-by La Huerita
Let's start with the HOT stuff: Puerto Peñasco is about to get 6-- count 'em SIX-- new theaters this summer. Well, at least we hope they will be finished by some time this summer.
Metropoli Architects, out of Monterrey, Mexico has been working hard on construction of a $30 Million project near the marina that will ultimately comprise 28 commercial rental spaces (including restaurants and a bank), office space, a building that will house 95 condos for sale (one older press release mentioned timeshare?), a 180-room hotel, six movie theaters and parking for up to 600 cars, all on an area measuring 46,000 square meters (11.36 acres).
To be built in stages, the project was originally advertised as “Puerto Mío, Rocky Point Marina, Resort, and Spa”. I'm not sure if that name still applies, as it is now being promoted as the "Porto Mio Shopping Center".
(click the pic to see it bigger) The first stage includes underground parking, the shopping center and a 6-screen theater complex, each with a seating capacity of 150, that will show first-run movies. The theaters will be operated by Cinemark (“Your Theater, Near You”), a new concept of high quality movie theaters for small cities that puts both national and international film within easy reach of a public that traditionally has to travel hours to larger cities in order to see the latest films. The best part? Theater tickets are cheap in Mexico, generally running in the vicinity of US$3.00! And word is that some of those movies will be in English with Spanish subtitles.This stage also includes an improvement in the dock area through landscaping and adequate roadways for the safety of the community.
The second stage of the project, scheduled for opening in 2011, will be the hotel and condos, with the third stage being a corporate building with offices scheduled for completion in 2012.
So that's the first great thing to report today. The second great thing is about improvements to the Malecon/Old Port area.
If you've been to Old Port recently you may have noticed that a lot of work has been going on along the Malecon, with streets torn up and lots of activity. This is a City project, part of both infrastructure improvement and a facelift for the Malecon, that involves laying down new sewage/drainage lines along with replacing all the overhead electric and phone lines with fiber-optic stuff underground. Once that's done, the City plans to build sidewalks and curbs as well as ramps and other elements for the disabled. They want to make Old Port more pedestrian friendly, to make it easier for people to stroll around, visit shops, etc.
They also plan to renovate the facades of many of the buildings in Old Port, a cosmetic thing to make it more visually attractive.
And the greatest thing about all that? It isn't costing the business owners a dime!
And that's all the buzz on the beach for now. See ya next time!
La Huerita
Email: lahuerita2@gmail.com
