From today's DR1 - Juan Dolio continues to rise skyward!

ITB convention center in Santo Domingo?
Speaking at the ITB Berlin trade show in Germany, Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez announced the signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Tourism, the city of Santo Domingo, the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce, Banco Popular, Aerodom, the Sans Souci port, residential and commercial developers on behalf of the DR and the Messe Berlin for the carrying out of a feasibility study for the building a major convention center in Santo Domingo. Ricardo Hazoury of Aerodom, Manuel Grullon of Banco Popular and Luis Molina for Sans Souci Port were in Berlin for the signing. Jimenez said this would strengthen the country's positioning in the convention market. "The goal is for the DR to become the base for an ITB Messe Berlin style conference focused on the Caribbean", he said. ITB is sponsoring an ITB Asia trade show and convention for the Asian Travel Market this October in Singapore.
He also announced the March opening of what will be the Punta Cana area's second convention facility at Moon Palace.
At the conference, Jimenez also announced that the Ministry has approved four 30-floor buildings for Juan Dolio beach, the arrival of new brands such as Nikki Beach for Cabarete, Puerto Plata and the Buddha Bar hotel chain for the north coast.
Addressing an audience of over 100 international journalists, Jimenez highlighted the positive outlook for the DR as it implements its strategy to enhance its diversification, now focusing on high-end products. "We have always been known for offering good value," said Jimenez, who then stressed new investments by Ritz Carlton at Cap Cana, Four Seasons in La Romana, Westin in Macao, Punta Cana and Aman Resorts at Playa Grande. "We want to back upscale development, not because the DR as an all-inclusive model is behind us, but because the DR has the capacity to offer the greatest diversity," he explained.
 

Robert

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So much for environmentally friendly and sustainable growth :)

Any specs on the sewage treatment plant? Or will we be pumping this straight out to the ocean?

Miami #2, here we come!
 

Lambada

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Quite apart from the appearance and the sewage I wonder if they will be incorporating any of NIST recommendations for building safety, fire safety, speed of evacuation etc etc - all the things investigated after World Trade Centre collapse. Then there's the earthquake risk not to mention the history of public projects built like this in Russia, UK etc etc. Who would deliberately put themselves at risk by living in a place like this............and pay MONEY to do so??? Maybe it'll be ok for those on the top floor if they can get to their helicopters quickly enough? :cheeky:

Anyone answering the questions about safety standards please bear in mind this IS the DR.
 

DrChrisHE

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Absolutely agree with the "hideous" assessment. As for health & safety...I'm betting they'll go with a waters-slide fire escape, heli-pad, big tube for sewage out toward SPM, and a huge fan to blow the malodorous fumes away from 'their' buildings.
 

DrChrisHE

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Actually, my dh just had a brilliant idea...they could rotate with the wind and become environmentally friendly wind-turbine electric generators!!
 

MommC

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Glad two of the wisest menbers of this board said it first!!!

;):cheeky::tired::ermm::bunny:

That way those of us who live in the area won't get lynched when we add our two cents!!

It would seem to some of us that if the developers of these mega projects really were interested in making this area a modern,urban site, they would take care of the infastructure FIRST - as is now required in all 'civilized' nations.

Who is going to buy a beach condo/apartment/home, when the beach is contaminated and unsafe??
 

STEVE G.

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;)...Who is going to buy a beach condo/apartment/home, when the beach is contaminated and unsafe??

'' Who is going to buy ? '' is not a question right now in Juan Dolio , as the demand is high enough to ask '' Where and What to build more '' ... why would the biggest developer in the area after all is going to build skyscrapers like this if there was not a successful business behind it... and Marota beach ( Costa Blanca Towers site ) is fine even before they put more sand ...
 

STEVE G.

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So much for environmentally friendly and sustainable growth :)
Any specs on the sewage treatment plant? Or will we be pumping this straight out to the ocean?
Miami #2, here we come!
Probably they are going to build own sewage treatment plant just for this mega project , besides the one for Juan Dolio / Villas Del Mar , as it was announced before they are collecting the funds right now ...
 

Lambada

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What is unsafe on the beach?

Maybe sewage from ruptured pipes after the earthquake.............??:cheeky:

I'm sure 'who is going to buy?' will have an ample supply of the uninformed, the ill-prepared, the 'dreaming of my part of paradise', the 'it'll all be better in 2 years won't it?', the 'why can't I buy straight from the internet?' etc etc Ample. I'm equally sure it won't be the developer who loses out. It never is really, is it? Will the PR for these projects accurately reflect the realities? It's ok, it's rhetorical. ;)
 

MommC

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Probably=I doubt it greatly!!!

Probably they are going to build own sewage treatment plant just for this mega project , besides the one for Juan Dolio / Villas Del Mar , as it was announced before they are collecting the funds right now ...

If you've read all I've posted on the subject over the years you will know that when we bought our property we were 'guaranteed' that sewage treatment facilities were 'in the works-funding had been allocated' and would be copleted within two years.
12-13 yrs later it was again announced that a sewage treatment facility would be build near Los Conucos to serve Guayacanes,Juan Dolio,Metro and Los Conucos.
The newly paved beach road (it too was 'guaranteed' to be done within 2 yrs of our purchase) was dug up for kilometers to install sewer lines (which were improperly laid,never connected together etc -we saw them being installed).
However they were never connected to anything (or even each other) and no sewage treatment facility was built.

Then came the 'South Beach' concept again with no provision for sewage treatment until 'bad press' started making the rounds and then it was announced that a facility would be constructed as soon as the funds were 'collected'.

Having experienced how 'collections' work here in the DR, it is safe to assume that as long as developers are able to sell to unknowledgeable buyers (mostly from foreign countries-who have never even visited the area), sewage treatment facilities will NEVER be built.

Does Metro have it's own sewage treatment plant?
I know Capella Beach Resort put in their own plant when it was originally constructed.

I have also seen the number of 'filtrantes' and 'tanks' Coop Marena has dug over the years. Not to mention the pumping station that Talanquera has/had to pump effluent to holding tanks/lagoonas somewhere on the other side of the highway (which is probably what DRCHRISHE smells in Metro). Or the tanks put in at Casablance once they realized the locals were 'demonstrating' and organizing against the expansion there without adequate sewage facilities (they said they were going to connect to the street sewers until it was proved the sewers weren't functional).

I could go on and on but I'm sure you 'get the drift'.........:bunny:
 

MommC

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Which is why the river in SPM needs to be cleaned up!

'' Who is going to buy ? '' is not a question right now in Juan Dolio , as the demand is high enough to ask '' Where and What to build more '' ... why would the biggest developer in the area after all is going to build skyscrapers like this if there was not a successful business behind it... and Marota beach ( Costa Blanca Towers site ) is fine even before they put more sand ...

What looks pretty in a picture is not always so at a microbial level....(just ask DrChrishe)

We noticed a vast improvement in water quality at the beach in JD when all the little resorts closed down....you actually see seabirds and small fish now!
How long it will last is anybody's guess........

As for Dre.......unsafe referred to water quality and sand contamination (surely even you saw the effluent residue from holding tanks being buried on the beach in all your years here!! If not you really need to get out more!),however it could just as easily referred to the robberies/assaults taking place on the beach. Some in broad daylight. A threesome posing as 'fishermen' have been acosting tourists on the beach just past Aura in daylight, wielding pistolas or machetes and robbing them, but of course you wouldn't know about that would you....you need to spend less time sitting at the comedor and more time getting to know folks in the area!;)