Today's worldwide Daily Photo theme is "Construction." I took this photo a few years ago when the Pacific Park condo building was under construction at one of the two main intersections in Tamarindo.I took this photo because I could position the camera angle to include the irony of a sign by a group that opposed high density construction in Tamarindo. Although the projects that were under construction have continued, there have not been many new projects, due primarily to the economy.
Shortly before the recession in 2008, the President of Costa Rica imposed density limits on the northwest Pacific beach towns, of which Tamarindo is the largest and most widely known. His executive order required that half of the land of any property near the beach must be left with vegetation and only half could be used for buildings and parking. Also, there are limits to the height of buildings so that buildings near the beach can be only 3 stories, then 5 stories a little farther back, then 8 stories a little farther beyond that.
I have mixed feelings about construction in Tamarindo. On the one hand, I like the charm of Tamarindo not being high density new buildings. On the other hand, I like that our Langosta condo was constructed on land right on the beach, where it could not be built today, and our Diria Resort condo is on the 4th floor of a 7-story building, and the height gives us a great view of the beach and ocean. Also, the construction allows more visitors, which helps support the many restaurants that were a major reason we bought our condos in Tamarindo. I will confess that this makes me somewhat of a hypocrite when it comes to attitudes about construction in Tamarindo.
On our Viva la Voyage travel photo site this week we are showing wildlife and scenery from the Serengeti Plain in Tanzania.
There are lots of conundrums re. construction there for construction of real estate there, as you point out.
ReplyDeleteMy link to the portal for theme day photos does not work, hope you visit me anyway. That darn computer-voodoo is at work again!
This looks like it turned out to be an interesting building. It appears to have a slight curve to it. You do have the best of both worlds with the two condos you have there.
ReplyDeleteYour mixed feelings are understandable. I don't have Tamarindo-specific opinions, of course, but in general I favor tight land use controls that try to preserve the natural features that draw people to locations in the first place. Smart planning can usually accommodate a range of uses.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you composed this picture. A good one for the theme.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip on the HTML setting. I think it will work now.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't work!!
ReplyDeleteLove the sign. You captured that so perfectly.
ReplyDeleteAdored yesterday's gardener guy too.