Northern City Considers Underground Mall

MUNICIPAL officials in CiudadQuesada, often called San Carlos, acrossroads town in north-central CostaRica, are considering a proposal from aprivate corporation to build a mall in anunorthodox location: beneath the city’sCentral Park.San José firm Fines Fiduciarios S.A.proposed the project to the municipalityDec. 3. The mall would measure 8,000square meters, include parking for 200vehicles and cost $3.5 million, the dailyLa Nación reported.Fines Fiduciarios S.A. would financethe building through Banco Nacional.The project would entail a completeoverhaul of the park both above andbelow ground.San Carlos Mayor Alfredo Córdobatold the daily he was intrigued by the proposal,which he said would help alleviatethe city’s public-parking shortage. Headded the municipality would provideways for residents to voice their opinionsabout the plan.The San Carlos Chamber ofCommerce, along with Pedro Sánchezand José Fabio Ugalde, members of theRegional Association of Architects,asked Fines Fiduciarios to providemore information about the projectand to conduct technical studies toprove the concept for the undergroundmall is a sound one, according toLa Nación.