After a brief hiatus, I am back to posting and hope to be able to continue to provide some insight into the business and real estate communities in Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Mexico. Not a lot has happened over the last month as much of Mexico goes on an extended holiday break during the Christmas/New Year’s season. So for those of you keeping close tabs on the construction progress of your chosen condominium community, don’t expect to see a lot of change from the early part of December until now. About Wednesday of this past week, the town started to bustle again and businesses were reopening after the break.
While I was in Puerto Peñasco this week, I did notice several condominium developments starting to take shape going into 2008. Tessoro (located at the end of Las Conchas) has finished their foundation work and is putting up its steel structure. Corona del Sol (in the Las Conchas Resorts area) has delivered their first phase and has started construction on their second phase. Lindavista (also in Las Conchas Resorts) is finishing their common area and appears poised to deliver their first phase in March.
In Sandy Beach, Sonoran Sky has delivered their entire project in record time. I also noticed that the site for the Marriott Hotel being put in by Grupo Questro as part of “Peñasco Bay” (next to Esmeralda) has been surveyed and staked for excavation work to begin. Having a major hotel chain in Puerto Peñasco will be helpful as hotels tend to have extended promotional networks and will bring more visitors to Puerto Peñasco from places other than Arizona (a key to broader development in Peñasco). Marriott’s presence will also be important in the continuing development of international commercial flights into Puerto Peñasco, as the Puerto Peñasco international airport readies for operation in 2009 and flights between the U.S. and Puerto Peñasco increase in number.
On the commercial side of things, a couple of new restaurants have opened in Sandy Beach. Sonoran Sky has opened their restaurant which has large windows looking out onto the beach. Also by the entrance to the Sonoran Spa and Sonoran Sea resorts, a new restaurant/bar named Chango’s has opened. These restaurants will provide some additional options for vacationers staying on the Sandy Beach side of town (I haven’t tried either yet).
In town, we have regularly been going to Capone’s Pizzeria in Mirador (on Sinaloa past Reggie’s and the old Best Western) and it has become quite the popular hangout pretty much every day of the week. I have been seeing a lot of families there for lunch and dinner and then a younger crowd later in the evening. It’s also a good place to catch an NFL playoff game or college basketball. I recommend people check it out. Opening in the new Mission del Mar commercial plaza by the entrance to Las Conchas Resorts is Blue Buddha, a Spanish tapas and paella restaurant/lounge. Haven’t had a chance to try this out yet, but I have talked to the owners (who are from Scottsdale). They are aiming to create a casual lounge environment similar to something you might see in North Scottsdale. The interior is well done and hopefully the food matches the environment. I expect to see the Mission del Mar plaza fill up pretty quickly with some of the commercial services needed in Puerto Peñasco. Various shopping options, clothing stores, medical services, food shops and other stores are expected to go in here.
Finally, on the way into town, visitors will notice a good-sized new commercial plaza on the west side of Benito Juarez receiving some finishing touches. This plaza will be anchored by a grocery store with other shops surrounding it. It will provide vacationers on the way into town a good place to stop and grab supplies for their stay.
I encourage everyone to start planning and booking their trips to Puerto Peñasco in 2008 to see all of the latest developments in this growing resort destination!
