Paseo Atocha

Last updated

Paseo Atocha looking south from Calle Vives Paseo Atocha, Bo. Quinto, Ponce, Puerto Rico, visto desde la Calle Vives, mirando al sur (DSC03207).jpg
Paseo Atocha looking south from Calle Vives

Paseo Atocha is a pedestrian shopping mall in the Ponce Historic Zone, a historic district in Ponce, Puerto Rico. For over a century the narrow Calle Atocha was bustling retail center opened to vehicular traffic, [1] yet flooded with shoppers. [2] Congestion and pedestrian safety led the municipal government to close the two blocks of Calle Atocha from Calle Isabel to Calle Vives to motor vehicles in 1991. Several years later, the closure was expanded to include the block from Calle Vives to Calle Victoria. This last segment coincides with the western perimeter of the historic Plaza de Mercado Isabel II city market. Not the bustling commercial spot it once was, today it is still actively frequented by shoppers, though in much reduced numbers. It is visited annually by thousands of locals and tourists alike and is considered one of the city’s main places of interest. [3]

Contents

History

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Calle Atocha was the main commercial artery in Ponce. It was the first street in the city to be built with the necessary incline as to allow rainwater to run freely away from buildings and walkways. [4] Despite modifications undergone by many of the building owners along this stretch of Atocha Street throughout the years, a number of buildings continue to preserve the original design characteristics of Ponce’s traditional architecture, while others take on the traditional character of bygone years. In 1991, as part of the Ponce en Marcha (Ponce On the Move) plan, the government of the Municipality of Ponce closed the street to vehicular traffic and converted into a pedestrian promenade. [5]

Uses

During the day, and especially on Saturdays, the street gets crowded with shoppers, both from Ponce as well as from surrounding towns. In the evenings and on Sundays the street becomes as peaceful and relaxing place. There are some benches along the mall, and it is a good place to stop, take a rest, and do some people watching. [6] Sunday nights, Atocha turns into a calm place, and sometimes serves as a gathering place for cultural activities. [7]

Shopping experience

Ponce's Paseo Atocha before shops have opened for the day (May 2008) Paseo Atocha Promenade 2.jpg
Ponce’s Paseo Atocha before shops have opened for the day (May 2008)

The promenade is a lively place, and shoppers can find almost anything they need here. There are many clothing, jewelry, electronics, souvenir, etc., stores and restaurants. Many merchants have booths or racks along the Paseo. Most of the stores have discounted merchandise. [8] Police are stationed at every block along the Paseo, making the promenade quite safe. [9]

Paseo Atocha also includes he privately-owned Casa Vives, the only historic structure listed in the United States' Park Service National Register of Historic Places Program located within Paseo Atocha. [10]

External audio
Nuvola apps arts.svg You may have a bird's eye view of Paseo Atocha HERE

Future plans

In an attempt to make the downtown area more friendly to tourists and businesses, the City planned to install a reinforced crystal ceiling and air-conditioning system over the Paseo. Construction was planned to begin in 2009. [11] The idea was something the city had been toying around with for the last two decades. It is expected to cost $5 million USD. [12] The glass ceiling is expected to make Ponce’s Historic District more attractive to vacationers and locals alike. At the same time, officials hope that it will draw new people to the area, allowing businesses to extend their hours of operation, and thereby boosting the downtown economy and stimulating nightlife. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old San Juan</span> Historic district of San Juan, Puerto Rico

Old San Juan is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan in San Juan. Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Catedral, Marina, Mercado, San Cristóbal, and San Francisco sub-barrios (sub-districts) of barrio San Juan Antiguo in the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Old San Juan is the oldest settlement within Puerto Rico and the historic colonial district of the city of San Juan. This historic district is a National Historic Landmark District and is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places as the Old San Juan Historic District. Several historical buildings and structures, particularly La Fortaleza, the city walls, and El Morro and San Cristóbal castles, have been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1983. Historically the mixed use commercial and residential real estate in the main streets like Cristo Street, Fortaleza Street (north) from Tanca Street to the Governor’s Mansion is the most valuable in the area and it has kept its value and increased steadily through several years despite the past economic turmoils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Río Piedras, Puerto Rico</span> District of San Juan, Puerto Rico

Río Piedras is a populous district of San Juan, and former town and municipality of Puerto Rico, which was merged with the municipality of San Juan in 1951. The district today is composed of various barrios such as Pueblo and Universidad. The historic town was founded in 1714 as El Roble, it was given municipality rights in 1823, and since 1903 it has been the home of the University of Puerto Rico's main campus, earning the popular name of Ciudad Universitaria today. The downtown and historic center of Río Piedras is officially known as the Pueblo barrio of the municipality of San Juan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaza Las Delicias</span> Public square in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Plaza Las Delicias is the main plaza in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The square is notable for its fountains and for the various monuments it contains. The historic Parque de Bombas and Ponce Cathedral buildings are located within the plaza, which actually consists of two squares: Plaza Muñoz Rivera on the north end, and Plaza Degetau on the southern end. The square is the center of the Ponce Historic Zone, and it is flanked by the historic Ponce City Hall to the south, the early 19th-century Teatro Fox Delicias to the north, the NRHP-listed Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño and Banco de Ponce buildings to the east, and the Armstrong-Poventud Residence to the west. The square dates back to the early Spanish settlement in Ponce of 1670. It is the main tourist attraction of the city, receiving about a quarter of a million visitors per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rico Highway 14</span> Highway in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Highway 14 (PR-14) is a main highway connecting Ponce to Cayey, Puerto Rico. The road runs the same course as the historic Carretera Central. The Ponce-to-Coamo section of PR-14 was built under the direction of Spanish engineer Raimundo Camprubí Escudero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ponce City Hall</span> Historic government building in Ponce, Puerto Rico

The Ponce City Hall is a historic city hall in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is located it the center of the city, on Calle Degetau, across from Plaza Degetau in the Ponce Historic Zone. The building serves as the seat of the executive branch of government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce, including the office of the Mayor of Ponce. Built in 1840, it is the oldest colonial building in the city. The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1986 as Casa Alcaldía de Ponce-City Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaza Muñoz Rivera</span> Plaza in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico

Plaza Muñoz Rivera, formally Plaza Luis Muñoz Rivera, is the smaller of the two plazas at Plaza Las Delicias in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is located on the north side of Plaza Las Delicias, north of the larger southern Plaza Degetau. The square is notable for its fountains and for the Luis Muñoz Rivera statue. The historic Parque de Bombas and Ponce Cathedral buildings are located immediately to the south of Plaza Muñoz Rivera. The square is at the center of the Ponce Historic Zone, and is flanked by the Armstrong-Poventud Residence to the west, the Teatro Fox Delicias to the north, and Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Architecture to the east. The square dates back to the early Spanish settlement in Ponce of 1670. It is the main tourist attraction of the city, receiving about a quarter of a million visitors per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Segundo, Ponce, Puerto Rico</span> Barrio of Puerto Rico

Segundo is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Primero, Tercero, Cuarto, Quinto, and Sexto, Segundo is one of the municipality's six core urban barrios. It was organized in 1878. Barrio Segundo has 3 subbarrios: Baldority de Castro, Clausells, and Reparada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño (building)</span> Historic building in Puerto Rico

The Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño building, a historic building in Ponce, Puerto Rico, was the first and main office of the historic Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño, and represents one of the last examples of the once popular turn-of-the-century eclectic architecture. The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on June 25, 1987. It was built in 1924. The building was owned by Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño which was one of the largest banking companies in the country of Puerto Rico during most of the twentieth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaza del Mercado de Ponce</span> Historic building in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Plaza del Mercado de Ponce or, formally, Plaza del Mercado Isabel Segunda, is a historic marketplace building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It was inaugurated in 1863 by Ponce Mayor Don Luis de Quixano. Designed by famed engineer Timoteo Luberza, it occupies a city block in the Ponce Historic Zone at the grid formed by Calle Atocha, Estrella, Leon, and Castillo streets. It has room for 65 kiosks. It was originally called Plaza del Capá.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teatro Fox Delicias</span> Historic building in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico

Teatro Fox Delicias is a historic building in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Inaugurated in 1931, it originally housed a movie house until 1980, from 1991 to 1998 it house a shopping mall, and stating in 2004 it housed a boutique hotel. Its architecture is Art Deco. Originally called Teatro Delicias, it was renamed Fox Delicias many years after its inauguration based on a contract with 20th Century Fox.

Los Chinos de Ponce, formally King's Cream, is an Ice cream parlor located at Calle Marina 9322 in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, in front of the town square, Plaza Degetau, opposite the historic Parque de Bombas. Critics have called the site "a Puerto Rican institution" and its ice cream "the Caribbean's best." It has also been called "Puerto Rico's most famous ice cream stand." Another critic called it "[the reason] for which I'll always remember Ponce."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño</span> Former bank in Puerto Rico

Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño was the first bank in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and one of the first two native Puerto Rican banks to be established in Puerto Rico. The bank was the first one to introduce a bank credit card to the Puerto Rican market. With over 50 branches throughout the island, the bank was one of the largest banking companies in Puerto Rico during most of the twentieth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luis A. Ferré United States Courthouse and Post Office Building</span> Historic post office and courthouse of the US in Ponce, Puerto Rico

The Luis A. Ferré United States Courthouse and Post Office Building in Ponce, Puerto Rico, previously known as the U.S. Post Office and Court House, is a historic post office and courthouse facility of the United States, housing operations of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. It was the first U.S. postal office established in Puerto Rico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casa Vives</span> United States historic place

Casa Vives is a historic building located in the Ponce Historic Zone in Ponce, Puerto Rico, across from the Plaza de Mercado de Ponce. The home was designed by Juan Bertoli Calderoni for Carlos Vives, a prominent local merchant and owner of Hacienda Buena Vista, and built by Carlos Milan. The home was built in 1860, in the neoclassical style, making it one of the first brick and mortar homes built in the city. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on 13 February 2013. Architecturally, Casa Vives retains all seven aspects of integrity: location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acueducto de Ponce</span> Historic gravity-based water supply system in Ponce, Puerto Rico

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puente de los Leones</span> Historic bridge in Ponce, Puerto Rico

The Puente de los Leones is a historic bridge in Ponce, Puerto Rico, joining Barrio Tercero to Barrio San Antón and Barrio Machuelo Abajo. It is also the city's best known bridge. The bridge is at the western terminus of Bulevar Miguel Pou, the main gateway to the Ponce Historic Zone. The Art Deco bridge carries four lanes of vehicular traffic from the two-way Miguel Pou Boulevard. It crosses Río Portugués connecting Barrio Tercero to the west with Barrios Machuelo Abajo and San Anton to the east. It is located 0.5 km east of Plaza Las Delicias.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nightlife in Ponce, Puerto Rico</span> Aspect of life in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Nightlife in Ponce, Puerto Rico includes government and regulatory aspects, societal and cultural attitudes, and age- and gender-centric issues relative to adult and family life after dark in the city of Ponce. It focuses on all entertainment that is available and generally more popular from the late evening into the early hours of the morning. It includes activities like parties, bands and live music, concerts, and stand-up comedies, and venues such as pubs, bars, cabarets, nightclubs, cinemas and theaters. These venues and activities are often accompanied by the serving and drinking of alcoholic beverages in addition to non-alcoholic drinks for the family. Nightlife venues often require a cover charge for admission.

References

  1. ↑ Ponce Shopping. Virtual Tourist. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 26.
  3. ↑ Ponce: Places of Interest and Events. Archived 23 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine Encyclopedia Puerto Rico. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Socorro Guirón. Ponce, el teatro La Perla y La Campana de la Almudaina. Historia de Ponce desde sus comienzos hasta la segunda decada del siglo XIX. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Gobierno Municipal de Ponce. 1992. page 375.
  5. ↑ Mensaje del Gobernador del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Hon. Rafael Hernandez Colon en la Inaguracion del Paseo Peatonal Atocha en Ponce. Fundacion Biblioteca Rafael Hernandez Colon. 1 June 1990. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  6. ↑ Ponce Shopping. Virtual Tourist. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Cultural activities. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Ponce Shopping. Virtual Tourist. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Security. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  10. ↑ Casa Vives. United States Park Service. National Register of Historic Places. Reference No. 13000013. 13 February 2013. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Glass ceiling. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Cost. Accessed 28 April 2016.
  13. ↑ Nightlife. Accessed 28 April 2016.

18°0′46.91″N66°36′48.92″W / 18.0130306°N 66.6135889°W / 18.0130306; -66.6135889

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.