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El Jardin property on Ajijic malecon


NoVaDamer

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Anybody know what's going on at that property? We walked past it (near the skateboard park) and someone is clearing all the overgrown brush and trimming the trees. I always thought it was a prime piece of real estate to just sit there, apparently abandoned. What's up?

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I live across the street - was told yesterday that it is going to be a hotel. The original property was owned by a former governor or Jalisco, had the Pepsi or Coke franchise as well.  Just after I arrived (1997) he was arrested with another for laundering drug money. The deed has been held in Mexico ever since with caretakers on the property.  It was "kinda" a hotel when we arrived  but not really functional and now needs lots of restoration.  Yesterday when I drove by, a front loader was knocking down one of the outlying buildings in the back of the property.

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7 hours ago, Mainecoons said:

Excellent news, it is a great property.  Now if someone would just redo and revive the place on the pier...

Excellent news??  That depends.  The property extends the entire north-south block from the malecon to 16 de Septiembre, and almost an entire block east-west from Pedro Moreno to 5 de Febrerro.  This entire area is wholly residential.  

If it's a hotel in the same footprint and height (1 or 2 story) as the original property, fine.  But if the plans are for high density and more height as we are seeing more and more at Lakeside, that would really change the complexion of the adjoining neighborhood as well as the malecon itself.  There are no high-rises along the Ajijic malecon now and one hopes there never will be.  

 

 

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As someone who walks the malecon daily (and lives near these properties) I would hope high rises wouldn't be allowed on the waterfront in Ajijic.  The attempt at a high rise in La Floresta was stopped, but don't know why, how or by whom.

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Someone, somewhere in some family of import has been waiting 20 years to get the right to take possession of that property.  No businessman would allow that to remain as it is now and just remodel it.  Where there is money to be had anything goes so I expect the worst.

 

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I know it is taboo to get involved with local politics, but is it okay to let the powers that be that a lot of us would leave and take our money with us if the place had high rises?  I know I would certainly look for a more charming village if this one started to allow them.

As for the La Floresta battle, it is ongoing. And I understand the legal battle with Pranzo is still costing La Floresta.  

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25 minutes ago, TheBestSideOfTheWall said:

I know it is taboo to get involved with local politics, but is it okay to let the powers that be that a lot of us would leave and take our money with us if the place had high rises?  I know I would certainly look for a more charming village if this one started to allow them.

As for the La Floresta battle, it is ongoing. And I understand the legal battle with Pranzo is still costing La Floresta.  

Seriously?  You think the Powers That Be would be concerned about "a lot of us" leaving? Some would be happy to see us go.B)

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3 hours ago, gringal said:

Seriously?  You think the Powers That Be would be concerned about "a lot of us" leaving? Some would be happy to see us go.B)

Perhaps I have overestimated how much the local economy depends on expats. If the dollars will be easily replaced by peso spending vacationers looking for the high-rise party scene, it will be a matter of time before I personally will looking elsewhere. 

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3 hours ago, ComputerGuy said:

Still costing that nasty lawyer, maybe. Pranzo is on the right side of it all.

When I bought my house here, it was very clear that retail was not allowed and that all plans had to be approved. I didn't realize Pranzo opening a clothing store and doing other things without approval was the unwritten exception.  

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You are talking about a story that goes back many years, and involves a law about allowing businesses along the first block from the highway, payoffs, Perry March, and a buncha other stuff. Clothing store? Even before my time, I guess.

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14 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

You are talking about a story that goes back many years, and involves a law about allowing businesses along the first block from the highway, payoffs, Perry March, and a buncha other stuff. Clothing store? Even before my time, I guess.

It seemed to me the clothing store has just opened in the last six months. They didn't start coming table to table to tell people about it until recently and I didn't see any indication it was a store until maybe six months ago.  I quit eating there when I noticed it because it seemed to me to be a finger flipped at the rules. So can you tell me when you believe they opened the retail store? My womanly senses must be off. I thought I could smell a boutique a mile away.

I'm surprised if there is a law allowing the businesses along the first block from the highway in a planned development, that there are only five opened - three of which, Pranzo, the clothing store, and ice cream shop are together.  I would love to open wine bar within walking distance of La Floresta. Perhaps I should look at the house for sale on the same block as the other two restaurants.  

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I thought you were talking about some clothing store in the past, not the present. A store is a store: if he wants to change his goods, that's up to him. He's had a plumbing and kitchen store there for years. You sound like a relative newcomer, so you are to be forgiven your incorrect assumptions. Perry March had the restaurant there for years. He may have been a sleaze, but he wasn't stupid, and the fracc never won the big one against him. Look on the north side of the highway: a German restaurant, a vet, another restaurant, a meat shop... they come and go. All in a highly residential area.

Just because people don't want businesses in their neighbourhood doesn't mean there is a law against it. Just drive up and down the highway. Take a look at the lawyer's office that opened just a few years ago in Chula Vista. Not on the highway, but up the block on the corner... still considered "the first block". Squarely in a residential area. Several more businesses are there now than were before, too, including a new coffee house, a plastic surgeon, a beer store... . Carry on eastward through Riberas and just look at the number of new businesses. The place is starting to look like the highway to Guad, which used to be all empty fields.

Same, Ellie: nothing has been closed down, not by law. Grandfathered in? Hardly. There for a long time? You bet.

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7 hours ago, ComputerGuy said:

I thought you were talking about some clothing store in the past, not the present. A store is a store: if he wants to change his goods, that's up to him. He's had a plumbing and kitchen store there for years. You sound like a relative newcomer, so you are to be forgiven your incorrect assumptions. Perry March had the restaurant there for years. He may have been a sleaze, but he wasn't stupid, and the fracc never won the big one against him. Look on the north side of the highway: a German restaurant, a vet, another restaurant, a meat shop... they come and go. All in a highly residential area.

Just because people don't want businesses in their neighbourhood doesn't mean there is a law against it. Just drive up and down the highway. Take a look at the lawyer's office that opened just a few years ago in Chula Vista. Not on the highway, but up the block on the corner... still considered "the first block". Squarely in a residential area. Several more businesses are there now than were before, too, including a new coffee house, a plastic surgeon, a beer store... . Carry on eastward through Riberas and just look at the number of new businesses. The place is starting to look like the highway to Guad, which used to be all empty fields.

Same, Ellie: nothing has been closed down, not by law. Grandfathered in? Hardly. There for a long time? You bet.

You are right. I am new here. But I am an old-timer when it comes to planned developments. Two of the four I have served on boards or held office on allowed retail and service businesses but each was approved by the board or residents. If someone wanted to change their dry cleaners to a strip club, it wouldn't have mattered how long they had been around or who they were. 

And there are contractual rules in La Floresta which like any contract, are legally enforceable. The whole concept of a planned community with a HOA is regulation.  When people don't want to play by the rules, they should relocate to an unzoned area. Association controlled developments aren't for everyone.  When you sign the development covenants you are agreeing to the restrictions. 

And Ellie is right about three businesses being grandfathered.  I was personally told they were by La Floresta staff. But, they were grandfathered to be a certain type business and size at the time the rules were changed or started to be strictly enforced.  I could have had built a fence too close to the street that was grandfather in but that doesn't mean I can rip it down and build a high wall in its place. In La Floresta, part of the fees we pay are to have staff work to assure the community stays true to the residential rules and the contract we all signed. Rule breakers who think they are too special to follow these rules and cost lawyers fees tend NOT to be on the right side of things. 

As this has gotten away from the topic at hand and is now a hijacked post, I will make this my last word. Sorry for going off course.  

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There has been a steady trend towards higher density here, dividing large properties and adding  buildings, adding third floors, larger commercial buildings along the carretera.  The concern this will happen to the old hotel site is a valid one.  This unfortunately is the downside of the increasing popularity of this area among both expats and Tapatios.

There have been several cleanups of that site over the 10 years we've been here, this could be nothing more than that.  There certainly is room on that property for a lot more construction.  Unfortunately we have a municipal government that hands out building and occupancy permits like candy (with the right inducements of course) regardless of the appropriateness to their surroundings.

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The Pranza shops won their court case on the basis of being there before the rule (Grandfathered?). The restaurants on the other side of the carretera who knows?

The highrise was very carefully and quietly orchestrated over a number of years. Fortunately several mexicans with big reps and deep pockets live close and are fighting it - wish them well. Another highrise was started next to the La Huerta fish market and seems to have been stopped at the foundation level? Who knows? Politicians will make money any way they can and at anyone's cost. The only thing that works is threatening their power and $$$$. Would they listen to expats? Check the previous sentence!!!!

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15 hours ago, TheBestSideOfTheWall said:

You are right. I am new here. But I am an old-timer when it comes to planned developments. Two of the four I have served on boards or held office on allowed retail and service businesses but each was approved by the board or residents. If someone wanted to change their dry cleaners to a strip club, it wouldn't have mattered how long they had been around or who they were. 

And there are contractual rules in La Floresta which like any contract, are legally enforceable. The whole concept of a planned community with a HOA is regulation.  When people don't want to play by the rules, they should relocate to an unzoned area. Association controlled developments aren't for everyone.  When you sign the development covenants you are agreeing to the restrictions. 

And Ellie is right about three businesses being grandfathered.  I was personally told they were by La Floresta staff. But, they were grandfathered to be a certain type business and size at the time the rules were changed or started to be strictly enforced.  I could have had built a fence too close to the street that was grandfather in but that doesn't mean I can rip it down and build a high wall in its place. In La Floresta, part of the fees we pay are to have staff work to assure the community stays true to the residential rules and the contract we all signed. Rule breakers who think they are too special to follow these rules and cost lawyers fees tend NOT to be on the right side of things. 

As this has gotten away from the topic at hand and is now a hijacked post, I will make this my last word. Sorry for going off course.  

I am certainly not disagreeing with the concept of rule or laws, or how vile it is to disrupt otherwise peaceful neighbourhoods, or how certain lawyers are getting away with murder. And the HOA is right to fight, of course, but they wield so little power compared to wealthy individuals and politicians getting their palms greased, that it is silly to think all those rules are enforceable when those with power and money come along. Sure, there are always wins, but there are also great losses.

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5 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

I am certainly not disagreeing with the concept of rule or laws, or how vile it is to disrupt otherwise peaceful neighbourhoods, or how certain lawyers are getting away with murder. And the HOA is right to fight, of course, but they weild so little power compared to wealthy individuals and politicians getting their palms greased, that it is silly to think all those rules are enforceable when those with power and money come along. Sure, there are always wins, but there are also great losses.

Good point.  One of the things that newcomers from the States have trouble dealing with is that they are used to the enforceable zoning laws back "home".  Different country; different customs.  When your neighbor builds a  three story casa next door in a two story zoned street and you report it to the proper authorities, nothing whatsoever happens.  No point in pursuing it.  It's just the way it is. It may be due to Mexico's history of the rich and powerful running the show and bribery being rampant.  The Chinese call it "heavenly grease".  Barrels of it available to those who can afford it.

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