Comments by
Guillermo (Bill) Salas, Jr.
President
Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises

The Casa Caribe project encompasses more than five acres of land. The neighborhood that we wanted to develop was seriously blighted—including two acres that were completely abandoned, and two others that contained deteriorated, multistory factory buildings. Through the efforts of our organization, the Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises (HACE), Casa Caribe has been a strong catalyst for revitalizing the neighborhood.

The development is made up of three phases. The first two—which are named the Villas de Caribe and Casa Caribe—have already been completed. We are proud that the Villas de Caribe won the 1998 Building Excellence Award, sponsored by Commerce Bank and the Philadelphia Business Journal, for excellence in development and service to the community. As the third phase of the development begins—Caribe Towers—we look forward to modeling the project on our past successes.

The design of the buildings was very important to us. We chose a Mediterranean–Spanish style for the exterior, using materials such as terra cotta, stucco, and brick. On the interior, we created an open green area designed for children to play in. There is also a fountain that serves as a gathering place for residents to meet and relax after work and on weekends. (This interior green space was facilitated by the absence of any adjacent neighbors to the development; we were able to create on-street parking rather than use the courtyard for this purpose.) Each kitchen is positioned to look out on the green space, allowing parents to keep watch on their children at play.

The project has been a true stabilizing force for the neighborhood. For the first time in many years, people are investing additional residential and commercial dollars in our community. Property values are rising. Close to Casa Caribe, older houses that were previously valued at $20,000 are now moving into the $30,000 range. I would like to attribute much of this activity to the work we have done in the community. That work sent a clear signal to nearby residents: There is hope.