Podcast Summary: The Urbanist – How Santo Domingo’s Old Town is Attractive for Both Residents and Visitors

Date: February 12, 2026
Host: Andrew Tuck (Monocle)
Reporters/Guests: Gregory Scruggs, Claudio Suarez, Michel Valdez, Raquel Cazares
Main Theme:
This episode of The Urbanist delves into the ongoing transformation of Santo Domingo’s historic colonial center, exploring how it is being revitalized to attract both residents and tourists while maintaining a delicate balance between community life, cultural authenticity, and economic opportunity.

Episode Overview

The episode highlights Santo Domingo’s Ciudad Colonial, the oldest European settlement in the Americas, as a case study for reconciling the tensions between tourism and residential livability in historic urban districts. Through conversations with local developers, architects, and community advocates, the episode unpacks urban regeneration projects, preservation challenges, grassroots mobilization, and the everyday vibrancy of this Caribbean neighborhood.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historic Districts: Residents vs. Tourists

• Introduction by Andrew Tuck ([00:26])
  • Tuck frames the issue: "How does a historic centre remain attractive to both residents and tourists? ... Santo Domingo... is a centuries old colonial city undergoing a 21st century infrastructure upgrade."
• The episode investigates how growing tourism and infrastructure improvements impact the daily life of long-term residents.

2. Transforming Old Buildings into New Homes

• Gregory Scruggs’ On-the-Ground Reporting ([01:50])

  • Scruggs narrates the former perception of the colonial city as "a place for museums and monuments. Not moving in," and introduces businessman Claudio Suarez as an "accidental property developer."

• Interview with Claudio Suarez ([03:10])

  • Suarez bought historic, deteriorated buildings for a shoe store, but pivoted towards residential development in response to the unique value of the location and its architecture.
  • Quote: “For Dominican people, it was very risky... My Dutch partner really showed me that history maintains its value.” ([04:25])

• Preservation and Urban Value

  • Ciudad Colonial’s strict regulations mean historic buildings cannot be demolished or replaced with high-rises, ensuring their long-term value.

3. Residential vs. Short-term Rentals: The Philosophy Behind Casa Velazquez

• Project Vision ([05:55])

  • Suarez and his business partner debated between creating a hotel, small short-term rentals, or full-sized residential units.
  • Quote: “We do not do Airbnb here. We did big apartments so families can live here. We believe in tourism, but we have a lot of residential people here living too. ... That mix, it’s very good.” ([05:55])

• Personal Investment

  • The developers chose to live in the building themselves, ensuring quality and personal connection.
  • Quote: “Every apartment here is like a piece of art... it’s like living in the art, you know, so you enjoy it more with your friends, your family and everybody else.” ([06:47])

• Red Tape and Bureaucracy ([07:28])

  • Extensive bureaucracy and old-fashioned attitudes made renovation difficult early on, but regulations have since improved.
  • Quote: “Now it’s a lot easier... the government has made a lot of improvement with the permits and stuff.” ([07:28])

• Impact on Attitudes

  • Suarez notes a change in local attitudes: “Dominicans are starting to believe in what they had before. ... Now they’re seeing it.” ([08:54])

4. Streets for People: Urban Upgrades and Sustainable Mobility

• Infrastructure Overhaul ([09:30])

  • A $90 million IDB loan funded new street paving, buried power lines, and improved public spaces.

• Walking Tour with Architect Michel Valdez ([10:08])

  • Valdez explains facade preservation requirements and the transformation of former car-dominated streets into walkable, bike-friendly areas.
  • Quote: “Before, the car was the main character of the city. Now they are trying to transform that in order that people can go biking or another more sustainable mobility.” ([11:06])
  • Improved accessibility: “In the other parts you can see that all the electricity and all the things are going underground so it gives you a more clean look of the city and it’s safer at the same time.” ([12:40])

5. Community Spirit and Livability: Voices of Residents

• Community Association at Casa Melorusso ([12:57])

  • Celebration of the Colonial City Owners and Renters Association, advocating for roughly 7,000 residents.

• Interview with Raquel Cazares, Association President ([13:48])

  • Emphasizes daily life and amenities: “The Colonial city, from my point of view, is a perfect place to raise a family. ... You can go walking everywhere, you have different parks, you have cultural activities every day.” ([13:48])
  • Challenges include schools and balancing commercial activity with residential quality of life.
  • Quote on Identity: “It is a city that is alive, it is a living city with people. And I think that this is the most important value of the colonial city.” ([14:50])

• Advocacy for Policy Change ([15:18])

  • Cazares highlights progress in government language but calls for stronger protections.
  • Quote: “...we need to give another step in terms of implementing ... policies to protect the neighbors here... There are some challenges of living in a place that is very commercial and also touristic. ... It’s needed a kind of policies to protect the people that live here.” ([15:18])

• Navigating Short-term Rentals ([16:26])

  • Concern about increased Airbnb presence, urging persistence in maintaining community focus.
  • Quote: “We need a city that has to be for the people. ... The value also for tourism... is to interact with people, ... to sit in the park and to see how the families are interacting.” ([16:26])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Claudio Suarez on Historic Value:
  “If you take all the old buildings from Europe, will you go to Europe? ... Europe, it’s the people, but it’s the buildings we go and see, and we see the history and stuff. So I really believe in that.” ([04:25])

• Raquel Cazares on Living Heritage:
  “It is a city that is alive, it is a living city with people. And I think that this is the most important value of the colonial city.” ([14:50])

• Michel Valdez on Urban Reform:
  “Before, the car was the main character of the city. Now they are trying to transform that in order that people can go biking or another more sustainable mobility.” ([11:06])

Key Timestamps

• [00:11] – Challenges for residents in tourist-heavy historic centers
• [01:50] – Context: Colonial city history and changing perceptions
• [03:10] – Interview with Claudio Suarez starts: the Casa Velazquez story
• [05:55] – Suarez on residential vision vs. Airbnb approach
• [06:47] – Living “in the art”: the personal connection to historic spaces
• [07:28] – Suarez recounts bureaucratic struggles
• [09:30] – $90 million infrastructure upgrade and transformation of urban streets
• [10:08] – Walking tour with architect Michel Valdez: preservation and livability
• [13:48] – Raquel Cazares on walking, family life, and schools in the colonial city
• [14:55] – Advocacy impact on city governance
• [15:18] – Need for better resident protections
• [16:26] – Addressing the Airbnb challenge and maintaining local vibrancy

Conclusion: The Value of Balance

The episode paints a vivid picture of Ciudad Colonial’s rebirth: a place where layered histories meet contemporary urban life, where locals and visitors can coexist thanks to sensitive development, thoughtful urban policy, and grassroots advocacy. The greatest value identified isn’t just the architecture, but the everyday lives that animate the neighborhood—proving that, with care and persistence, historic districts can remain both authentic homes and attractive destinations.