Panama Pacifico
| Panama Pacifico | |
|---|---|
| Website | wwww.panamapacifico.com |
Panama Pacifico is a mixed-use real estate development in Veracruz (ES), Arraiján District, Panama on the former Howard Air Force Base. It is situated on the western bank of Panama Canal, opposite Balboa. The project has been in development since 2007.[1]
London & Regional Properties and Colombian banker Jaime Gilinski formed a consortium, London & Regional Panama, to develop the Panama Pacifico[2] business and residential community in Arraiján District, Panama. Gilinski and his partners Ian and Richard Livingstone bested 17 other international firms to develop the project. The contract is a 40-year license for the area with an obligation to invest US$405 million over the first eight years from 2007.[1] The project includes 3,450 acres (1,400 hectares) of land, which makes it one of the largest development projects in the world.[3]
Housing
The Panama Pacifico master-planned community will feature 20,000 homes within several neighborhoods: the Town Center (which includes current projects in Soleo and Mosaic, Nativa, and River Valley), Woodlands, Kobbe Hills, and Puente Verde, among others. The homes will be surrounded by the natural environment of mangroves, wetlands, and tropical forests. Luxury hotels are also planned. A downtown district, Town Center, will serve as a central point for retail, restaurant, and entertainment areas.[4]
Economic potential
A number of multinational corporations have already located in Panama Pacifico, including 3M, DELL, VF, BASF, Samtec, and Caterpillar. In general, Panama is attractive to global corporations looking to set up regional headquarters in Central America because of its Special Economic Area law.[3][5] The Panamanian government has set up special economic zones that give companies that set up within them special tax, labor, and legal incentives.
Panama Pacifico is located 15 minutes from downtown Panama City in Arraijan, 35 minutes from Tocumen International Airport, and adjacent to the Pan-American Highway that connects the Americas.[6]
By the end of 2012, the community is expected to complete ten new warehouses buildings in the PanAmerica Corporate Center and four Class A office buildings in the International Business Park. The developer has invested $230 million so far, and Kardonski says international firms—particularly those involved in the maritime, light manufacturing, and technology sectors—continue to find Panama Pacifico an interesting option for their Latin American operations. More than 160 companies are now in operation in the Special Economic Area, including eight in the Fortune 500.[7]
Panama Pacifico could create 40,000 jobs when fully developed. It is also projected to be worth around US $10 billion when finished, which is equivalent to more than half of Panama's gross national product.[8]
Education
The Lycée français Paul Gauguin de Panama, a French international school, is in Panama Pacifico.[9]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "London and Regional Properties bid of $405M wins bid for the 40 year development rights to the Former USAF Howard Air Force Base, Panama City.". PanamaPacifico.com. Retrieved 2007-01-31.
- ↑ "Construction Commences in Howard". PanamaPacifico.com. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rossiter, James (2007-02-08). "UK developer wins $705m Panama contract". London: The Times. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
- ↑ "A Unique Opportunity to call Paradise Home". PanamaPacifico.com. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
- ↑ "Panama Pacific Special Economic Area". panamaoffshorecenter. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
- ↑ "Moving Business Overseas to the Crossroads of Commerce". Panama-pacifico.com. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
- ↑ "Panama Pacifico Expansion Remains Strong; Average 9 New Companies per Month". PanamaPacifico.com. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
- ↑ "Logistics Hub in the Making". Financial Times. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ↑ "Nuestra Ubicación"/"Où sommes nous?" Lycée français Paul Gauguin de Panama. Retrieved on 15 March 2015. "Dirección: Edificio 810, Ave. Ingeniero Way, Panamá Pacífico"