Highrises in Puerto Plata

NALs

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Does anybody think that Puerto Plata should repeal its zoning law of no highrises?

Personally I think that Puerto Plata should prohibit highrises in its old quarter, but elsewhere in the city there should be some residential highrises like those of the Capital.

I think that if a stock of luxury apartments (and nice looking apartment buildings) will not just create some extra beauty for our eyes to feast upon, but it might attract people that "like" the highrise apartment or penthouse living. That is especially true for Puerto Plata, since many many folks like that area, but there are no real highrises to give a the "highrise living experience" (having a fantastic view of the area, etc).

I guess my question is, do you think a boom in highrise apartments in Puerto Plata would attract more people to the area and as such, spurt a rise in commerce of other types, like restaurants, shops, etc. Commerce that would accomodate the lifestyle of those who prefer to live in the highrises?

Also, because most "highrise apartments" tend to be for people that are wealthier than most Dominicans, there would probably be an increase of jobs in housekeeping, security, etc.

Aside from that, the types of post-modern highrises that already exist in the DR (primarily in SDQ) many are stunning pieces of architecture, I think highrises will give Puerto Plata a nice "small big town" look and might attract some tourist to come and visit the town, rather than staying in their resort (like 95% of tourist tend to do).
 

Lambada

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Nal0whs,
You are envisaging attracting more gringos to Puerto Plata permanently? No thanks! There are a small number of foreigners living here, it works very well at present, foreigners do not swamp the number of Dominicans & everyone coexists happily. I would simply hate for Puerto Plata to end up with more permanent foreigners than Dominicans. We all know what happens when this sort of thing sets in! There is a town but half an hour's drive from here, where even the beggars beg in English!
For those in Puerto Plata needing the nice views you mention, there are houses & a number of non-high rise apartment blocks in the higher up (from sea level) area of Torre Alta, this area has good views & good breezes. There are also low rise apartment blocks in the very nice areas of Bayardo & lower Bayardo. Many of these are still available & new construction of both houses & low rise apartment blocks is continuing. So I don't really see the need for high rise blocks, & unlike you, I don't find them attractive, more of an eyesore, actually.
But if we were to get swamped by foreigners in Puerto Plata, I should have to up & go join AZB in Santiago!!!
And the thing which attracts tourists is not blocks of apartments, like they left at home, but the quaint wooden 100 year old houses which they didn't leave at home. Clean up & restore the historic buildings, by all means, I think that would be an excellent idea.
 

GringoCArlos

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Sounds like a winner to me!

High-rise apartment buildings +
Typical quality Dominican construction methods +
Seismic activity in the Puerto Plata area +
Housing for gringos =
Happiness.
 

Lambada

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GringoCArlos said:
Sounds like a winner to me!

High-rise apartment buildings +
Typical quality Dominican construction methods +
Seismic activity in the Puerto Plata area +
Housing for gringos =
Happiness.

+ no hay luz = no elevator = whinging gringos stuck on tenth floor (whinging UNWASHED gringos, since no hay luz = no hay agua!)
 

Chirimoya

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Nal0whs said:
...the types of post-modern highrises that already exist in the DR (primarily in SDQ) many are stunning pieces of architecture...

Postmodern? You mean all that neo-classical and pseudo-rococo kitsch is ironic? I'll be looking skywards with new eyes from now on. ;)

Seriously though, I do agree that there are some lovely modernist high-rises in SD, but I think Puerto Plata's priority is a UNESCO-type restoration programme, targetting all those beautiful ruined wooden houses in the city. That would attract a better class of foreigner who is interested in aesthetics and ambience, while preserving the character of the city and providing housing for the locals.
 

NALs

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Post modern is the name given to modern structures that have been built to look or embrace a past architectural style.

Whenever you see a building being built from scratch and once its terminated it seems to have greek columns, arabic arches, and lots of detail, that is post modern architecture.

In sharp contrast, whats consider to be modern architecture are the bland box construction that are also prevailent in this and other countries.

And yes, Puerto Plata should receive so investment to restore its old section (ie. putting coblestones in the roads would be nice, placing "old fashion" light fixtures would be nice, putting architectural controls so that new structures blend in with the old rather than be a sharp bold contrast, etc).

But, modern Puerto Plata should look a bit more cosmopolitan, despite the city being rather small internationally speaking. The sole reason is because most tourist that visit the north coast, don't go to see cities like Santiago or SDQ, where a different more fast paced Dominican lifestyle exist.

Most tourists get a somewhat distorted view of the DR, though its a very positive view for the most part when they visit the north coast. If they got to see Puerto Plata with a bit of cosmopolitan look and feel, then the tourist can contrast that with the relative calmness of Sosua or Cofresi. That way tourist would get a more rounded picture of the different types of lifestyles that exist in the DR.

And about attracting people into PP with highrise living, the truth is that the highrises might attract more Latin Americans to the area. For some reason most Latin Americans take pride in their high rises, and they boast alot when a new one is built. That was evident when Acropolis Tower was built in SDQ. People were chatting about that structure as if it was a new concept in architecture, and yet, its really nothing too special to start with. But, most Dominicans get a sense of pride for having such tall, first world like structures. Malecon Center is causing alot of chatting right now, but the truth is that the complex is not much different from similar complexes in South Florida or elsewhere. But, Dominicans (Capitale?os in particular) are taking a sense of pride and joy out of such structures.

I've also noticed that some tourist change their point of view of the DR once they visit cosmopolitan SDQ. There have been a couple of times that I have had a conversation with some tourists while dining in the Zona Colonial or gambling in some of the Casinos. What I have found is that tourist that had visited other areas of the country before and then visited Santo Domingo, thought a bit different of the DR. Many had visited only Punta Cana and pictured the DR as a heavily agrarian backward island nation with gorgeous beaches. Although, that is partially true of the DR, once they visited several areas of SDQ, they looked at the DR as a country of extreme contrast (which is more accurate the the previous).

Many tourist have made note that despite the bold contrast in the country, they like it because of the people, etc. But also, because in the words of a Canadian couple that I met strolling the Malecon one evening "the Dominican Republic gives you a piece of the first world in certain areas of SDQ to make life exciting enough, but it keeps reminding people that the entire world is not as lucky, and that they find great about the country because it helps people maintain a sense of dignity and respect for those less fortunate", those are their words not mine.

I think that is the ultimate understanding of the DR from a tourist point of view and I won't be surprised if one day that Canadian couple I met would decide to take the plunge and move to this wonderful country.

Now, did the highrises did that? Not exactly, but the highrises structures set the stage to give the city a cosmopolitan look and feel that many tourist believe that quite simply doesn't exist in this country.
 

Chirimoya

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Maybe the topic of Santo Domingo architecture deserves a thread of its own.

The Acropolis has its saving graces but from most angles it looks like a bland 1960s European government office building.

I quite like some of the Mussolini-esque public buildings from the Trujillo era and the 'tropical Stalinist' pastel-coloured government offices built by both Trujillo and Balaguer.

There is also some wonderful art deco in the Colonial Zone, Ciudad Nueva and Gazcue.

Most foreigners I know, when confronted with projects like the Malecon Centre are not impressed. Their reactions are more likely to be 'blot on the landscape', 'misplaced priorities' and more often than not 'money laundering'.

Not much to be proud about there. On the other hand, the work UNESCO is doing in the Zona Colonial is a good model for other places in need of restoration like Puerto Plata.
 

NALs

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Maybe the topic of Santo Domingo architecture deserves a thread of its own.
Maybe, but it might be better to see how many other folks respond to this thread. It seems that its just you and me!

The Acropolis has its saving graces but from most angles it looks like a bland 1960s European government office building.
That's my point, nothing too special about that building but many Dominicans take pride in the fact that such structure exist in the DR. Some foreigners who have an interest in architecture are impressed with the shopping plaza on the inside - it is a bit impressive - but, again, nothing to really chat about.

I quite like some of the Mussolini-esque public buildings from the Trujillo era and the 'tropical Stalinist' pastel-coloured government offices built by both Trujillo and Balaguer.

There is also some wonderful art deco in the Colonial Zone, Ciudad Nueva and Gazcue.
The fascist and art deco architecture are wonderful treats to the eye, especially when the right paint combinations are taken into the equation!

Most foreigners I know, when confronted with projects like the Malecon Centre are not impressed. Their reactions are more likely to be 'blot on the landscape', 'misplaced priorities' and more often than not 'money laundering'.
I've met some foreigners with the same attitude, though most others are more like the Canadians I quoted in my last post. One thing that I find among the foreigners who think that structures like Malecon Center are 'blot on the landscape', 'misplaced priorities', and 'money laundering' are folks who have an extreme adoration of colonial and historic structures over modern ones, people who believe that the DR government is involved in the building of such structures, despite American Citibank being responsible for Acropolis and private investors for Malecon Center, or these are people who believe that a poor country like the DR doesn't have any descent making money opportunities, and as such they believe the rich of this country made their money through illicit activities such as money laundering or drug dealing.

All those views are very untrue, but generalizations that people from other places make when they see the sharp contrast between wealth and poverty and middle class in a country like the DR with a much more "pure" capitalistic economic system than most developed countries.

Not much to be proud about there. On the other hand, the work UNESCO is doing in the Zona Colonial is a good model for other places in need of restoration like Puerto Plata.
That is true, I have heard alot of praise for UNESCO's attention to the Zona Colonial. If those people would only realize that much of the bill is being paid by Dominican taxpayers money since the government is the major sponsor in the restoration of the Colonial Zone!

Literally, millions of Dollars have been spent in the Colonial Zone by the government. The point is the same reason the Faro and the aquarium were built, to increase tourist interest in the country so they come and spend their dollars and cents here, thus improving our economy in the long run.

But, many folks don't see that in general.
 

BushBaby

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Nal0wls,
I see that Lambada & Gringo Carlos have ALSO expressed views here but you seem to have dismissed their contributions - maybe because they are anti yours!!??

Puerto Plata is doing quite nicely without the high rises Thank you very much! As far as I can determine by talking with the locals, they are anti Highrises too. Apart from destroying some of the existing character & charm of the north coast, highrise apartments, shopping malls & offices would be an additional DANGER to the locality - look at the damage to 2 & 3 storey buildings during the earthquake of last year!!! The other (& I would suggest, MAIN) problem, relates to the streets of Puerto Plata. There is NO way these could accomodate increased traffic - pedestrian OR vehicles!! To build highrise blocks for ANY purpose, would need a complete redesign of the town AND thereby destroy the tranquiltiy that is presently ..... Puerto Plata!!

Let us PLEASE have the historical buildings of Puerto Plata restored (I have one that has been up for sale for 4 years & can't sell it due to others being in poor condition around it). Let us use THAT charm to bring the Cruise ships back into town & attract the visitors to the All-Inclusives out of their hotels rather than building highrise "Blocks" of concrete!! The Dominicans up here would rather be 'Proud' of their heritage than the building of a new multi-storey that might fall on their heads in a strong wind or earthquake!!

My final point is ..... learn from Europe. MANY Highrise apartments & offices have been built there over the year. Most are occupied for 4 or 5 years by the "In" crowd with lots of money & then left to the developers to look after. They DON'T, the poorer move in, the area gets more squalid & in the end, .... the high rise blocks get abandoned & become an eyesore!!

So, NO thanks. Let's get Puerto Plata back up & runing as a tourist attraction with what it is GOOD at - an Historic old town that eats, smells & thinks HISTORY!! ~ Grahame.
 

NALs

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Nal0wls,
I see that Lambada & Gringo Carlos have ALSO expressed views here but you seem to have dismissed their contributions - maybe because they are anti yours!!??
Not at all. I actually like it when people disagree with me, it gives me a chance to prove to myself whether or not my idea is good or bad, etc. However, I should have been much clearer about this. What I meant to say is that Chirimoya and myself have posted the most on this thread. I did noticed the others, but in the last tier of this thread, it was purely down to chirimoya and myself, thus my comment.

Pardon me for giving the wrong impression.

Let us PLEASE have the historical buildings of Puerto Plata restored (I have one that has been up for sale for 4 years & can't sell it due to others being in poor condition around it). Let us use THAT charm to bring the Cruise ships back into town & attract the visitors to the All-Inclusives out of their hotels rather than building highrise "Blocks" of concrete!! The Dominicans up here would rather be 'Proud' of their heritage than the building of a new multi-storey that might fall on their heads in a strong wind or earthquake!!
I agree on restoration of the older edifices. However, I still support construction of a few highrises here and there, not turn the town into a little Manhattan. Due to the "compactness" of Puerto Plata, I don't see why high rise dwellers would need more vehicles. The only reason would be to leave town and such. For most other purposes, the highrises would be located in a central area, thus making walking the choice of transportation. There should also be architectural controls on the highrises so they embrace the somewhat victorian colonial appeal of older Puerto Plata, I do agree that if its going to be bland blocks of concrete, than its better to not have them at all. But since I've seen some really nice one's in SDQ, I think it would only enhance Puerto Plata, but only a few of them, maybe 5 towers of 10 stories high.

And about the earthquakes, I think the lessons have been learned and high rise developers are incorporating earthquake resistance developments into their projects. Don't expect any multi-floor towers to come crumbling down anytime soon. Also, when was the last time the DR had a strong earthquake before the one that struck last year? Umm, lets see, a good 50 to 55 years! And again, Jeanne came around and gave everyone in Puerto Plata a scare, but that is because Puerto Plate?os are not used to direct rough hurricane impacts.

My final point is ..... learn from Europe. MANY Highrise apartments & offices have been built there over the year. Most are occupied for 4 or 5 years by the "In" crowd with lots of money & then left to the developers to look after. They DON'T, the poorer move in, the area gets more squalid & in the end, .... the high rise blocks get abandoned & become an eyesore!!
Well, the area north of the Colonial Zone in Santo Domingo used to be the Downtown area in Trujillo's time. It was clean and rather nice. Although, in the past few years there has been a slight attempt to re-beautify the area, the truth is that that zone has fallen into blight. High rises did not did that. Also, learn from the USA, many cities there have an ADEQUATE supply of highrises, thus they hardly fall into blight problems. The exception are cities like NYC with over development of highrises and skyscrapers and the Public Housing units.

Besides, we are only talking about Puerto Plata here. Sosua, Cabarete, Cofresi, Luperon and all the other towns in the north coast will not be affected through high rise construction. They will retain their low skylines and small town feel. However, Puerto Plata is not really a small town anymore, its more of a mid-size city and if things continue as they are, it will eventually become a major city. As such, people need places to live. What do you prefer, a small heavily urbanized area of high density living or a city that sprawls with development from Luperon all the way to Sosua. Puerto Plata is going to grow, the focus should be on the development patterns.

Highrises allow for large number of people to live in a relative small area, no highrises result is heavy sprawls that will destroy the sorrounding countryside with development.

See the difference between Los Angeles (heavy lack of highrises, but the entire Los Angeles valley is urbanized) and Honolulu ( lots of highrises have kept the city land area rather small, compared to how it would have been if it was composed of two and three stories buildings alone).

I prefer to make Puerto Plata a bit more denser in population and keep the gorgeous sorrounding countryside intact, rather than destroy the countryside for the sake of keeping a lowskyline.

A sprawling metropolis would also be tiresome to drive through after miles of just development. I prefer to drive through Puerto Plata and experience some heavy development there and then, soon be thrown back out into the soothing and very appealing countryside scenery that prevails beyond the current city limits.
 
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Lambada

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You don't live in Puerto Plata, do you, Nals?
Where to put increased housing? Do you know the government project for teacher housing above Los Reyes? Lovely area, outside city centre, high enough for breezes, not quite the foothills of Isabel de Torres. You could build low rise apartment blocks there. Are you familiar with this area?
 

BushBaby

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I think Nal0whs was thinking of putting them up more in "DownTown" Puerto Plata - maybe 2 around Silverio Messon's, one or two down Duarte (near the old "Blackbeard's Pub) & maybe a couple round by Dr. Mejia's hospital!! Unfortunately he seems to forget the fact that Puerto Platanian culture FORBIDS walking anywhere more than 1 block - the car comes out for two blocks of walking! Heck, Puerto Platanians will double park & completely block a road rather than have to park 30 yards away & have to walk back to the shop they want to go in!!

Basic maths. High rise block with 10 floors 4 apartments per floor equals 40 apartments, equals (mas o menos) 100 + people equals 40 cars or more. WHERE do you park these in Puerto Plata? Under the building?? THAT should be fun in the rainy season when the heavy rains come - look what happens to that area now at STREET level!!! Further, 40 cars in an area that used to accept (& is desigened for) just 5, will create even further congestion in downtown PoP!!

I am very concerned at the niaivety re Building Regulations up here. Until corruption is totally illiminated from the building inspectors department & surveyors/architects & master builders start to OBEY the rules of building regulations rather that saving a few pesos by increasing SAND content so as reduce cement content as well as using BUILDING sand rather than Beach sand, then HIGH rise properties will ALWAYS be at risk from earthquakes & hurricanes!! Yes, 50 years since the last BIG eartquake, but how many aftershocks have we had here above 3.5??? The 'Experts' in sysemic matters seem to be telling us that we have not seen the worst one yet & more are likely over the next 10 years!!!

Then we have the tsunami predictions!!! Frightening enough for us that live ABOVE sea level by 100 ft or so & 1 mile from the seafront ...... can't see too much hope for highrises if one of THOSE comes a calling into Puerto Plata 'Downtown' area!!

DownTown Puerto Plata??? Forget it - it just won't work!! Further UP hill on the foothills of Isabela de tores maybe, but then you have the problems of mudslides from the mountain AND destroy the scenic view of the mountain & surrounding area. I think Sosua & Costamber areas are FAR better places for High Rise blocks!! Why not take down the Bayside Hill hotel by the prot (still vacant after 8 years - never re-developed for a housing project!!) & stick the high rises there??? ~ Grahame.
 
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NALs

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BushBaby said:
I think Nal0whs was thinking of putting them up more in "DownTown" Puerto Plata - maybe 2 around Silverio Messon's, one or two down Duarte (near the old "Blackbeard's Pub) & maybe a couple round by Dr. Mejia's hospital!! Unfortunately he seems to forget the fact that Puerto Platanian culture FORBIDS walking anywhere more than 1 block - the car comes out for two blocks of walking! Heck, Puerto Platanians will double park & completely block a road rather than have to park 30 yards away & have to walk back to the shop they want to go in!!

Basic maths. High rise block with 10 floors 4 apartments per floor equals 40 apartments, equals (mas o menos) 100 + people equals 40 cars or more. WHERE do you park these in Puerto Plata? Under the building?? THAT should be fun in the rainy season when the heavy rains come - look what happens to that area now at STREET level!!! Further, 40 cars in an area that used to accept (& is desigened for) just 5, will create even further congestion in downtown PoP!!

I am very concerned at the niaivety re Building Regulations up here. Until corruption is totally illiminated from the building inspectors department & surveyors/architects & master builders start to OBEY the rules of building regulations rather that saving a few pesos by increasing SAND content so as reduce cement content as well as using BUILDING sand rather than Beach sand, then HIGH rise properties will ALWAYS be at risk from earthquakes & hurricanes!! Yes, 50 years since the last BIG eartquake, but how many aftershocks have we had here above 3.5??? The 'Experts' in sysemic matters seem to be telling us that we have not seen the worst one yet & more are likely over the next 10 years!!!

Then we have the tsunami predictions!!! Frightening enough for us that live ABOVE sea level by 100 ft or so & 1 mile from the seafront ...... can't see too much hope for highrises if one of THOSE comes a calling into Puerto Plata 'Downtown' area!!

DownTown Puerto Plata??? Forget it - it just won't work!! Further UP hill on the foothills of Isabela de tores maybe, but then you have the problems of mudslides from the mountain AND destroy the scenic view of the mountain & surrounding area. I think Sosua & Costamber areas are FAR better places for High Rise blocks!! Why not take down the Bayside Hill hotel by the prot (still vacant after 8 years - never re-developed for a housing project!!) & stick the high rises there??? ~ Grahame.

Well, the only alternative would be to spread the development into the sorroounding countryside. Puerto Plata is and will continue to grow. Notice how quickly Santo Domingo spread like water spilling from a knocked down cup! Then, afte Santo Domingo became the huge monstrous metropolis that it is today, people have noticed that if things continue like this, the city might someday spill beyond the National District (with San Cristobal and Boca Chica becoming ever closer to the ever expanding city limits of SDQ). The construction of high rises will allow for a slower pace of development outward.

I guess the northcoast from Sosua to Luperon is just going to be one big metropolis. Buildings inching their way up the foothills and mountains, building taking the flat land in the area and Carretera Luperon become what 27 de Febrero is in SDQ, after all, that is the main road in the north coast. Great, another SDQ.

Don't get me wrong, I like SDQ with everything that it is, that's why I live here. But, I just don't see how a huge sprawling metropolis in the northcoast is going to help tourism there. I just don't see that.

Highrises will congess central Puerto Plata, but that would allow the sorround countryside to remain open and natural. However, if most of you people prefer sprawl and heavy polluted air not just in Puerto Plata, but stretching all along the north coast, then so be it.

Also, I know many of you are going to hate this but, it won't be long before the masses of baby boomers discover the beauty of living in northern Hispaniola. Puerto Plata will grow, let's hope development doesn't destroy the sorrounding countrysdie like it has done in SDQ.
 

ltsnyder

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High rises? Please . . .

Puerto Plata has no demand for High rises right now. Go along the Malecon and look at the condition of the beach front apartment buildings. There is no demand right now. Playa Dorada is expanding, but that is another story. On the other side of the coin, the Beach Front hotel right next to Long Beach that has been turned in to apartments, is far from full. Add to that the recent power problems and you get the picture. I mean people barely occupy what is there, and there are plenty of sections with single story buildings that see no need for a second level (that should tell you something). Any way, maybe there is a demand for one or two, just to have a view of the ocean, but I don't see a strong demand.

Not holding my breath on that one.

I think mose will agree that Puerto Plata is less of a Tourist destination than it use to be 10 years ago. Playa Dorada tries to bring all the shopping you could ever want to do right to thier mall (with an Amber Museum outlet and all).

-Lee
 

NALs

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ltsnyder said:
Puerto Plata has no demand for High rises right now. Go along the Malecon and look at the condition of the beach front apartment buildings. There is no demand right now. Playa Dorada is expanding, but that is another story. On the other side of the coin, the Beach Front hotel right next to Long Beach that has been turned in to apartments, is far from full. Add to that the recent power problems and you get the picture. I mean people barely occupy what is there, and there are plenty of sections with single story buildings that see no need for a second level (that should tell you something). Any way, maybe there is a demand for one or two, just to have a view of the ocean, but I don't see a strong demand.

Not holding my breath on that one.

I think mose will agree that Puerto Plata is less of a Tourist destination than it use to be 10 years ago. Playa Dorada tries to bring all the shopping you could ever want to do right to thier mall (with an Amber Museum outlet and all).

-Lee

Well, the same could have been said back in the 1970s, when government officials were contemplating building the Playa Dorada complex. Anybody could have said there was no need or demand for such a complex in Puerto Plata, etc. The area was very desolate.

However, the old saying "if you built it, they will come" turns out to be true over and over again.

Also, don't underestimate the power of tomorrow. Today the country is showing signs of recovery, that simply means that it won't be long before the country is riding high on the wave of development and economic growth once again. Now is the time to build in order to capitalize later.

The Empire State Building in NYC was built during the Great Depression. The structure remained empty for a decade or so and then, voila! Things turned for the better in NYC and look at the building now, can hardly find an inch to rent now.

Also, closer to home, look at Playa Dorada. Who would have thought that the DR was going to be the number one tourist destination in the Caribbean and Playa Dorada was going to be the scene of the largest all-inclusive complex in the world!

I mean, from the way things looked back then, the DR was anything but a tourist destination. Look at Playa Dorada now! You be hard press to find a room during the high season and sometimes even in the so called low season.

I guess I'm just a bit of a capitalist! Where most people see a scrub and brush parcel, I see an opportunity for a housing unit. Where most people see a barren desert, I see an opportunity for a desert type resort development, where most people see a lack of opportunity, I see the opportunity to turn that lack into a real opportunity.

I guess there is a difference between successful people and ordinary people. Successful people see what can be when most see what it is.
 

Argo

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Nal0whs said:
Well, the same could have been said back in the 1970s, when government officials were contemplating building the Playa Dorada complex. Anybody could have said there was no need or demand for such a complex in Puerto Plata, etc. The area was very desolate.

However, the old saying "if you built it, they will come" turns out to be true over and over again.

Also, don't underestimate the power of tomorrow. Today the country is showing signs of recovery, that simply means that it won't be long before the country is riding high on the wave of development and economic growth once again. Now is the time to build in order to capitalize later.

The Empire State Building in NYC was built during the Great Depression. The structure remained empty for a decade or so and then, voila! Things turned for the better in NYC and look at the building now, can hardly find an inch to rent now.

Also, closer to home, look at Playa Dorada. Who would have thought that the DR was going to be the number one tourist destination in the Caribbean and Playa Dorada was going to be the scene of the largest all-inclusive complex in the world!

I mean, from the way things looked back then, the DR was anything but a tourist destination. Look at Playa Dorada now! You be hard press to find a room during the high season and sometimes even in the so called low season.

I guess I'm just a bit of a capitalist! Where most people see a scrub and brush parcel, I see an opportunity for a housing unit. Where most people see a barren desert, I see an opportunity for a desert type resort development, where most people see a lack of opportunity, I see the opportunity to turn that lack into a real opportunity.

I guess there is a difference between successful people and ordinary people. Successful people see what can be when most see what it is.

When you finish paving over the scrub and brush parcels, building walls of skyscrapers to prevent views and access to the sea, I wonder where your much needed tourists that used to come from the canyons of NYC, Chicago and Toronto will go?

A>
 

NALs

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Argo said:
When you finish paving over the scrub and brush parcels, building walls of skyscrapers to prevent views and access to the sea, I wonder where your much needed tourists that used to come from the canyons of NYC, Chicago and Toronto will go?

A>

1. They will keep going to the same places they have always gone to, Playa Dorada or Sosua or Cabarete or Playa Grande or Cofresi or Luperon. There won't by any highrises there.

2. They will enjoy the beautiful natural scenery from their airport-hotel ride if the human population growth is contained as much as it can within the current city limits of POP. Under a low skyline plane, the tourist would see the same urban sprawl and capitalistic billboards that they wanted to escape from to start with.

3.Most tourist to Puerto Plata or DR in general don't come from NYC, Chicago, or Toronto proper. They come from the low skyline urban sprawling suburbs of those metropolitan areas.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
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www.casabush.org
Nal0whs,
Do you ACTUALLY BELIEVE this drivel you are writing or are you just trying to be confrontational?? When did you last come & VISIT Puerto Plata?? Have you SEEN all the houses/apartments for sale?? They are not being bought because people can't afford them, so how would they be able to afford NEW Highries apartments? For the RICH to move into to these apartments, there would have to be WORK here for them to do - there isn't!!

Capatalists go BANKRUPT too you know, especially when they try to put an idea into force that is at LEAST 10 years ahead of it's time!! Lets get the "For Sale" properties sold first, let's get a DEMAND for properties & the income level to a stage where people can AFFORD to buy/rent these 'Highrises'. Let's get the barrios redesigned with 3 story level apartments for the lower paid & get rid of the Squallor/wood built with zinc rooves/10 to a house 40' x 40' first!!

Whaaaat?? Most of the travellers from NY State, Chicargo & Toronto cities etc etc. do not come from those cities but outlying areas???? Even IF this is true (which I doubt from those I have spoken to) then where on EARTH do you think they all work?? Come on, be realistic if you are trying to be serious!! If you are just winding people up ...............

Anyway, Highrises in Puerto Plata won't work for ar least another 10 years so I suggest you sleep it off until 2012, see what the economy of the country is then & MAYBE contemplate puting your ideas up then IF Puerto Plata has the possibility of the demand by that time!! ~ GWB.
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
9,478
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Nals,
I will say this as sweetly as I know how - we are NOT having highrises in Puerto Plata, even if your uncle is in charge of planning up here! And he isn't is he? Or if he was, you wouldn't admit to it!

I think the idea of putting them in Sosua bears consideration.......... ;)
 

Dwald

New member
Jan 22, 2004
35
0
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urban sprawl

NalOwhs, there are many projects abroad to stop the urban sprawl in big cities, none of them include highrise. They go for 2-3-4 storey buildings with SMALLER apartments. Some torre with 200-400mq apartments will not help to solve the problem.
Besides how do you think to stop constructers after the first group of buildings?
As for Sto. Dom., the towers are generally really ugly, constructed too close one to another. There will be ulterior problems with the already unbearable air quality. They block the wind. And none of the foreigners I know was never enthusiastic about them!
So I hope for a more intelligent development practice at least in PP.
Anna