cana, where highrises are already registered as independent companies and, apparently, construction would start as soon as the law allows it.

Tourism organizations from the national level to the local Punta Cana area level, plus the main established Dominican investors in Punta Cana, are alarmed that these changes were made quietly back in September without asking for their input at all. The beach tourism leaders became aware of the changes now that the news has hit the waves (no pun intended).

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...res-de-22-pisos-en-macao-y-cap-cana-FH8876236

Money, money, money, mooonnneeeyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PJT]

Money, money, money, mooonnneeeyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Money and/or promises changed hands to change planning ? Greed rules !!!!!!!!!!


Regards,

PJT

 

[Mauricio]

Another article in DL on this topic:

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...n-capitales-de-al-menos-tres-paises-BF8887883

 

[Chirimoya]

So Roco Ki is the planned location for the high-rises in Macao.

 

[Dolores1]

The story is just starting to unfold. In regards to Macao, it may be the Mexican group behind the Hard Rock hotel franchise here as mentioned in the Diario Libre report today [See DR1 Daily News 2 January 2018].

I remember hearing comments by the top executive of the Mexican hotel group when interviewed in Punta Cana when Hard Rock Resort Punta Cana opened. He remarked he preferred doing business in the Dominican Republic compared to doing business in Mexico. May I speculate he has found more flexibility in government here than in Mexico. These are the same people that got permits for 40+ floors in the Hard Rock Santo Domingo from the Santo Domingo city government and the Ministry of Tourism, despite flexing of the rules. That project fell through when opposed by the neighborhood that won the case because they could not be bought.

While in the case of the Hard Rock Santo Domingo the breaks were put on by the neighborhood where the hotel would go up, in the case of Macao and Cap Cana it is the community of hotels of Punta Cana that is protesting the Ministry of Tourism's change of the rules. Let us follow the story as it moves through the weak Dominican institutions. As was proven in the case of Hard Rock Santo Domingo Hotel, these sometimes work for the collective good.

Turning the Punta Cana beach front into a mass high rise mecca will translate into a reduction of what those who invested under the low density rules will get for their accommodations. There is sufficient at stake for these to put up a fight.

President Medina and the Ministry of Tourism continue to push for the 10 million tourist mark. This is an outdated goal. The resorts of Punta Cana are commanding good rates today. These rates would be affected if there is green light to the high rise model. It could probably only be a matter of time before we see a repeat of what happened to Juan Dolio.

On the positive side it is good that the Dominican tourism model is being discussed in the open. Let us hope the better minds come forward so the country can defend what it has done well.

 

[PJT]

Many parties invested in private residential and commercial properties in Punta Cana area because of the low density rules. The rules provided them the comfort their investments would be protected from the risks over development brings. The salt in the wounds brought about by this "scandal" is officials willing to make regulation changes without community consultation.

Money buys change !



Regards,

PJT

 

[franco1111]

I don't know why that news article says:

"The high-rise model failed in Juan Dolio after it was authorized years ago by former Minister of Tourism Felix Jimenez with high rise shells as evidence."

That model has not failed in Juan Dolio. We have talked with people in the real estate business there and they are very satisfied with the pace of sales of new high rise condos. For example, that project Coral Cliffs is selling well. If one were to dig into publicly available information, one would find how many units are already sold pre-construction. Well-priced projects sell.

There are empty shells of buildings in Juan Dolio as the article says. But, the reason is not that the model failed. There are empty shells in Punta Cana, too. And, no one calling the Punta Cana model failed at this point. Any failure to date has been because of the economy, incompetent executives, or theft - Cap Cana.

 

[franco1111]

The unfolding story:

https://dominicantoday.com/dr/touri...rises-roil-dominican-republic-tourism-zoning/

 

[Caonabo]

I don't know why that news article says:

"The high-rise model failed in Juan Dolio after it was authorized years ago by former Minister of Tourism Felix Jimenez with high rise shells as evidence."

That model has not failed in Juan Dolio. We have talked with people in the real estate business there and they are very satisfied with the pace of sales of new high rise condos. For example, that project Coral Cliffs is selling well. If one were to dig into publicly available information, one would find how many units are already sold pre-construction. Well-priced projects sell.

There are empty shells of buildings in Juan Dolio as the article says. But, the reason is not that the model failed. There are empty shells in Punta Cana, too. And, no one calling the Punta Cana model failed at this point. Any failure to date has been because of the economy, incompetent executives, or theft - Cap Cana.

Therein lies the problem.
You are seeing the development and sale of Juan Dolio as an example through the eyes of those that are just interested in sale percentages and bottom line dollar transaction amounts, regardless of where that money derives from. A pure business module, and nothing further. If a corporation buys ten apartments, there are ten apartments sold. It does not matter that those apartments are vacant 95% of the time. On paper and statistically speaking, they are sold.
The other side of the proverbial coin, is that those against the concept appear to be thinking of the quality of life of the sector as a whole, not just now, but with an eye towards the future as well. As a whole, business and community combined, not just business.
When you separate sale percentages and bottom line dollar transactions, not one person can argue that the Juan Dolio experience has suffered a drastic novedive over the last twenty years. After a recent golf outing, several friends and I opted to dine in Boca Chica (Bocana) rather than Juan Dolio. There was not one restaurant that was appealing for a middle of the afternoon lunch. Any person who believes different, I invite you to partake in a drive of the area, and draw your own conclusions.
It is with this concept or module in mind that I believe those against this plan base their reasoning, and they are correct.