Avenida Duarte: Then & Now

Rate Avenida Duarte new look!

  • 5 = Excellent

    Votes: 14 51.9%
  • 4

    Votes: 9 33.3%
  • 3 = Fair

    Votes: 2 7.4%
  • 2

    Votes: 2 7.4%
  • 1 = Poor

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    27

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,370
3,150
113
Roberto Salcedo, mayor of the National District (PLD), has been one of the best mayors the city of Santo Domingo has had since the city was founded over 500 years ago. Numerous projects that has improved the appearance of the city, and in many cases has created areas of recreation in impoverished parts of the city has been executed by him in the last few years.

Avenida Duarte has been the city's main budget shopping artery for decades. This avenue was the epitomy of urban decay, chaos, congestion, in short a Third World bazaar.

Salcedo took interest in reinventing this important artery and a few years later after the project was initiated, Avenida Duarte has a more refined appearance. These changes certainly brings a sense of dignity to the main lower class shopping street in the country.

Here are a few pics of Avenida Duarte then (before the transformation) and now.

Then:

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Now:

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On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1= Poor and 5= Excellent, rate Avenida Duarte's new look!
 
Jan 5, 2006
1,582
38
0
Roberto Salcedo, mayor of the National District (PLD), has been one of the best mayors the city of Santo Domingo has had since the city was founded over 500 years ago.

Salcedo has done an excellent job. The city has gone a long way during his time as mayor.
 

arturo

Bronze
Mar 14, 2002
1,336
97
48
this isn't completely fair...

...but I will do it anyway. How much of a difference do you think you would see, and how much credit/blame would you give Salcedo, for a before and after photo comparison of barrios such as La Cienega, Cristo Rey, Gualey, Guachupita, Girasoles (alphabetical order, not in order of degree of blight)?

My point is that Roberto deserves credit for accomplishing things like Duarte/Benito on a scale few if any others in his position have - - but, for every one of those accomplishments like Alma Mater/C. Nicolas Penson/27 de febrero, there are 10 to 12 Ovando/Capotillo/Villa Agricolas. There are miles and miles to go before he sleeps...
 

macocael

Bronze
Aug 3, 2004
929
10
0
www.darkhorseimages.com
Salcedo, by far, the best mayor we have had, and he really is working hard still to improve matters, but it is an enormous job and would take several such administrations over the years to accomplish everything. We need so much: trees!!! parks!!!! traffic regulation!! Pollution controls. Strict, very strict, enforcement of zoning regulations already on the books and legislation of more measures. Reduction of noise pollution. Renovation of the public markets mercado nuevo in particular. And of course the barrios, sheesh.

The fotos above are a bit deceptive because of the editing. Duarte is still a mess and the area is crime ridden. It is improving of course. The new chinatown at the one end gives it one anchor, but it needs another in the dilapidated north. Also, Parque Enriquillo, once and for all, needs to be reconstructed and opened.

Thanks NALS. .good topic
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
Parque Enriquillo - A sneak peak

Photos taken July 1, 2008
The metal fencing around Parque Enriquillo

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A sneak peak at the New Parque Enriquillo
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sascha

New member
Oct 4, 2007
254
0
0
great photos bigbird...what a difference! i cant wait to check it out myself when im there this fall. nice work!!
 
Apr 26, 2002
1,806
10
0
Deco

If "before" means, say, 2000, and "after" means now, then I vote for now. But if "before" means 1960, then I vote for 1960.

La Duarte was originally built up - post San Zenon - in the 1930s and 40s. It was a treasure trove of tropical deco. You could see a lot of this, though in dilapidated state, through the 1980s. It's almost all gone now, and I miss it.

I'm thrilled, though, with the restoration of Parque Enriquillo. It's condition had become a national shame.
 

elton

My thread snapped!
Jul 1, 2008
93
2
0
santo domingo improvements

It looks like things are being beautified slowly-they seem to have designed plenty of shade in the gardens, unlike the park in puerto plata, which is only usable at night.
 
Sep 20, 2003
1,217
44
48
If "before" means, say, 2000, and "after" means now, then I vote for now. But if "before" means 1960, then I vote for 1960.

La Duarte was originally built up - post San Zenon - in the 1930s and 40s. It was a treasure trove of tropical deco. You could see a lot of this, though in dilapidated state, through the 1980s. It's almost all gone now, and I miss it.

I'm thrilled, though, with the restoration of Parque Enriquillo. It's condition had become a national shame.

I agree. I think many parts of the DR looked much better in 1960 than today. It's a reall pity more efforts were not made to preserve historic structures.

Even Juan Tomas Diaz's house was torn down a couple of years ago; that's the place where Trujillo's corpse was discovered by the SIM. It is also the where the plotters planned parts of the assassination; often their conversations were masked by the sound produced by the screening of films. Even a member of the Diaz family remarked to me that it should have been turned into a museum, or at the very least preserved.

I suppose this is what some would describe as "progress".
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,370
3,150
113
I agree. I think many parts of the DR looked much better in 1960 than today. It's a reall pity more efforts were not made to preserve historic structures.

Even Juan Tomas Diaz's house was torn down a couple of years ago; that's the place where Trujillo's corpse was discovered by the SIM. It is also the where the plotters planned parts of the assassination; often their conversations were masked by the sound produced by the screening of films. Even a member of the Diaz family remarked to me that it should have been turned into a museum, or at the very least preserved.

I suppose this is what some would describe as "progress".
It was a pity. They certainly are doing a much better job at preserving historical edifices compared to how it used to be, but much has been lost.

-NALs
 

Tropicdude

New member
May 26, 2009
89
8
0
I only go to Duarte, to visit China Town district, at least twice a month, they have some imported ramen type noodles, not to be confused with those bland tasting ones in regular supermarkets,

I also like to buy dried fruits, ( Jujubes, Goji, plumes etc. ) and recently a new bakery has opened its doors, with some very tasty treats.

Also did you know that the Chinese have tea? :) I go for the "medicinal" teas. the item that most locals seem to line up to buy is some, ahem, "male enhancement" products, I have not tried them, but every time I go to these import markets, 9 times out of 10, someone is buying one of these "performance" enhancement concoctions.

On Sunday, they sell some asian type veggies/fish/fruit on the sidewalk.

if you haven't been to the Dominican "China Town" do stop by.
 

Stodgord

Bronze
Nov 19, 2004
668
14
0
One word, nostalgic

Nice! The old avenida Duarte picture brought a lot of nostalgic memories. It was the mid 80's and that avenue as well as adjacent avenues like Feliz Maria Ruis (Now Ave. Mexico) and Benito Gonzalez were blasting with Michael Jackson (RIP), Juan Gabriel music and the unfogattable '80 merengues as well. The streets were lined up with Buoneros selling christmas fruits and toys in December, and school books in August, and september. I remember my first job, at one of these stands; I was just 11 and 12 years of age. From there on, I learned I wanted to work for my money. It was my coming of age time and the '80 and especially Avenida Duarte played a big role for me, in that time. Let me not forget parque Enriquillo in front of the "Destacamento" and the open air cinema called "La Atena". I am glad that park is getting a much needed facelift.

Although, the capital looks modern, I still relish the old capital with the wooden house with oxidized tin roof. It was safe and courteous then.
 
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Celt202

Gold
May 22, 2004
9,099
944
113
.... Let me not forget parque Enriquillo in front of the "Destacamento" and the open air cinema called "La Atena". I am glad that park is getting a much needed facelift.

Although, the capital looks modern, I still relish the old capital with the wooden house with oxidized tin roof. It was safe and courteous then.

The Parque Enriquillo facelift was well done. It took a long time but the result is a great improvement.

I love posts like yours. It gives a snapshot into what life was like here long before I arrived.

:)