Santiago. – In continuity with the inauguration agenda that promotes the comprehensive development of the province, the president Luis Abinader delivered this Wednesday the total renovation of the Casa de Arte INC., an intervention that not only rescues a emblematic cultural heritagebut it consolidates the historical transformation that the center of Santiago is experiencing.
The intervention was carried out by the Presidential Commission for Provincial Development, under the direction of Ángel de la Cruz, and included structural improvements, adaptation of spaces and general conditioning work to guarantee more dignified and functional facilities for artists, cultural managers and the entire community.
During his speech, the director of the Presidential Commission to Support Provincial Development, Ángel de la Cruz, attributed the profound transformation of the House of Art to the leadership of President Abinader, whom he described as a ruler with strategic vision, capacity for tireless work and a firm commitment to the definitive development of the Dominican Republic.
He maintained that the president has proven to be a man of actions, not words, who listens, connects with his people and acts with determination, placing investments where they really generate social and economic impact and assured that the transformation that Santiago is experiencing in this historical stage responds to that clear vision of government, which is committed to both large infrastructure works and cultural and heritage recovery.
Regarding the renovation, De la Cruz explained that the Art House was found in critical conditions, with advanced structural deterioration after more than four decades without a comprehensive transformation and pointed out that the building presented leaks, practically collapsed areas, obsolete electrical installations and unusable spaces, despite having been the scene of great luminaries of Dominican art such as Víctor Víctor, Maridalia Hernández, Juan Luis Guerra, Sonia Silvestre, Fausto Rey and Compay Segundo, among other figures. national and international.
He explained that the intervention included the reconstruction and structural reinforcement of the property, complete modernization of the electrical and telecommunications system, with underground wiring in the environment, restoration of facades, adaptation of ceilings and floors, as well as the functional reorganization of each area.
He added that new spaces were designed that turn the building into a comprehensive cultural center: an exhibition hall named in honor of Danilo de los Santos, an assembly hall called Marcelo Bermúdez, a large room for plastic arts and academic training, a commercial area for the sale of crafts, paintings and literary and musical works, a bohemian space for artists and an open-air amphitheater named “Zaguán Cibaeño”, conceived for large cultural presentations.
Likewise, he indicated that the work is part of a broader transformation of the historic center, which included the recovery of Duarte Park, the intervention of emblematic streets and the creation of a small square in honor of the Santiago carnival, converting old deteriorated spaces into safe and family recreation areas.
De la Cruz stressed that the renovated Casa de Arte represents “the icing on the cake” of all this urban and cultural intervention, becoming the heart of Benito Monción Boulevard. He stated that the space will not only be the scene of major artistic events, but also a training school and a permanent meeting point for bohemia and young talent in Santiago, consolidating the city as a cultural reference for Cibao and the country.
He also highlighted that, under the management of President Abinader, the Santiago province has experienced an unprecedented comprehensive intervention, mentioning projects such as the monorail and the cable car that crosses the historic center, as well as the recovery of urban spaces that today become areas of recreation and cultural revitalization. In this context, he stated that the rehabilitation of the Casa de Arte is part of a coherent policy to rescue the historic center and strengthen Santiago’s cultural identity.
De la Cruz expressed that the moment the country is experiencing is not a coincidence, but the result of exceptional leadership in a key stage in national history, ensuring that Santiago reaches one of the brightest points of that transformation process that the president promotes in all the provinces of the national territory.
Historic center is experiencing a real transformation that restores life and value to the city’s cultural heritage
For his part, the mayor of Santiago, Ulises Rodríguez, expressed his gratitude to President Luis Abinader for the recovery of the House of Art, highlighting that what the historic center is experiencing today is a real transformation that returns life and value to the city’s cultural heritage. He pointed out that this work rescues an emblematic space where great figures of Dominican art passed and stated that thanks to the efficient work of the Government, Santiago recovers a jewel that was waiting to be renovated.
Rodríguez stressed that the president is restoring dynamism to the historic center, raising the value of its properties and reactivating spaces that today are once again a meeting point for culture and family and stated that this intervention in the Benito Monción and Casa de Arte opens a new door for cultural development, while announcing plans to promote a cultural week and artistic festivals in the place. “What you are doing for Santiago will be engraved in the hearts of all Santiago residents,” said the mayor, defining the work as one of the most significant for the identity and heritage of the city.
The Minister of Public Works, Eduardo Estrella, was present; the provincial governor, Rosa Santos; the president of Casa Arte, Rosa Idalia García; the president of the Council for the Strategic Development of Santiago (CDES), Ricardo Fondeur Victoria; the president of the Association of Merchants and Industrialists of Santiago (ACIS), Marcos Santana and representing the Santiago Tourism Cluster, Brenda Sánchez.
