Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – The national government has officially kicked off the competitive bidding process for a high-priority public works initiative to rehabilitate 650 linear meters of the Ozama River’s waterfront in the La Zurza neighborhood of the National District, marking a key milestone in the broader administration-led campaign to reclaim underused and degraded public and green spaces along the country’s most iconic urban river.
Leading the announcement, Minister of the Presidency José Ignacio Paliza outlined that the La Zurza redevelopment scheme will span a total of 45,000 square meters of interconnected green and community-focused public zones, stretching eastward from the bustling Máximo Gómez Avenue corridor. “We are formally accepting both technical and financial proposals from qualified bidders today for the 650-meter La Zurza riverfront stretch that runs east from Máximo Gómez Avenue,” Paliza confirmed, emphasizing that the core mission of the project is to deliver adjacent residential communities unobstructed access to a significantly decontaminated Ozama River, paired with safe, upgraded public recreational spaces that have long been absent in the area.
Following the bidding announcement, Paliza conducted an on-site inspection of a separate complementary Ozama River restoration project in the Las Lilas sector of Santo Domingo Este, where he verified that the first phase of that scheme is advancing in full alignment with its pre-established timeline, with a formal inauguration targeted for no later than February 2027. The initial Las Lilas phase covers 16,000 square meters of land and 332 linear meters of riverbank, and has already reached an overall 30% completion rate across all works. Breakdowns of progress show parks and open public spaces are 65% finished, supporting road infrastructure stands at 40% completion, and planned community sports facilities are 15% constructed. All required demolition of 56 residential properties designated for acquisition under this phase has been fully finalized to clear the site for remaining construction.
The multi-component Las Lilas project integrates new public parks, multi-use sports amenities, pedestrian-friendly public gathering zones, upgraded access roads, and specialized civil engineering works designed to reinforce, stabilize, and protect the vulnerable Ozama Riverbank from erosion and seasonal flood damage. A planned second phase of the Las Lilas development, which will add an additional 18,179 square meters of parks, sports courts, public plazas, and family-focused recreational areas, is currently in the pre-development stage, with all required geotechnical, environmental, and feasibility supplementary studies underway to lay the groundwork for future construction. The full suite of Ozama River revitalization efforts forms a central pillar of the Dominican government’s urban environmental renewal agenda, designed to reduce river pollution, expand equitable access to green public space for low-income riverside communities, and boost climate resilience along the waterway.
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