History seemed to repeat itself this week when a group of environmental activists staged a small protest outside the mega development taking shape on the 42-hectare grounds of the former Kodak plant on Avenida Mariano Otero near Guadalajara’s Plaza del Sol.
Just a few hundred meters up Calle Labna to Montezuma one comes across La Ciudadela, a mall that was built ten years previously on the site of another fallen giant, Motorola. This project finally saw the light of day but not before activists and neighbors waged a bitter fight with developers over claims that dangerous chemicals and substances had seeped into the subsoil during decades of industrial use.
Similar concerns are being raised about Distrito La Perla, the name of the project rising amid the wreckage of Kodak’s 40-year legacy in the city.
And as was argued with La Ciudadela, opponents of the project say the Jardines del Sol neighborhood cannot sustain such a sudden increase in inhabitants and traffic. The band of protestors who staged a “symbolic closure” of the project on Wednesday of last week pointed out that the zone suffers from serious flooding during the rainy season. More workers, residents and cars in the area is only likely to make the situation worse, University of Guadalajara researcher Jaime Hernández Ortiz told reporters.
Zapopan Mayor Pablo Lemus seems to have no concerns. Speaking last year at the announcement of the development, he said “neighbors need not worry” as the municipality, state and developers are ready to “invest heavily” to improve the drainage system in the zone.
Lemus highlighted the advantages of the development: 25,000 direct and 65,000 indirect jobs in the construction phase, and 20,000 permanent jobs when finished.
“The flooding issue is immense and occurs year after year. Putting up buildings will create new problems,” Hernandez said. “Imagine what could happen with 20,000 new workers.”
The first stage of Distrito La Perla involves an investment of $US441 million to construct 50,000 square meters of office space in two seven-storey buildings, a shopping mall and 500 apartments. Future plans include another 150,000 square meters of office space, a hotel, more condos and residential homes.
According to Santos Maisterra, commercial director of developers Ouest, the development will feature a “public park” and not have “perimeter walls.” It will have its own internal street network, treat its residual water and generate its own electricity.
“Distrito La Perla will be an international reference point, and more than a mixed-use development, it will be an open community, accessible to all, an urban project that reflects a society in evolution and a living commitment to sustainability,” Maisterra said.
Another plan announced last year by Lemus is to build a walkway/cycle path connecting the development with Expo Guadalajara on Avenida Mariano Otero.
The opposition to Distrito La Perla has been muted compared to the furore surrounding La Ciudadela a decade ago and building work is gathering pace. Additionally, Ouest will be hoping their project has better fortunes once completed.
Although the developers of La Cuidadela won their battle with neighbors, they were forced to abandon their plans to build high-rise apartments and the mall bombed after a few years due to its second-rate design and some bad business decisions. Even though it boasts a Walmart and a Best Buy store, La Cuidadela is frequently referred to as the “ugly duckling” of Guadalajara’s malls. However, the plaza was recently sold off and the new owners started a major remodelling program under the new name Urban Village – this time with several high-rise condo blocks as part of the plan.
Distrito La Perla office space is expected to be ready by the end of 2017 and the shopping mall by 2019.
Under worldwide pressure on most of its businesses, Kodak stopped manufacturing at its Guadalajara plant in November 2012.