BajaNomad

There goes the nieghborhood.

Cancamo - 12-9-2018 at 04:48 PM

Costa Palmas, the upscale developement in La Ribera, (also borrowing the 4 Seasons label), has changed the town forever. Daily, 400 workers are bused in from as far as San Jose/San Lucas to build the boutique hotels and the $15,000,000. luxury villas, condos, golf course, etc. The professionals and techs working there are scrambling to find a place to live in town or Santa Cruz, Las Cuevas, El Campamento on up to Buena Vista. No new work on the adjacent partially built marina project, but rumor is, that is about to change. Folks from all over the Republic are moving into the area daily. What has been a quiet town has become a noisy, dusty, busy place with no end in sight. The current first phase of the project is estimated to continue the next five years.
A Centro Comercial Plaza including a Ley supermarket is scheduled to break ground soon up on the coastal road.
My friends born there are already looking to move inland. Yes, the kids are employed, although at 1400 pesos a week for cleaning/maintenance will eventually not allow them to remain in town, thus requiring commuting to work or moving all together. The professional engineers and surveyors do better, but none will be welcome within the exclusive private gated community once their work is done there.
This last summer, La Ribera's town water was off for extended periods of time, this mostly due to the construction demands at the project. People are installing rejas, and lock their doors now, they didn't before.
Currently their are 5800 hotel rooms approved from Buena Vista to Vinorama along the East Cape. Each hotel room generates an average of 12 support people and their families. INEGI, (Mexico's statistic Institute), estimates the current population of 9800 souls will grow to 120,000 by 2030, then 260,000 by 2040, with an annual growth rate 8.5% between 2030 and 2040.
Implan, (Instituto Municipal De Poblacion), has infrastructure plans to try to support this growth, but water is precious and often scarce.

I see what has happened in a very short time, to Los Cabos and fear that the same fate is inevitable here, (although I don't see millionaires tolerating the relentless north winds prevalent all winter). Although beaches in Mexico are technically public property, of the 26 " public" beaches on the corridor, only two are now accessible to the public.

I feel blessed to have lived and enjoyed all the peaceful years here and seen the Choyero life style as it had been for generations.
A few years back, an old rancher friend of mine came to sell me his cheese press. This handmade tool had been in his family for more than one generation, and represented the livelyhood of him and his family. I knew then it was a sign of things to come, an end of an era, but I though it would have been coming much slower here. I guess/hope I was wrong.



Bubba - 12-9-2018 at 04:53 PM

I've seen this happen in many areas, even Baja isn't immune...

4x4abc - 12-9-2018 at 06:24 PM

everybody is complaining - but nobody is willing to discuss the cause

DaliDali - 12-9-2018 at 07:26 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
everybody is complaining - but nobody is willing to discuss the cause


Complicated isn't it?

Mexican land owners, from a small beach front plot, to the multi hectare ranch back a click or two from the beach.....
Their plot of dirt/sand can quickly be turned into instant wealth by selling to the developer.

A greedy developer, driven to satisfy the investors and their profit motives, thinks not of the once pristine white sand beach and goes for the bucks.

A high and rising, consumer confidence level in the US, along with a good economy overall, kids have a job if they want, slowly rising home prices in the US and boomers at retirement age or close to it, a big pile of equity, if not fully paid off, from that home purchase in the 80ties....now worth a kings ransom.

Fed up with the sky high prices of maintaining a home, paying high labor costs (RV dealer service rates at $130 clams an hour) and the incessent and unrelenting drive by politicans to raise a fee and raise a tax, ban this, restrict that, no cokes after 2 PM, biodegradable straws and hot water heater blankets and cable TV/internet for over a $100 clams a month.

The allure of white sands, year round liveable weather, lower overall costs of living and a fresh fish for dinner right outside the gate.
Like minded neighbors across the courtyard, a Canadian here, a Frenchman there and a pot of pink lillies in front of the door, a unisex hot tub every 6 villas, a security guard shack with a remote control to hail for help, a lovely wrought iron gate at the entry point.
Rosita to clean it all up for 15 bucks, Margarita to cook it all up, Jose to cut the bushes for about the same and a sign up sheet for bocce ball on thursday afternoon and yoga mats free of charge.


All that, and only two hours from the big metropolis of asphalt and flashing lights.








[Edited on 12-10-2018 by DaliDali]

BajaBlanca - 12-9-2018 at 07:42 PM

Jorge would NOT approve.

mtgoat666 - 12-9-2018 at 09:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
everybody is complaining - but nobody is willing to discuss the cause


Funny how you old farts moved to baja, then complain when other people move to baja :lol:

People gotta make a living. You can’t expect everybody in your sleepy little community to just make-do to keep you happy in your quiet gin-soaked retirement in rural quaint village life. People gotta make a living, they can’t stop in their tracks to stop time and progress just for you :light:

And many more people retiring need to find somewhere to live out their sunset years just like you.

Nothing wrong with greed, it drives everyone to work hard. If No reward, don’t expect people to work.

mtgoat666 - 12-9-2018 at 09:50 PM

A sure sign of getting old is complaining about change.

mtgoat666 - 12-9-2018 at 09:53 PM

How to Cope with a Senior’s Complaining and Negativity
Carol Bradley Bursack, Minding Our Elders

https://www.agingcare.com/articles/deal-with-too-much-compla...

Alm - 12-9-2018 at 11:26 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
everybody is complaining

A little correction, if I may - everybody who is really "living" there.

Paco Facullo - 12-10-2018 at 05:22 AM

People ARE happy for "change" IF it is for the better, the only problem is that most of the times the "change" is NOT.... !!!!

Bubba - 12-10-2018 at 06:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
everybody is complaining - but nobody is willing to discuss the cause


Care to elaborate?

JoeJustJoe - 12-10-2018 at 07:57 AM

Cancamo wrote:" People are installing rejas, and lock their doors now, they didn't before."

You would think, think place on the sea of Cortez, and just outside of Cabo San Lucas, use to be like Mayfield, the town in "Leave it to Beaver," before the Four Seasons resort moved in, the way Cancamo, makes it sound.

I been to lots of places in Mexico, and throughout the world, and I don't know of too many places that the locals do not lock their doors.

The only thing I would say about this place is WOW! I wish I had the money to own something like this, but it appears it's going to be for the super super rich.
______________________________
Exclusive Look Inside the New Four Seasons Costa Palmas Resort and Residences in Cabo San Lucas

Costa Palmas is a brand new, 1000-acre private beachfront resort community on two miles of quiet beach on the Sea of Cortés, located just outside of Cabo San Lucas. Surrounded by organic orchards and farms and including a stunning 250 slip deep-water marina, the area will be home to an all-new Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Los Cabos, a Robert Trent Jones II 18-hole golf course, and the Costa Palmas Beach & Yacht Club with space for superyachts up to 250 feet. This will ultimately become one of the more exclusive billionaire retreats,


https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimdobson/2017/01/02/exclusive-...

[Edited on 12-10-2018 by JoeJustJoe]

DaliDali - 12-10-2018 at 09:33 AM

The Los Cabos region USED to be like Mayberry.

Now is has the dubious distinction of being the most dangerous city in the entire world.

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/most-dangerous-cities-in...

I don't care how much money I had, I would not live there.
I suppose that wealthy person could just stay locked up behind the gates 7/24 and not get out in the streets....
But what a life yeah?

4x4abc - 12-10-2018 at 11:13 AM

here is my take.

Since history has been recorded a small number of people with capital has been shaping the world at their will. During the last 200 years there have been some attempts to regulate the negative effect of capital and strengthen the positive effects. Hasn't worked too well. Not much we can do rather than watch what's happening. Find a quiet spot in society and hope the neagtive effects are not hitting you too often.

DaliDali - 12-10-2018 at 11:17 AM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
here is my take.

Since history has been recorded a small number of people with capital has been shaping the world at their will. During the last 200 years there have been some attempts to regulate the negative effect of capital and strengthen the positive effects. Hasn't worked too well. Not much we can do rather than watch what's happening. Find a quiet spot in society and hope the neagtive effects are not hitting you too often.


And hence the term of "you cannot stop progress"
Adapt or go blind trying.

imlost - 12-10-2018 at 11:19 AM

Cancamo -
A lot of people move-to or visit Baja with the expectation of being in a resort environment. There are also some people like you, who find great value in honoring the established community, and view it as something to be cherished. Many people on this forum have never visited where you live, and have never experienced your relationship with the locals. They'll never be able to understand where you're coming-from.

The Costa Palmas development makes me ill. They've completely taken control of the coastline at La Ribera, and have no respect or acknowledgement that La Ribera even exists. There's no mention of the town in any of their publications. To me, this is reminiscent of how the US began; with total disregard to the native Americans.

We are powerless to stop the development. I only hope that it comes slowly, and that the Sudcalifornianos attempt to guide their government to consider the consequences of what they are allowing to happen. Some good things have happened in this area that are hints of what can be accomplished if people pay attention - The success of the Cabo Pulmo marine reserve is testament to this.

Please don't let it get you down. Remember that these developments mostly follow the creep of the pavement. There's a lot of Camino Cabo Este that is still unpaved. Also, don't underestimate the power of money in these situations. If Costa Palmas doesn't make bank, there's less chance that other developers will take the risk.

bajabuddha - 12-10-2018 at 11:20 AM

..... and the opposite of PROgress is Congress..... :no:

pauldavidmena - 2-11-2019 at 09:33 AM

I'm about to put my house on the market in MA, so naturally Google, in its infinite wisdom, begins to send me unsolicited ads for real estate, including this one for Costa Palmas on the East Cape. Obviously Google is unaware of my budgetary constraints, as the $1.7 million starting price tag is - as they would say on Capitol Hill - "a non-starter".

Build it and THEY will Come

MrBillM - 2-11-2019 at 10:08 AM

Pretty much EVERY one of us who built anything on a beach lot in Baja was essentially doing the same thing. We all contributed to changing the area that we chose. It's a matter of scale.

Lee - 2-11-2019 at 03:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
everybody is complaining - but nobody is willing to discuss the cause


That's easy. At least one reason: boomers looking for warmer cliimate and they have money. As in deep pockets. Nothing wrong with that. And I can't get worked up about gentrification. No dog in the fight. A 4 Seasons residence on the Cape sure looks nice to me. I'd be pretty happy there.

watizname - 2-12-2019 at 08:49 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
Jorge would NOT approve.


What she said.:(

David K - 2-12-2019 at 08:55 AM

When I visited Jorge in late 2017, the marina dredging was far from complete. Are the Internet photos real or did they suddenly finish the La Ribera marina and homes there?

bajafreaks - 2-12-2019 at 01:02 PM

Kinda reminds me of La Playita outside of San Jose Del Cabo.
They talked about the marina going in for many years but when it finally did... Bam Puerto Los Cabos. The area will never be the same.