URBAN DEVT

closed

The Project is divided into five major sub-projects as follows: (1) Urban employment: extension by 35 ha of the Colon Free Zone's existing 57 ha duty-free commercial area, and first phase (35 ha) of a general purpose industrial estate catering primarily to assembly operations and light manufacturing. (2) Urban renewal: construction of a retail mall and a bus terminal. (3) Housing and social services: urbanization of a 118 ha site (Puerto Escondido) and construction of 4,025 dwelling units (about 300 in downtown Colon and the remainder in the Puerto Escondido); construction of community facilities in Puerto Escondido, and provision of home improvement credits. (4) Regional infrastructure: improvements of the Port of Cristobal; improvements of the Colon access section of the Panama City-Colon Highway; establishment of a regional education center and construction of recreational facilities to serve Colon. (5) Technical assistance: consulting and extension services related to the regional development program, project monitoring and evaluation, urban transport operations management, port and railway development and professional development.