La Ventana al Mar

La Ventana al Mar (English: The Window to the Sea) on Avenida Ashford in the district of Condado, of San Juan, Puerto Rico is a large public space built in 2004 fronting the Atlantic Ocean.

The 1.8 hectare public space was developed by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico's Tourism Company, and has been credited as one of the principal motors steering the district's urban revitalisation.

El Condado was built over decades with private hotels, apartments and high rise condominiums so that access to the beach and view of the ocean was only possible under difficult circumstances.

In the late 1990s the three choice properties on Avenida Ashford - the Convention Center and the Vanderbilt and La Concha Hotels were closed and in state of disrepair.

[5] Finally a counter-project proposed by the Municipality of San Juan based on the revitalisation of the two landmark hotels and the creation of a central public space, La Ventana al Mar, was approved and completed in 2004.