ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 30, 1997 TAG: 9703290003
SECTION: TRAVEL PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: OLD SAN JUAN
SOURCE: SUZANNE MURPHY-LARRONDE SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
For those who remember this 500-year-old historic district as it was even a decade ago - a quaint but deteriorated city filled with crumbling buildings, neglected plazas and a handful of not-so-good eateries - it may come as a surprise to learn that suddenly Old San Juan is chic.
It's been a long climb back to respectability for this colonial enclave, for centuries an important strategic outpost in Spain's New World empire and through the early 1900s, Puerto Rico's cultural, commercial and political hub. Its renaissance began officially in 1955, following long years of abandonment, with the birth of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and its innovative tax-incentive plan to encourage restoration among the private sector.
In the 1980s, a government-sponsored refurbishing of public buildings and spaces further polished the Old City's tarnished image. That $100 million investment culminated in the 1992 Columbus quincentennial celebrations, which in turn unleashed a new wave of investment by foreigners and local professionals eager to reside in the historic seven-square-block district. Today, 40 years after it all began, more than 85 percent of Old San Juan's approximately 960 structures have been reclaimed.
Generating still more excitement these days is the $120 million renewal project taking place along the Old City's rundown waterfront. Development is aimed at upgrading harbor facilities while increasing the area's residential base, at present only about 4,000 strong. Its centerpiece, a seven-building complex called Barrio Marina, already has one of its three planned condominiums firmly in place and beside it, now completed, is the 242-room Wyndham Old San Juan Hotel and Casino.
Other structures will house new restaurants, cafes, shops, cinemas and offices as well as parking garages. These waterfront improvements are thought to have been a deciding factor in the choice of Old San Juan as one of the seven ports to participate in the gala "Regatta 2000" ceremonies honoring the new century's arrival. Some 200 tall ships from around the world will be feted in the historic district as part of a two-week visit in May 2000 while en route to New York for the Fourth of July.
With the exception of its two massive forts, El Morro and San Cristobal, most of the Old City's neoclassic buildings were constructed in the aftermath of wholesale destruction by Dutch invaders in the 1600s. The scrutinizing eye will also catch sight of a smattering of Art Deco beauties such as the multistoried Banco Popular building, often cited as one of the finest examples of modern architecture in the Caribbean, as well as occasional boxy cement creations from the 1930s and 40s.
Along Cristo Street where the city's oldest plaza meets San Juan Cathedral, the former monastery known as Hotel El Convento has just undergone its own dramatic transformations. The 350-year-old colonial monument was sold by the government to private developers who have invested nearly $14 million to create 54 rooms and suites on its upper levels while incorporating boutiques, galleries, restaurants and a small casino into the first two floors.
Along with its spiffed-up image, the Old City is offering visitors more attractions than ever. A growing number of high-end stores have added variety and interest in a sea of T-shirt outlets and jewelry emporiums. Among the best are the European antique store, El Alcazar, on San Jose Street; Xian Imports on Cruz Street for Asian pieces; and the Oriental furnishing importers, Malulla, on Fortaleza Street adjoining Butterfly People. Coach Handbags, Ralph Lauren and London Fog are among the other luxury outlets that vie for attention along chic Cristo Street. Mariangel Galeria on Boulevard del Valle at Luna Street offers fine crafts, museum reproductions and quality prints while Wet on Cruz Street carries a fine line of casual clothes.
Above and beyond the blocks of jewelry and souvenir shops, hundreds of other businesses thrive, everything from groceries and hair salons to banks and real-estate agents. The Book Store on San Jose Street and Casa Papyrus on Tetuan both offer the latest publications in Spanish and English plus CDs. The old district is also home to dozens of painters' studios, framers and galleries, attesting to its importance as a creative center, especially for the visual arts.
Old San Juan now plays host to a number of first-rate restaurants, among them the outstanding Il Perugino on Cristo Street (a hit with Pavarotti on his last visit) and the highly acclaimed new Parrot Club on Fortaleza Street with its "nuevo Latino" menu. Another new addition is the reasonably priced Cafe Don Rafael on San Justo Street for light lunches and dinners. Along restaurant row, Recinto Sur Street, Yukiyu serves up top-notch Japanese cuisine and down the way, Siamese specialties are featured at The Royal Thai.
Although its balmy climate was made to order for outdoor dining, Old San Juan still lacks the variety of al fresco eateries seen in European locales and on the mainland. Too much traffic and dirty streets have been main problems which a newly elected mayor is seeking to remedy. Still, Cafe Berlin on majestic Plaza Colon at the Old City's entrance, is a move in the right direction. Its German-born owner has expanded onto the sidewalk with good results, offering hope that others will eventually follow suit around this, one of the area's loveliest squares. Cafe Don Rafael also features outdoor dining.
If you plan to go
Getting there: American, Delta, United and USAir are a few of the carriers serving San Juan on a regular basis.
Lodgings: The renovated four-star Hotel El Convento features 59 rooms and suites, numerous restaurants, a cigar bar, shops, a fitness center, plunge pool and jacuzzi. Rates range from $285 to $380. The newly-expanded Galeria San Juan on Norzagaray Boulevard is informal and reasonably priced; accommodations begin at about $85 with continental breakfast. The Wyndham Hotel on the waterfront is opening this year as well and owners of the posh Horned Dorset Primavera Hotel on the island's west coast, will inaugurate their new place on Tetuan Street sometime in 1997. The Radisson Normandie, a full service hotel about a five-minute drive from the Old City, has rooms from $160.
Eating out: At Il Perugino's, guests average about $50 a piece for a fine Italian meal with wine. Try Cafe Berlin or Cafe Don Rafael for lunch specialties costing about $8 or Royal Thai for lunch or dinner for about $30. Tasty vegetarian creole lunches are offered at no-frills Gopal on Tetuan Street for about $6. The Parrot Club on Fortaleza serves fresh Latin fusion cuisine in tropical surroundings. Entrees are about $15 to $20.
When to go: Temperatures are balmy and beautiful from November through April, high season. But when the weather heats up, hotel prices drop considerably, so take your pick.
LENGTH: Long : 124 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. A statue of Christopher Columbus looms in San Joseby CNBPlaza. color SUZANNE MURPHY-LARROND
2. & 3. The Cuatro Players (above) serenade visitors in the open
air. The architecture of the Ballajo Complex (right) shows the
Mediterranean influence in Puerto Rico. color
4. & 5. Caribbean waves wash against the Paseo de la Muralla
(above). A flower salesman displays some of his fresh offerings
(left). color
6. Strollers along the Paseo de la Princesa take advantage of the
usually balmy Puerto Rican weather. color