Nicoya

Housing Project in Nicoya Has Ecological Park and Condominiums

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An ambitious and attractive project promises to solve a housing problem for many Nicoyan families. The project called Residencial Don Mario is being spearheaded by the company Sistemas Tilt UP Costa Rica and will be located in the area of Brisas del Cerro, next to Chorotega Stadium.

This project would benefit approximately 400 low and middle-class families, and preference has been given to people affected by the 2012 earthquake, senior citizens, the disabled and single mothers.

Currently, the Ministry of Housing is analyzing the lists of people that have been suggested by entities like the Mixed Institute for Social Aid (IMAS- Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social), the Office of Women and the Municipality of Nicoya.

The project scope entails the creation of 256 concrete houses with gypsum drop ceilings, wooden doors, ceramic tile floors, space for a garage and possibilities for expansion.

In addition, they will finance six three-story condominium buildings for middle class families, each with six two-bedroom apartments and 12 three-bedroom apartments.

The project has been endorsed by the Ministry of Housing, was declared of social interest by the Municipality of Nicoya and would cost $18 million.

Jesus Fernandez, the developer and promoter, indicated that the project will be a model in Costa Rica.

“This is a model project at the national level, very ecologically. All of the beneficiaries are strictly from Nicoya. It is real. It  is not a phantom project or a political ploy. Is a project that is well advanced in the paperwork process. We hope that we already have the machinery working before the end of this year (2015),” Fernandez said.

Fernandez indicated that they are waiting for endorsement from the National Environmental Technical Secretary (SETENA- Secretaria Tecnica Nacional Ambiental) and engineers are working on the respective blueprints.

For his part, Gerardo Cordoba, from the housing administration, said the project is on track. “At the level of the Ministry of Housing, we can indicate that we have been providing support to the project and that is is being worked on. We should say that the target population are people of extreme poverty, but it is still in process,” Cordoba said.

One of the attractions of the project is the creation of an environmentally friendly park about 4000 square meters (43,000 square feet) in size in the center of the complex. The streets will be made with cement, electrical wiring will be run underground and the boulevards will be lined with native trees.

Solar panels will be installed for lighting at night in order to save on energy costs. Some of the labor will be done by the project beneficiaries themselves, men and women, who will earn a salary.

For purposes of supplying potable water, Fernandez said his company is going to activate a well owned by AyA, which will generate about 15 liters per second and would not only have the ability to supply Residencial Don Mario but also to reinforce the aqueducts of the canton. AyA had planned to enable this well, but the project came to a standstill due to lack of budget.

Fernandez believes that machinery will begin work on Residential Don Mario in November of 2015.

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