Polanco

View of Polanco neighborhood with part of Chapultepec Park in the forefront.

Comercial center in Polanco neighborhood.

''This article is about a neighborhood of Mexico City, for other uses read Polanco (disambiguation)

Polanco is the name that usually refers to a group of 7 official a neighborhoods ("colonias") in Mexico City, it is located north of Chapultepec Park. The official names of the neighborhoods are: Los Morales (which is divided in three sections), Del Bosque, Polanco Reforma, Polanco Chapultepec, Chapultepec Morales, Bosque de Chapultepec and Residencial del Bosque. Its borders are: to the north Avenida Ejercito Nacional, to the east Calzada General Mariano Escobedo, to the south Paseo de la Reforma and to the west Boulevard Manuel Avila Camacho (Periferico).

Most of Its streets are named after an eclectic mix of universal philosophers, writers, scientists and even a Czech president.

Contents

1 History
2 Architecture
3 Inhabitants
4 Today
5 President Masaryk Avenue
6 References
7 See also
8 External links

History

The hacienda of San Juan de los Morales was built in the 17th century. During the 1920s the haciendas of Morales, Polanco and Anzures were developed, and the first two became the Colonia Polanco.

Architecture

Polanco enjoyed a construction boom in the 1950s when mansions and luxury apartment complexes were built. The style of construction of most mansions of this date is "California colonial" with pseudo-baroque quarry windows and front-side gardens and inside halls. Some of these mansions have been renovated and converted into businesses and restaurants, many others have simply been torn down and its place has been taken by newer buildings..

Inhabitants

Polanco is notable beacause of it's cultural diversity. This neighborhood has historically been preferred by Jewish, Lebanese and Spanish immigrants. It also notable because of it is an expensive neighborhood that makes it affordable only for the wealthier inhabitants, which is the reason why the neighborhood is full of expensive offices, restaurants and shops.

Today

Because of the higher income of its inhabitants, Polanco has also become a business and nightlife center. It is one of the most active areas of the city with upscale hotels, restaurants and shopping centers as well as embassies, art galeries and the offices of the Secretariat of Tourism of Mexico. There are several residential developments currently underway in the area, in hopes that this will encourage an influx of new inhabitants. However, there is concern between actual inhabitants because of the great amount of buildings under construction, their altitude (that in some cases exceeds the one established by the law), the destruction of traditional Polanco houses and the fact that the new constructions may bring more traffic and some lacks on public services of the area (like the water supply).

President Masaryk Avenue

References

External links

[Polanco] official guide.
[Polanco] at the Mexico City Virtual Guide.

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