Longtime residents recall the neighborhood's deterioration with bitterness. Many who stayed behind were immigrants, mostly from the Dominican Republic and often living in large blocks of public housing dominated by drug gangs amid surging crime in the 1990s. The area turned to slums in the 1970s as people moved out to suburbs near San Juan. Some people trace the neighborhood's comeback to the government-led restoration of La Placita, a plaza that features an outdoor produce market surrounded by bars and restaurants, some considered to be among the best in Puerto Rico. To the west lies the largely middle-class area of Miramar and the approach to picturesque Old San Juan, a colonial district of cobblestone streets and the seat of local government. The neighborhood is bounded on the north and east by the upscale Atlantic Coast districts of Condado, Ocean Park and Isla Verde, areas familiar to tourists visiting Puerto Rico. "It's still a place where people with limited means and a strong will can make it," she said of Santurce. She was so confident about the area's future that she has also opened a small Mexican eatery.
"My partner and I saw the possibilities, immediately."įeliciano, 39, says her "Pa'l Cielo" restaurant has attracted celebrities such as actor Benicio del Toro and members of the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop group Calle 13. "Santurce has acquired a sort of coolness, a favored spot for San Juan's new generation," Prouty said at the news conference. Prouty says he sees promise in the neighborhood of about 100,000 people because of recently declining crime, undervalued properties and an influx of young people. Puerto Rico's Economic Development and Commerce Department says Prouty plans to add 252 apartments, 50,000 square feet of retail space and a public park for a $114 million expansion to the project "in the heart of Santurce," a location that would not have been trumpeted in the past. 18 news conference that all of the building's 312 units had been sold. It's ironocally a very useless map beacuse rio piedras is a fun part of San Juan that tourist go to but looks very sketcy.Despite a deep slump in the island's housing market, Prouty said at a Sept.
SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD IN SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO MAP DRIVERS
Even then, the biggest danger you can face waking alone at night in PR is drunk drivers or even just regular drivers since streetlights are rarely turned on.Īlso, this map is only of the northern part of San Juan, it's missing most of the city (unless you don't count rio piedras as being part of San Juan).
For example, cities in PR aren't meant to be walkable, so don't go off walkimg somewhere that's not touristy at night. However you do need to take some precations, some of which are a little more specific to Puerto Rico and not common sense. You're more likely to be the victim of petty crime in an American or European city. Petty crimes like muggings, assault and whatnot are uncommon, doubly so for tourists. Puerto Rico has a very serious drug problem and minor gangs and conflicts relating to drug trafficking is the source for the vast majority of street violence in the island. They need to make pwrmanent post in this sub because we get this question asked a lot.