La Zona Colonial: some thoughts

[RG84]

You cannot compare the Colonial Zone to the monument area in Santiago. It is a lot of good things about the Colonial Zone like between the hours of 7:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M is wonderful, no sun or heat, not as many people, children playing in the parks.

The only thing I'm comparing is that they are both tourist areas and it would benefit the ZC if it was spruced up. I agree it is a wonderful place. I'm not talking about tearing anything down but com'on, wipe off some of that dirt.

A messy house may have that "lived-in" look but is still messy. I live on a street that was rundown when I bought my home and many of the people that lived there let their homes go into despair. The new owners that have purchased these homes have cleaned them up and they look beautiful. The neighborhood is better for this and still has character.

Will a better looking ZC mean people will have to leave because rents will increase, maybe, but that's a subject for another thread.

 

[Lobo Tropical]

Help

Dominicans have no pride in the Colonial Zone, maybe because it's falling apart.
This is in stark contrast to the Colonial Zone in Cartagena Colombia.
Colombians are proud of their Colonial Zone and want to show you around.
It also helps that it is absolutely stunning!

Another help in Catragena is cruise ship revenues, and possibly government subsidies.
Also look at Havana.
The Colonial Zone should be a magnet for tourism considering the proximity to the US and Canada.

 

[Robert]

Another help in Catragena is cruise ship revenues, and possibly government subsidies.
Also look at Havana.
The Colonial Zone should be a magnet for tourism considering the proximity to the US and Canada.

Cruise ship revenues are a product of good planning and doing what is necessary to attract that sector. Cartagena has very good destination management and local businesses play an integral part in making that happen. Everyone is organized and on the same planning field, all working together to better the destination.

They have activities in the streets, events, lots of stuff for tourists to do, besides shop and eat.
That is in stark contrast to Santo Domingo, which has almost zero destination management.
Go ask the people at Port San Souci, they will tell you the same.

Last Christmas Day, Cartagena served 7,000+ cruise ship passengers, with an average onshore spend of US$40+ each. I have no numbers for Santo Domingo, but I'm sure they would have been ecstatic with just 10% of the above.

 

[keepcoming]

That old phrase.."you need to spend money to make money". That is what is needed here.

 

[DominicanQuest]

When I first got here about 10 months ago I stayed at the Mercure Hotel in the Colonial Zone. I loved it. I still love the Colonial Zone and I can say the only things I really don't like are the pigeons, but they don't bother me much. When I am in the area I always feel safe, and I have been there a bunch of times during the day and night.

I do think that a massive face lift would help with the aesthetic of the area. And an area can never be too safe. But, I would focus on making additional attractions in the area - and make in more of a 3-5 night area instead of the 1-2 night area it is.

 

[Bronxboy]

W I can say the only things I really don't like are the pigeons, but they don't bother me much.

They might not like you as well. lol

 

[mountainannie]

Only on this day, as our tour group walked down Calle El Conde and I gave that same answer to a young woman from Romania, she looked around and said: ?But it?s so dirty?. To which I responded: ?And we wouldn?t have it any other way.?

Written with affection no doubt...BUT You miss one little slice of dominican life...this dirt you laud, is proudly and daily cleaned from even the most humble of Dominican homes...the filth of the zona is not representitive of the typical dominican...the barrio calle perhaps...but not the individual. and FURTHER the filth only contributes to keeping the zona from being the world class destination dominicans deserve to have in their capitol. This is indeed a magic place, with a vibrant culture resting on what should be known as the soil from which the modern Americas were born.

We all (north, central and south Americans) deserve to have this jewel dusted off just a bit...as if there was a ounce or two of pride among the corrupt business and tourist officials who in any other potential money maker, (given the importance of Santo Domingo), would have been sent out of town on a rail long ago. Domincans that I know are a proud and entrepenurial people, but their leaders are not even smart enough to feign pride by replacing worn out lighting on the front walkway so that at least passers by come in for a look and buy a fria.

So Let the bachata blair, the shoe shine boy hussle for his 10 pesos, and the sun beat down on Colon's weathered head, but domincans and tourists DO deserve better. I too tuely love the zone, but the steets could be lined with perhaps not quite gold...but a alot more revenue...real basic stuff....seriously...2 hrs from dade, 3 from ny, and most non latinos barely know the place exists. Real dopey biz acumen here I am afraid...and yes a little upkeep AND MAINTENANCE would go a long way.

Otherwise your praise of the charm and importance of this place is spot on.[/QUOTE]


But there is also the Domnican idea that the sidewalk is not their responsability.

In many other countries, one would find that the shop keepers themselves would scrub the sidewalks in front of their stores. But here.. no

that is some one Else's responsability.

 

[mountainannie]

I notice, for example, that the Hotel Melia, here in GAZCUE.. NEVER sends anyone out to scrub their lovely pink tile sidewalk. which is certainly NOT the job of the ayuntemento.. is it? I mean scrubbing sidewalks, how hard it that.. WATER some Cholor or acer..

INSIDE most Dominican houses one can eat off the floor. But that is certainly not something that any tourist would suspect.

Tourists would think that the locals were very dirty from looking at their streets.

 

[kdolo]

It not lack of pride or culture. It is government that is the problem.

get rid of the ridiculous rental and rent control laws and watch the place flourish. Why improve your property if you can never recoup the investment ??

Change the laws to make them investor/property owner friendly and the place will improve.

 

[karlheinz]

this is an old thread but I've noticed that things are slowly but surely improving in the CZ. I live pretty much in the heart of the zone and through my daily walks I've seen buildings all over in processes of renovations. Not having funds to ever purchase I'm a lifelong renter but wish I could get my hands on one of these buildings to make this my forever project - lol

Hanging Gardens of the Conde - starting to branch out now and looks like they're building the base for ??? another garden. At the corner of Jose Reyes and el Conde on the parqueo wall - hydrophonic system with lots of plant varieties, the designer told me it's financed by Coca-Cola and if you look on the left there is a Coke Bottle outlined by red/ green plants - bet this will look really nice in another year.

Corner planting - seems like new tree's going up at the corner plant boxes.

One thing I think needs drastic action is some better method of trash collection and pickup than piling thing on the corners. That alone is the biggest visual turn off.

 

[Proj10]

One of the biggest turn offs of the ZC and most of the touristy areas of Santo Domingo is the trash. The people blame the government the government blames the people. The bottom line is that Dominicans think it is OK to throw trash in the street. They expect someone else to clean it up. The govenement doesn't spend enough money on proper saniataion so the city is dirty. No pride, no working city government.....no tourist money. It's that simple.

 

[Rainwater]

I was riding in a taxi the other night and the driver took Calle Restauracion, a small street right behind Mella. It was around 7 p.m. and absolutely magical. We drove by a couple of church plazas and the streets looked lit by gaslight. I have to go back on foot and take a picture of a gorgeous old wooden house painted green with an L-shaped porch. The Zona could be so much better, I agree. That night I fell in love with its hidden charms. I wish my family still owned the house where mother grew up, on Padre Billini!!! I'd have a tertulia space, a B&B..............