The Growth And Sprawl Of Santiago

May 12, 2005
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Over the last 25 years.

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malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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Nice!!!! Hadnt been to mocca for a while. Now its nearly "joined" on to santiago.........
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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Nice!!!! Hadnt been to mocca for a while. Now its nearly "joined" on to santiago.........
It seems like that at ground level, but in reality much of the development between Moca and Santiago is of the ribbon type along the highways. There is still much green space, mostly under cultivation, between the two cities (or between any two cities in the Cibao, because the sense of fullness of the countryside is quite widespread in much of the Cibao Valley thanks to the ribbon development along the roads).
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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I Was There In 1986

Very interesting. I got to the DR in late 1985 and made my first visit to Santiago in early 1986. What a change, not only in the size of the city, but even more noticeable in the amount of traffic.

A previous poster asked whether the growth was for the good, bad or neither. For me, the answer is both good and bad. Bad primarily because the 1986 city has grown much more rapidly than the supporting infrastructure. Good because of the additional shopping and service options available.
 
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ccarabella

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Feb 5, 2002
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We mostly stay in Moca and most of our shopping and entertainment is in Santiago.
The growth has been tremendous. There are many tall apartment buildings and plenty of shopping.
I like the accessibility to most things we need yet still have the small town feel and open spaces.
The changes are mostly for the good of the public but I am not sure that the police/government
will be able to keep up with the growing crime.
 

Gurabo444

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Nov 1, 2009
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I think is mostly good, people can now perform and find jobs in Santiago that 25 years ago were unthinkable. Is good to have another big city in DR to balance things out, with Santiago, young people from other parts of the Cibao can study and work in the city without having to travel long distances. There's also the bad, like the hellish traffic, more crime, more trash and a loss of identity to a certain degree.

What makes Santiago great for many, well at least for me, is that I can live in the outskirts of town, enjoy a semi-rural feel, tranquility, cheap land/rent and all the other benefits of living in a small town; Yet having the benefits of a big city just 10-15 minutes away. That's why you have so many upper middle class folks living in places like Gurabo and even Tamboril, you get the best of both worlds.
 
May 12, 2005
8,564
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I think is mostly good, people can now perform and find jobs in Santiago that 25 years ago were unthinkable. Is good to have another big city in DR to balance things out, with Santiago, young people from other parts of the Cibao can study and work in the city without having to travel long distances. There's also the bad, like the hellish traffic, more crime, more trash and a loss of identity to a certain degree.

What makes Santiago great for many, well at least for me, is that I can live in the outskirts of town, enjoy a semi-rural feel, tranquility, cheap land/rent and all the other benefits of living in a small town; Yet having the benefits of a big city just 10-15 minutes away. That's why you have so many upper middle class folks living in places like Gurabo and even Tamboril, you get the best of both worlds.

My wife's family has a house in Guayabal where we stay frequently. Very quiet and campo like but only 15 minutes to downtown, if that.
 
May 12, 2005
8,564
271
83
I think is mostly good, people can now perform and find jobs in Santiago that 25 years ago were unthinkable. Is good to have another big city in DR to balance things out, with Santiago, young people from other parts of the Cibao can study and work in the city without having to travel long distances. There's also the bad, like the hellish traffic, more crime, more trash and a loss of identity to a certain degree.

What makes Santiago great for many, well at least for me, is that I can live in the outskirts of town, enjoy a semi-rural feel, tranquility, cheap land/rent and all the other benefits of living in a small town; Yet having the benefits of a big city just 10-15 minutes away. That's why you have so many upper middle class folks living in places like Gurabo and even Tamboril, you get the best of both worlds.

My wife's family has a house in Guayabal where we stay frequently. Very quiet and campo like but only 15 minutes to downtown, if that.
 

Gurabo444

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Nov 1, 2009
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I would like to add that Santiagueros have a very regionalistic mentality, we're extremely proud of the region and city. I think this is one of the main reasons why Santiago has grown to such size in a very centralized nation. The case of Santiago is unique in the Caribbean islands, no other inland city is nearly as big or as important for its respective nation as Santiago; Plus no other second city in the Caribbean comes even close to Santiago either. To me in part this is thanks to the attitude of Santiagueros, an attitude that even many Santiaguero business owners share, many of whom instead of running to invest in the Capital, invest back in Santiago.

Good examples of what I mention above, are the HOMS and the Cibao airport, the first arguably the best private hospital in the country, and the last has become the third most important airport in DR. Not to mention that I've seen PUCMM ranked as the best University in DR. Not bad for a neglected second city.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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That attitude is limited to Santiagueros, its a rather general Cibae?o attitude.

Where did the Rojas family started its refrescos Imperio business? In Moca, their hometown.

Where are refrescos Imperio mostly sold? For many years only in the Cibao.

They now manage other products too, of their own creation and imported; so naturally their business is nationwide, but of all their distribution centers, guess where's the distribution center for the Central Cibao? The original one in Moca! Technically Santiago is the commercial hub for many companies operating in the Cibao, but the Rojas family remained loyal to their town.

A similar situation occurs with productos Maciel, which is mostly hair products and they are all manufactured in Moca, their hometown.

The Brugal family never shut down their Puerto Plata operation, which is where their Dominican business began.

Induveca? In La Vega and even after the Vicini family buying the business, they still maintain the original factory in the 2nd town to be granted the title of city in the Americas.

There are plenty of other examples.

The difference between Santiago and other Cibao towns is that Santiago produced many more industrious men and its strategic location is the natural investment area for Dominican or foreign company that wants to reach the Cibao consumers.
 

wrecksum

Bronze
Sep 27, 2010
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I just wish they could afford visible road signs that actually help ......


(Mind you, I can get lost in my car park so Santiago for me is a labyrinth).
 

ccarabella

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Feb 5, 2002
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Macier is a great example of a success story.
He has factories in La Romana and Moca.
Francisco still lives in Moca with his family.
He owns a beautiful mansion near the Zoo.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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dr1.com
I just wish they could afford visible road signs that actually help ......


(Mind you, I can get lost in my car park so Santiago for me is a labyrinth).

LOL, happened to me more than once, lost and heading in god knows what direction. Thankfully people are helpful. We just ask a taxi driver or stop at a business and ask.
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
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The bypass road should be open soon. Someone told me it would be toll, can anyone verify? That will be another "ribbon" of development.
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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Macier is a great example of a success story.
He has factories in La Romana and Moca.
Francisco still lives in Moca with his family.
He owns a beautiful mansion near the Zoo.
The zoo doesn't exist anymore but it is near where it used to be and his house is probably the largest house in Moca.

Headquarters of the company and the main production center on the southern outskirts of Moca:

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The man (and his wife and family) that made it happen:

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Excuse me for this Pichardo moment. lol
 

wrecksum

Bronze
Sep 27, 2010
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Sorry NALs but what am I missing here?

Is this something to do with the urban sprawl of Santiago?

Estoy un poco lost.....

Lociento....