SANTO DOMINGO. – A commission appointed by the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors (Codia) has joined the process of purchasing the Indotel building, announced last January by its officials, and whose total investment is estimated at RD$ 1,777.90 million, with the objective of observing, monitoring and overseeing its development.
In addition to Codia, Sina Cabral and María Teresa Cabrera are participating in the process of purchasing the building.
The Codia delegation, in addition to its president, includes former presidents of the association, engineers Teodoro Tejada and Cristián Rojas, as well as surveyor Miguel Alberto Valoy, engineer Julio César Checo, and architect Federico Jesús Pellerano.
“We want to do our part to ensure that the process of acquiring the property that will house some 800 Indotel employees is done transparently and for the benefit of public finances,” Codia stated.
Guido Gómez Mazara, president of the Board of Directors of Indotel, when making the announcement, called on citizens who have any type of complaint or suspect incorrect procedures, who will have a period of 30 days to go to the monitoring commission, in the interest that any type of concern is channeled in the best possible way to guarantee that the process is transparent, he explained.
The purchase
As explained at the press conference held to provide the details, the acquisition of its own building will save the State approximately RD$1.54 billion over 10 years, which will represent improvements in financial and administrative terms, in the reduction of expenses, as well as in the labor productivity of the employees.
According to the information, Indotel currently pays RD$52,103,153.70 annually for the rental of the Osiris building, in addition to costs for the use of external parking, services such as a generator, and other operational needs. These items add up to a significant cost that, in the last five years, has reached RD$164,790,649.50, negatively impacting the institution's finances.
“The owner of the property that currently houses Indotel, through a contract, has been receiving approximately $100,000 per month for rent for 24 years, plus parking, which is paid separately.
The building that Indotel would purchase, located on Avenida 27 de Febrero, has 10 floors, four underground parking levels, and one surface parking level (first level) with 9 motorcycle parking spaces and 99 car parking spaces, for a total of 108 parking spaces. It also features an inclusive, barrier-free design with accessible entrances for people with reduced mobility.
Project Breakdown
The cost of the civil works is RD$843.2 million; the equipment has a value of RD$737.2 million; the acquisition of the adjacent property costs RD$114.1 million; while the complementary works have a value of RD$82.6 million, for a total investment amounting to RD$1,777.09 million.
“This amount contrasts with the alternative of building and remaining in OSIRIS, which amounts to RD$3,317.4 million. It should be taken into consideration that with 10 years of rent under the prevailing conditions, the institution would take only 10 years to pay for the purchase of the new building,” said Indotel.
