Santo Domingo is Barcelona 15 years ago

[Dolores1]

Just back from five days in Barcelona and can't help drawing parallels with that city and the city of Santo Domingo. I think Santo Domingo should look to Barcelona as the grown up it would like to become.

That city is central to Europe -- UK, Spanish traffic to France and Italy pass that way. Ditto, Santo Domingo is a central geographic point for Europe and the US. Barcelona, though, is subject to their air traffic having to go through Madrid for flights to America. Ridiculous, but everyone says it's politics. If it weren't for politics, Barcelona would be truly the stepping ground for Europe, which brings us to what Santo Domingo can become as it has no problems with air connections.

Barcelona is a city built for its people. The streets are for walking, the Rambla takes you everywhere. One lady told me to steer away from the big shops -- the Corte Ingles -- and check out all the little shops. Barcelona is full of little shops. Santo Domingo could be that and promote its shopping districts -- El Conde, Chinatown, Naco-Piantini-Winston Churchill, Bellavista, Plaza Central/Lama, Americana, etc and the small shops all over.

Barcelona is all full of restaurants. Santo Domingo can be that. It already has such great gastronomy, albeit very expensive, these days.

Barcelona is a city of architecture. We could encourage architects to be daring. We could hold contests for the better apartment buildings. We could hold contests for the best commercial building. We need daring and functional architecture, it almost is happening, we just need to tell people to go for it, break the norm, spell Caribbean uniqueness in our streets.

Barcelona is a city that is alive at night. Santo Domingo has a vocation for that. And we have year long great climate.

Barcelona is full of tourists touring the city's shopping, the incomparable works of Gaudi, and his competitors. Hey, we have great architects, let's put them to work on the plazas. We can make this city a showcase for people to walk around and meet people. That should be the focus. For sure there are solutions.

From what people tell me, before the 1992 Olympics Barcelona was a sad city, with the port area a slum. Now it is a sexy area where things happen, especially in the summer and spring. Remember, it is summer weather all year round in Santo Domingo.

Let's look to Barcelona for inspiration.

Would love to hear feedback from others that know Barcelona and how we can apply lots of what has worked there here.

 

[Keith R]

Well, actually D, I went to Barcelona in 1989 and it was not sad at all. It was beautiful and quite liveable. I fell in love with the place, and it remains on my top 5 list of cities.

 

[Jon S.]

All I hear is "architecture is incredible in Barcelona, we had a great time shopping and clubbing there" from people I know that went to Barcelona. But I don't suggest the Gothic-type architecture in DR. That works for them but not for people that have year-round summer.

 

[Chirimoya]

My first visit was in 1982, and it already had plenty going for it then - of course the big changes came in the run-up to the 1992 Olympic Games. I visited in 1990, when the port area was being revamped, and then in 1996 or 97, and most recently in 2003. It is a dream city, that despite being so popular with tourists has not become plastic or 'Disneyfied' like others in similar situations. Spain has progressed in leaps and bounds since Franco died, and what's more has done it with dazzling style, taste and verve.

The modern Dominican Republic could learn a lot from this experience.

Barcelona has its Gothic architecture as well as the Gaudi stuff (which is sort of art nouveau meets gothic on acid) but what Dolores must mean is the new wave of daring, modern architecture which has sprung up in the last 10-15 years. Conserve and enhance what exists, but don't be afraid to try out wild new stuff as well - something that is applicable to Santo Domingo.

There is already plenty of great architecture in SD that could do with recognition, care and attention - all that neglected art deco as well as the colonial and neo classical structures. I also agree that the modern architects could be challenged to come up with something more adventurous and aesthetic than high rise monoliths a la Acropolis or the Malecon Center.

However, the first leaf from Barcelona's book should be to make SD more pedestrian friendly - it would enhance the city and our quality of life no end.

 

[andy_089]

Barcelona

With some luck i will get a new job there next month. A big global company is currently outsorcing its HR service department to barcelona.

Here are some links to picture galleries:

http://www.pbase.com/afuent/barcelona_2004

http://www.pbase.com/ddos/barcelona&page=all

http://www.pbase.com/phathh888/barcelona_spain&page=all

http://www.pbase.com/apollo_heru/bcn&page=all

http://www.pbase.com/borgie099/barcelona&page=all

http://www.pbase.com/ralf/bcn_misc&page=all

 

[Chirimoya]

You lucky man! Hope it works out for you.

Also - really nice photos, they do justice to the city's wonderful sights. I liked the one of the boy in the Barca shirt feeding the pigeons.

Our photos from a very child-oriented visit a year and a half ago, are not nearly as impressive. There is one of Copito de Nieve weeks before he died, though.

 

[Marianopolita]

Interesting comparison Dolores

Thanks for this detailed post about Barcelona. Out of the Western European cities that I have visited thus far I have yet to see Barcelona. Spain period is on my list the only aspect that is preventing me from going right now is time.

I find your comparison interesting because you are the first person that I know that has done so. What I mean is envisioning Sto. Domingo as a potential Barcelona in years to come. If Barcelona is anything like the other beautiful European cities that I have visited then it still has a long way to go. Sto. Domingo definitely has so much potential for everything in comparison to many other internationally renowned cities but as we all know countless issues need remedy first to make the city what it has the potential to be. Internal "politics" is the biggest problem because culturally, historically, climate wise etc. Sto.Domingo has it all.

-Lesley D-

 

[Hillbilly]

A few years ago, in Mallorca

I was told by some executives from GESA that Spain and Mallorca were like the DR-no lights.

But they got their act together.

I can agree with D that Santo Domingo has a potential, barely, but a potential.
the old, walled city must be preserved. The neighborhoods like Gasque must be preserved. As far as I am concerned, the rest can go.

Perhaps with the new Metro (gimme a break!) things will get more organized....

Sometimes I want a government like Lilis.......Metro, Island, Baseballandia???

ARRRRRGggghhh!


HB

 

[Narcosis]

Dolores I agree with your enthusiasm about Barcelona, in my opinion second only to Paris in overall architectural beauty and artistic vibe.
I am a fervent fan of Gaudi; Parque Guell, Casa Mila, Sagrada Familia all a trip, along with Joan Miro, Picasso and Dali we have a hotbed of artistic genius which can be felt on the street, in the buildings, as well as in the soul of the people themselves.

Santo Domingo has obvious historic ties to Barcelona and the region of Catalonia in that many of our leaders are descendants of this city or area, people like Balaguer, Bosch, yes unfortunately even Hipolito and as evident in common surnames in the DR such as Munne, Dalmau, Puig.Pujols,Sanz,Roig,Gasso,Pages,Casals,Barcelo.

Santo Domingo, as you point out Barcelona did as well pre-92 Olympics, has it?s back to the ocean, unlike most cities where the most expensive real estate is water front, Santo Domingo seems to be the opposite with even the lowest of real-estate being on the river front and the typically nicer areas inland or away from water.

Pre 92 Olympics the beachfront near the port area of Barceloneta was a dump and literally you had no real view of the ocean unless you stood at the end of the Ramblas near the statue of Columbus, (similar to ours in parque Colon in front of the Cathedral), nonetheless Barcelona has finally discovered the Sea again and new real estate is popping-up all along the beachfront pumping new life into a decaying area of the city. Malls, Parks and Hotels such as the Ritz Carlton now adorn this once forgotten area.

I hope that we also begin to appreciate the blessing of living along one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the world and we begin to appreciate this fact by taking care of our malecon as well as give our colonial zone the merit it deserves as our ?claim to fame? in world history.

 

[Chirimoya]

So which one do we nominate for our 'Ramblas'?

Maximo Gomez (for relative proximity to the Colonial Zone)

Churchill (for its width, and la Feria)

Lincoln (for being the party capital of, well, the capital)

???

- It has to be mentioned that the last two already have 'Ramblas' style boulevards, as does the 27 between Lincoln and Churchill. The traffic volume and noise on the avenues does not make walking down them a pleasant experience, and their success has been limited.

 

[Narcosis]

I was told by some executives from GESA that Spain and Mallorca were like the DR-no lights.

But they got their act together.

I don't know how long ago that was but maybe they were refering to Spain during the Civil war.

On that note maybe we can have a Dominican artist depict the "atrocities" of the Hippo administration and have a Guernica style mural on display to remind of and inspire us to never again go down that path.

 

[hugoke01]

Barcelona - Santo Domingo

Believe that you forget some important factors :

a) Barcelona is a wealthy city and has been always been important
b) the Catalunians are hard working people very proud of their city
c) Their link with the rest of Europe is very important , Barcelona is by far compared with all other Spanish cities) the most Eurpean one .
d) their architectal and art culture is for sure the highest of all Spain and Spain isn't the DR
e) Catalunians are inventive (theatre - art - humor )

Your vision is nice but for me it's the same as the vision of a well operated safe metro system in SD .

I think the DR can only become really better with an increase of high quality tourism . .. supported by a strong and good infrastructure .. better inland tourism and obviously much safer ..

This is the way Spain started 70 - 60 years ago .. Spain had at that time also a lot of emigration to the North (especially from th South of Spain )...now in turn it's a country of immigration ..

Two sayings they aren't mine believe me :

Africa starts at the pyrenees (and that was true 60 years ago Spain was poor - especially the villages and very narrow minded )

Italy is a beautiful country ( more art than anywhere in Spain ) the only problem is that the inhabitants are Italians (heard this from an Italian )

Just back from five days in Barcelona and can't help drawing parallels with that city and the city of Santo Domingo. I think Santo Domingo should look to Barcelona as the grown up it would like to become.

That city is central to Europe -- UK, Spanish traffic to France and Italy pass that way. Ditto, Santo Domingo is a central geographic point for Europe and the US. Barcelona, though, is subject to their air traffic having to go through Madrid for flights to America. Ridiculous, but everyone says it's politics. If it weren't for politics, Barcelona would be truly the stepping ground for Europe, which brings us to what Santo Domingo can become as it has no problems with air connections.

Barcelona is a city built for its people. The streets are for walking, the Rambla takes you everywhere. One lady told me to steer away from the big shops -- the Corte Ingles -- and check out all the little shops. Barcelona is full of little shops. Santo Domingo could be that and promote its shopping districts -- El Conde, Chinatown, Naco-Piantini-Winston Churchill, Bellavista, Plaza Central/Lama, Americana, etc and the small shops all over.

Barcelona is all full of restaurants. Santo Domingo can be that. It already has such great gastronomy, albeit very expensive, these days.

Barcelona is a city of architecture. We could encourage architects to be daring. We could hold contests for the better apartment buildings. We could hold contests for the best commercial building. We need daring and functional architecture, it almost is happening, we just need to tell people to go for it, break the norm, spell Caribbean uniqueness in our streets.

Barcelona is a city that is alive at night. Santo Domingo has a vocation for that. And we have year long great climate.

Barcelona is full of tourists touring the city's shopping, the incomparable works of Gaudi, and his competitors. Hey, we have great architects, let's put them to work on the plazas. We can make this city a showcase for people to walk around and meet people. That should be the focus. For sure there are solutions.

From what people tell me, before the 1992 Olympics Barcelona was a sad city, with the port area a slum. Now it is a sexy area where things happen, especially in the summer and spring. Remember, it is summer weather all year round in Santo Domingo.

Let's look to Barcelona for inspiration.

Would love to hear feedback from others that know Barcelona and how we can apply lots of what has worked there here.

 

[TEHAMA]

Andy-
Thanks for sharing the fotos and good luck to you! I've never been to Barcelona and the fotos of the city are great. I think any one making comparsions or drawing aspirations between the two cities would be dillusional. I would rather stick with the NYC comparison..LOL.
TEHAMA

 

[MerengueDutchie]

SDQ will never be like Barcelona

I've been to Barcelona as early as 1974 and seen it develop throughout the years.. Post Franco it has revived and prospered as the capital of one of europes most affluent and central regions..

Sorry to be cynic but SDQ will never be even remotely be the same as long as:

1) The Dr is run like the corrupt banana republic it is (look at the Metro project)

2) The Dr has the finances it has... Spain is quite a bit more financially healthy and so is Cataluna..

Even though SDQ has tremdous potential.. that's all it will ever have as long as 1 and 2 remain in place.

On a last note I don't understand the constant comparison to European or US cities.. I would say look towards other Latin Am cities to compare yourselves with..SDQ does not have the resources nor history of Europe or the US.. look towards cities like Caracas, Havana, Quito, Buenos Aires, Cartagena.. those places are more like SDQ in terms of historical life-span and financial possibilities

 

[hugoke01]

Fully agree with you ...it's like saying ...

Yes it 's like comparing any African capital and have a Paris vision of Abidjan as an example ..I fully agree with the statement below .. those who make this comparison have a surrealistic vision (DALI) but let's not forget it's surrealistic ..

I've been to Barcelona as early as 1974 and seen it develop throughout the years.. Post Franco it has revived and prospered as the capital of one of europes most affluent and central regions..

Sorry to be cynic but SDQ will never be even remotely be the same as long as:

1) The Dr is run like the corrupt banana republic it is (look at the Metro project)

2) The Dr has the finances it has... Spain is quite a bit more financially healthy and so is Cataluna..

Even though SDQ has tremdous potential.. that's all it will ever have as long as 1 and 2 remain in place.

On a last note I don't understand the constant comparison to European or US cities.. I would say look towards other Latin Am cities to compare yourselves with..SDQ does not have the resources nor history of Europe or the US.. look towards cities like Caracas, Havana, Quito, Buenos Aires, Cartagena.. those places are more like SDQ in terms of historical life-span and financial possibilities

 

[Tordok]

The city of Santo Domingo will inevitably always be the city of Santo Domingo. Its heritage is a mixed blessing, with sublime spaces of random beauty intertwined with overwhelming pestilence and urban decay.

Of course it should emulate Barcelona, and for that matter any other of the successful metropolitan centers aound the globe. I must admit that I became enamored of Barcelona after spending a few days enjoying its riches in the mid 1990s. Cool among the coolest kinds of town. IMO Bracelona marries the past and the future harmoniously in ways that few places can.

But the city of SD is unique in its own way and does have the potential to develop as a model Caribbean grand ville. Areas right next to the old urban core (colonial zone) other than Gazcue (like Borojol, San Carlos, Villa Juana, etc.) need a humane variant of the so-called 'gentrification' process. The city needs to feed the inner perimeter from its cultural center of gravity around the malec?n also. If the city wishes to preserve whatever truly urban density it once had -and where civilization can finally take hold-it should regulate sprawl and refocus investment on the inner city. Grandiose as it seems, the Metro could help accomplish some of this. If it doesn't do this it will be destined to become a tropical version of an amorphous city like Los Angeles, rather than the antillean version of the gallant, charismatic and picaresque Barcelona.

- Tordok

 

[juancarlos]

an amorphous city like Los Angeles"

You are right about that, Tordok.

 

[MerengueDutchie]

The city of Santo Domingo will inevitably always be the city of Santo Domingo. Its heritage is a mixed blessing, with sublime spaces of random beauty intertwined with overwhelming pestilence and urban decay.

Of course it should emulate Barcelona, and for that matter any other of the successful metropolitan centers aound the globe. I must admit that I became enamored of Barcelona after spending a few days enjoying its riches in the mid 1990s. Cool among the coolest kinds of town. IMO Bracelona marries the past and the future harmoniously in ways that few places can.

But the city of SD is unique in its own way and does have the potential to develop as a model Caribbean grand ville. Areas right next to the old urban core (colonial zone) other than Gazcue (like Borojol, San Carlos, Villa Juana, etc.) need a humane variant of the so-called 'gentrification' process. The city needs to feed the inner perimeter from its cultural center of gravity around the malec?n also. If the city wishes to preserve whatever truly urban density it once had -and where civilization can finally take hold-it should regulate sprawl and refocus investment on the inner city. Grandiose as it seems, the Metro could help accomplish some of this. If it doesn't do this it will be destined to become a tropical version of an amorphous city like Los Angeles, rather than the antillean version of the gallant, charismatic and picaresque Barcelona.

- Tordok

Tordok,

Great observation and very true.. glad to see someone who can wash away some of my cynisism.. thanks!

MD

 

[FuegoAzul21]

now to say Santo Domingo is the Barcelona of 15 years ago is a bit of an overstatement ,that i will admit.However i do beleive it has the potential to become one of the finest financial centers of Latin America .Sd is definitley on a rise. Every year more high rise buildings are being built more beautification projects are on thier way ,but i do feel that some parts of the city can go and hopefully, the crime rate goes down because right now its goin way too far.That doesnt mean nothing is being done.With the capture of DRs biggest Narcotraficante ,they ve cut the head off a snake .Soon enoughhis accomplices are goin to be nabed ,which is goin to include many corrupt cops and politicians.However , that is another topic. but to those who think Santo Domingo is the next Barcelona , i have a question, if SD is the next Barcelona , then whats Santiago gonna become ? this is something i dont know the answer to.

 

[NALs]

However i do beleive it has the potential to become one of the finest financial centers of Latin America .Sd is definitley on a rise. Every year more high rise buildings are being built more beautification projects are on thier way

The potential is here and SDQ could very well "take" some of the multinationals based in Mexico City (the unofficial financial capital of Latin America) to SDQ.

For many things, the air is much more healthy here in SD than in MC, crime is extremely low compared to MC, and we are much more centrally located in the hemisphere than MC.

Also, with the expansion of many large Dominican companies into the global economy, their headquarters will continue to grow.

And such thing would really take place if multinationals could move many of their current employees into the DR and higher Dominican professionals for the remaining void.

But to those who think Santo Domingo is the next Barcelona , i have a question, if SD is the next Barcelona , then whats Santiago gonna become ? this is something i dont know the answer to.

Oh boy, you are asking for the SDQ-STG rivalry to come in full blown!

Pace yourself if Santiagueros and Capitale?os get their egos high on this thread. Pace yourself.

But, Santiago will probably become more and more like SDQ. It already has around 1 million people (excluding the virtual suburbs that expand east towards Moca and the rest of the Cibao and Vega Real, etc). Santiago is already (population wise) either the 4th or 5th largest city in the Caribbean, its the 3rd largest on Hispaniola, the 4th largest of the Spanish Caribbean Islands, and it comprises around a third of the economic output of the entire country. (SDQ holds 40% of the national economy and the rest of the country holds the remaining 20%).

Notice: A full 70% of the national economy is concentrated in SDQ and STG metro areas. Those two cities combined are home to around 50% of all Dominicans and those are the two most heaviest populated areas in the country with very high person per square kilometers.

Santiago has plenty of potential, but the potential of Santo Domingo is slightly higher.