Porta Norte milestones in 2021

Hello, greetings Henry Faarup Humbert, General Manager of Grupo Colonias and co-founder of Porta Norte.

This 2021 we have come on leaps and bounds and I would like to summarise this year's milestones in three minutes.

We are nearing completion of the infrastructure and urban planning for Phase 1, which consists of 22 hectares and 22 lots served for developers.

To execute this:

WE BUILT 1.4 kilometres of complete streets with cycle paths and huge pavements, including 2 bus stops and 5-metre wide pedestrian crossings. We prioritise people with limited mobility and alternative methods of transport.

We PROTOTYPE urban finishes for the pedestrian space with the aim of selecting the best materials.

WE CHOSE asphalt for the cycle paths and pavements made of light materials - to cool the environment - such as grey pavers and cream-coloured washed concrete.

WE CONNECT with 2 direct accesses of 4 lanes each to the new Via Panama Norte - which is 9 kilometres long.

WE MOVED 130,000 cubic metres of earth.

WE INSTALL the pluvial, drinking water, gas and sanitary systems, including the sewage treatment plant.

WE INTERCONNECT to the drinking water network and the electrical system of Panama City.

SOTERRAMOS electrical and fibre optic cables.

WE DESIGNED with landscape architect Luis Alfaro the Arborisation Plan for Phase 1 where we chose almost 600 trees and 70 species to promote biodiversity, including 30 fruit species.

WE SELECT evergreen species for pavements - that is, species that keep their leaves, providing shade for pedestrians all year round.

WE PLACED a tree species for the pavements of each street, including: Loritos for Boulevard Porta Norte, Sombreiros for Avenida la Unión and Llamas Doradas for Boulevard Panamá.

We planted 350 trees and there are many more to be planted in our nursery. The first flower is already born, yellow in colour.

WE CONTRIBUTED to the education of 100 architecture students from 4 universities with a masterclass in landscape architecture and urban planning on site.

WE LAUNCHED our podcast, called Porta Norte Podcast, to compile our history and cement the vision of the project, listen to it on your favourite platform!

We ADOPTED two beautiful dogs, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, named Mango and Pixbae, who just turned 5 months old and already weigh over 50 pounds. This is to understand the needs of our canine friends in the city and to foster an urban dog culture.

WE PARTNER with an institution of higher education that will build a branch in Porta Norte, enhancing our culture and DNA.

WE SUPPORT vulnerable foundations and communities by promoting Corporate Social Responsibility.

OPENED the Via Panama Norte connecting us directly to the Corredor Norte. This road will bring life to Panama City North.

We directly and indirectlyEMPLOYED hundreds of people in one of the most difficult times in Panama's history, becoming a vital economic engine for the country.

NOW we are committed to developing a great 2022. The team of Grupo Colonias and Porta Norte wish you a happy new year and a prosperous 2022 with lots of health, progress and positivity.

Let us walk with firm steps, building a walkable Panama together.

This summer we invite you to get to know and enjoy public spaces. We hope you can join us. See you soon.