Recovering history takes time; 15 facades restored in 90 days indicate that at this rate the 140 of the current project would be finished by October 2027.
SANTO DOMINGO – Between July and September 2025, the Ministry of Tourism and the Executive Committee for Infrastructure in Tourist Zones (CEIZTUR ) restored 15 of the 140 heritage facades in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, the first tangible progress of the second phase of the Comprehensive Program for Tourism and Urban Development of the Colonial City (PIDTUCCSD), financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with a total budget of 95 million dollars.
Each building has its own unique characteristics, and depending on the scope of the work, the process of restoring its splendor and functionality will take more or less time. With an average of five facades being addressed per month, the entire project is expected to be completed by October 2027 , although the official statement from the inauguration ceremony indicates that “all the renovation work in the Colonial City will be completed by the end of 2026.”
Four interventions in 15 years
David Collado, Minister of Tourism, leads the inauguration of the 15 facades on September 1, 2025. (External source).
This wouldn't be the first time. Since 2010, four comprehensive restoration projects have been carried out across 1.06 kilometers and 116 blocks that make up the grid of the Colonial City, including the renovation of building facades.
The estimated investment specifically for this concept amounts to 57 million dollars , within a total of 154 million dollars granted by the IDB since 2011 for three urban rehabilitation programs in the area.
, El Conde Street was renovated in an initiative involving the National District City Council and entities such as Pinturas Tropical and the Directorate of Monumental Heritage, for which no figures appear.
In 2011, the first phase of the PIDTUCCSD , which included streets, squares and services, with an estimated budget of US$29.2 million and it is estimated that ¼, around 7 million dollars, was dedicated to restoring an undetermined number of facades .
In 2015-2016, under the Colonial City Tourism Development Program, 860 facades were restored and another 660 were painted, with an investment of US$ 30 million . This was the most ambitious facade restoration project to date and served as a model for current plans.
Comprehensive Tourism and Urban Development Program for the Colonial City (PIDTUCCSD is being implemented between 2023 and 2025 , and its second phase includes the restoration of 140 heritage facades in the Colonial City.
The total budget for the comprehensive plan is US$95 million, although not all of it is exclusively allocated to facades, as it also covers streets , squares and urban services .
The investment in these 15 facades (RD$29 million pesos) is equivalent to about US$527,000, barely 0.55% of the budget allocated to the comprehensive phase of the Colonial City, which includes the conservation, maintenance and restoration of facades of religious and civil monuments of great historical and cultural value, such as the Museum of the Royal Houses, the Pantheon of the Fatherland and several emblematic churches.
Estimated investments in facades only (2010-2025)
| Years) | Project / Program | Number of facades intervened | Total budget (US$) | Estimated percentage for facades | Estimated cost of facades (US$) | Observations |
| 2010 | Renovation of El Conde Street (DN City Hall, Monumental Heritage, Tropical Paintings). | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | No figure was published. Smaller-scale mixed (public-private) contribution. |
| 2011 | PIDTUCCSD - Phase 1 (IDB) | Dozens (no exact figure) | 29.2 mm | ~25% | ≈ 7.3 mm | The program included streets, squares and services; an estimated 1/4 of the budget was allocated to facades. |
| 2015–2016 | Colonial City Tourism Development Program (IDB) | 860 restored + 660 painted | 30 mm | Undocumented | 30 mm | First project with exact figures for facades. |
| 2023-2025 | PIDTUCCSD-2nd phase (BID + CEIZTUR) | 140 heritage facades | 95 mm | ~20% | ≈ 19 mm | The plan is comprehensive (streets, mobility, heritage). The IDB estimates 15-25% for facades. |
The initial figures do not reflect the actual execution capacity, as the pace can increase as bidding processes, the hiring of work crews, and the standardization of restoration techniques progress. For now, the Colonial City has been adding layers of paint, plaster, and architectural restoration , all with the intention of reinforcing its status as a heritage jewel and anchor of Dominican cultural tourism.
In addition to investments in facade restoration, the current project includes improvements to urban infrastructure and services in the area, with the aim of comprehensively revitalizing the Colonial City.
There have been no shortage of protests and complaints from residents and business owners in the area, which has been subjected to continuous construction for fifteen years . The ball is now in CEIZTUR's court, which must act quickly to meet the deadline set by Minister David Collado and return to residents, businesses, and visitors alike this magnificent space that UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site.
