by TCRN Staff
An urban renewal plan promises to improve the quality of life for the people in Barrio Escalante, and to foster the consolidation of its businesses and services.
The Municipality of San Jose and the Neighborhood Association Barrio Escalante Siglo XXI (Asvebes XXI) on Tuesday presented a plan for urban renewal which will be implemented between 2010 and 2015.
The plan includes the planting of trees, widening sidewalks and improving existing parks, for example.
The $800,000 investment will come from both municipal funds (50%) and residents of the area (50%).
Luis Diego Barahona, project manager, explained that the works are intended as “urban acupuncture” that is, circumscribed works, many of them relatively inexpensive, which have a positive urban impact.
Thus, they raised a total of 20 “urban acupunctures”, among which include the classification to improve the road network around the neighborhood, building ramps on street corners, creating a small amphitheater in the park and the banks of Thompson River towards the consolidation of a biological corridor.
The most important works are linked to five urban axes: the Customs Cultural Tour, Axis Rail, Paseo Gastronomic Light, Commercial Road Corridor Escalante and Torres.
El Paseo Cultural Customs will use the work that is being finalized in the old Customs House, the most important building in Barrio Escalante, and which, hopefully, will generate great cultural activities very soon. The new sidewalks would be placed in honor of the brick building and would include a play area for children.
Axis Rail would create the “Gardens of the Escalante” with jacaranda trees, low vegetation height and palms that forwarded to the union that the railroad took over the Atlantic and will do in the event that the railroad is resurrected.
The Gastronomic Walk Light will be called the Pulpería La Luz, a former icon of the neighborhood that was located where it is today Bagelmen’s. From that corner to the north is expected to strengthen the restaurant area, which is already shaping up with local and Olio restaurant, The Cheesecake House, Hamburg and others.
The sidewalks would be extended and rebuilt with brick, underground electrification would be sown and trees.
The complete presentation of the urban plan are held on Tuesday 23 February at 7 pm at the Cine Magaly.