Luper?n Project apparently dead

From what I hear none of the pre-construction buyers lost any money as Atlantica used Stewart Title escrow services.

Buying pre-construction here is always a risk, unless it's backed by a very well known developer with a good track record or the developer that uses a reputable 3rd party company to handle title insurance and escrow services.

Robert that is correct. No pre buyers lost money, all was returned.

I can confirm that the old Developement company is dead, the bank has foreclosed on them and Mr. Pierre Schnebelen for misuse of funds.

However the project is not (as of right now) dead as the New York bank is proceeding on the project and redeveloping the plans.

As I can I will provide more information on this.

Sorry I can't tell you the bank right now. Can't remember the name. It is the bank that funded the 180 Million US loan - with conditions attached to it.

My gut sense is they knew ahead of time it would go into foreclosure and they then could step in.

I will keep you posted. I agree it would be very good for the area - Luperon - the North Coast - the country......

What's for sale in Luperon...

Just wondering if there are any gated communities or condos for sale in Luperon...I can never seem to find any on the web...And if so, what are the prices like there??? Thanks !

paradise07 said:

Just wondering if there are any gated communities or condos for sale in Luperon...I can never seem to find any on the web...And if so, what are the prices like there??? Thanks !

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I dunno if I just can't see it, but I went to Luperon twice recently:
The village is... erm... well... it's nothing really to talk home about. About 4 or 5 parallel streets all bottoming at the "marina", which really is nothing glamorous worth mentioning either. It all needs some TLC... urgently!
The surroundings are nice. Playa Grande (if my memory serves me well) just West of the town is nice. There is a medium grade AI-hotel operating at on that beach too.
I went to La Isabella in both ocasions... a long road, not too wide really but in good condition... Very scenic! Really worth the trip! Nice little campo villages along it and some nice homes (even a weird one in the shape of a boat, the kids just loved it!) scattered on the hillside enjoying a dramatic view... but... nothing else. Quite? Very much so!
Potential? Yes... Luperon is more or less as close to Santiago as W-Puerto Plata. But it dearly needs some drastic development FIRST. People are still nice and quite natural... and if it was done right, as it still is quite virgin, the village could be renovated and some infrastructure implemented, it could turn out a jewel.
But so far, I could no find much infrastructure that would qualify to satisfy the needs of residents of a mayor development, like super markets or anything... it's good ol' colmado zone.

Personally, I don't believe in developments dumped in the middle of nowhere... but then, Punta Cana would prove me wrong(?).

So, that's just my very limited opinion so far on that location. Yes, it looks much fancier on the Internet and it had therefor made it on my list of potential places of interest... BEFORE I visited. That has now somewhat changed.

... J-D.

The project, should it happen, will be massive. The business opportunities in and around the area will be huge. A lot of work would be done in Luperon and it would be justified based on the size and type of developement. You are talking multiple hotels, air strip, cruise ship terminal, marina, 2 or 3 world class golf courses, restaurants, shops, boutiques etc etc.

The design is really stunning. It will be interesting to see it happen.

Luperon Hills Gated Community...

paradise07 said:

Just wondering if there are any gated communities or condos for sale in Luperon...I can never seem to find any on the web...And if so, what are the prices like there??? Thanks !

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Good morning! Have you had a look at the brand new project in Luperon? It is called the Luperon Hills Gated Community and can be found on their Luperon Hills Luperon website using Google on the Internet. New project and going strong!

My recollections of Luperon are not good. Ten years ago I brought my sportfisherman down from Florida and entered the DR there. Due to a problem with one engine I kept the boat there almost 2 months with a local watchman on board. It was a dirty little town that thrived off stealing from the yachtsmen that passed through there, not a good introduction to the DR at all. And bringing cruise ships in there? Get real! The ocean entrance to the harbor will hardly handle a 100' boat much less anything larger and with deeper draft. Even in my 40', it was a little tricky.

Its only a matter of time.

Luperon has the best hurricane protection. It will eventually cater to a very upscale market, people with multi million dollar boats.

Luperon is a fine place, I stayed there for 7 years... But I just have a real hard time visualizing any type of development there... Especially since I am today in the Las Terrenas area, where there's a complete hysteria of development now...

What lacks in the Luperon area are decent beaches. Visitors want beaches... This is what makes the Saman? Peninsula so successful.

However I feel a strong nostalgia for the niceness of the Luperon people (it is not always so in the Saman? Peninsula...)

As of the boats, indeed Luperon is the best place of the north-coast (that is precisely why I ended up there in the first place )

planner said:

The project, should it happen, will be massive...
You are talking multiple hotels, air strip, cruise ship terminal, marina, 2 or 3 world class golf courses, restaurants, shops, boutiques etc etc.

The design is really stunning. It will be interesting to see it happen.

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Actually no, YOU are talking... and some others who wish to promote this idea...
Yes, it WOULD be interesting to see all that happen. So, what's the plan? Level the little town and have Frank Gehry, Michael Graves, Robert A.M. Stern, Stanley Tigerman and Robert Venturi design a new and more appropriate historic district with boutiques and beauty parlors nicely leading to the marina and cruise ship docs?

LuperonBoater said:

Good morning! Have you had a look at the brand new project in Luperon? It is called the Luperon Hills Gated Community and can be found on their Luperon Hills Luperon website using Google on the Internet. New project and going strong!

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I just visited the (your?) web site and became the 425th visitor! MUST be going strong, then.




No, although I may seem to, I am not bashing Luperon. I believe it to be a location with potential... but after a short time here, I have seen more big projects failed and/or abandoned in all sorts of stages than anything. And they all have the same issue... the location has not been developed FIRST and then you get depressed villages trying to live off the new developments and that does over time not seem to attract or keep continued investment form discriminating residents needed to sustain projects like real marinas and cruise ship docs, etc.
Seems that too many cocoteros have a hallucinogenic effects on some already megalomaniac developers. :cheeky:

... J-D.

jed said:

HAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!.......a cruise ship terminal?????????......somebody better do some soundings.....no ship of that size will ever negotiate that entrance..

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Well I would guess you have assumed the Cruise Ship docking would be in Luperon itself! Well you would be entirely incorrect! It is not a good idea to make assumptions!

In FACT the plans do not include the terminal and docking to be there!!!

JD - just so we are clear I am not promoting anything. I happen to have access to information and post it. I do not pretend to know if it will or will not happen. I only can pass on the information.

I believe it would be very good for the North Coast, in that respect I am a cheerleader only....

The developement is east of Luperon itself but just east.... not far at all. It will have a profound effect on Luperon itself if it comes to fruition.

Pierre was out of the picture around April 06 for financial reasons (I don't think we will ever know, if it was mis-use of funds or lack of equity support due to confindence in him as a developer).
At a retail end, ALL purchasers recieved back their funds via Stewart. The new partners are Carlton Hopitality / Kingsport partners. I think they are planning for a re-launch during Q4 2007.

planner said:

JD - just so we are clear I am not promoting anything. I happen to have access to information and post it. I do not pretend to know if it will or will not happen. I only can pass on the information.

I believe it would be very good for the North Coast, in that respect I am a cheerleader only....

The developement is east of Luperon itself but just east.... not far at all. It will have a profound effect on Luperon itself if it comes to fruition.

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Planner, I was just picking a little on your sentence as it read like the from a salesman (not implying you are).
Yes, if it would work, meaning finalize right, it could give the North Coast a considerable kick, IF the "new" Luperon will then also get connected appropriately (up to the new standing) to the rest of the North Coast or at least to the Santiago-Puerto Plata Hwy. I just have doubts it will because of historical data here for such projects.
Otherwise, an other "enclave" for a few eccentric rich? There already are some in the Country out East... how much market is there for such privatization of a piece of Caribbean coast? I don't know.

So, it's again not like I would dislike it.... I just doubt it but actually almost hope to be proven wrong.

... J-D.

No problem honey, it was more a general statement to let everyone know. I am not attached to the project I am just informed. It might not all be correct either - I dont offer any assurances as to the accuracy of the info.

I have seen the plans though and they are bloody impressive! It is a HUGE developement should it happen.....

JD - if you would like to see the plans, just let me know, I'd be happy to show you....... and I promise not to sell you anything....LOL

planner said:

No problem honey, it was more a general statement to let everyone know. I am not attached to the project I am just informed. It might not all be correct either - I dont offer any assurances as to the accuracy of the info.

I have seen the plans though and they are bloody impressive! It is a HUGE developement should it happen.....

JD - if you would like to see the plans, just let me know, I'd be happy to show you....... and I promise not to sell you anything....LOL

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Actually yes, I'd gladly accept the invitation. I'm glad you didn't feel "needled" by my posts. You are welcome to PM me or e-mail me thru my web site (profile) any time.

Thanks! ... J-D.