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Este informe no está disponible en español. CARIBBEAN BUSINESS Downtown Caguas Is Site Of $25 Million Housing Projects Part of city’s master plan to repopulate urban center; construction of first project to start in May By JOSE L. CARMONA April 1, 2004 This May, the city of Caguas will begin constructing one of three housing projects whose combined worth is $25 million. The goal is to repopulate the city’s urban center. "By 2000, Caguas’ horizontal expansion had occupied 10 times the amount of land available for development in 1960, while its population had grown by 2.5 times during the same period," said Caguas Planning Director Antonio Cobian. "These projects are part of the city’s master plan to repopulate the urban center as a way to reduce the use of land and promote the use of existing infrastructure." The first project, which requires an estimated $5 million investment, calls for redeveloping an entire block near the traditional urban center where a four-story, 34-unit walk-up apartment complex will be built; apartments will be approximately 1,200 square feet in size. Each unit will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Cobian also noted that because the complex will provide parking for its residents, the surrounding streets will be minimally affected. Each unit will cost approximately $140,000. The second project is an $8 million, 90-unit social interest apartment complex aimed at blue-collar workers. It will be right in the traditional urban center and will also involve redeveloping an entire block. Each apartment will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and there will be a parking facility inside the complex. Each unit’s price will be approximately $70,000. "The [second] project is in the design stage, and construction should begin by summer 2005," said Cobian. According to Cobian, these two projects will allow those working in Caguas to live in the city and not have to rely on a car to go to work or run errands. The city operates a free trolley system that circulates downtown, and has been redeveloping and making major improvements to city-center sidewalks, streets, and street lighting to attract more merchants, businesses, and residents, he said. The third housing project is a $12 million, 132-unit apartment complex for the elderly. It will be located near the downtown area. Although the private sector will develop the project, the city is providing the land. Construction should begin this summer. This Caribbean Business article appears courtesy of Casiano Communications. or
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