Our neighborhood in Santo Domingo

 It is easy to see what our neighborhood used to look like. It was a neighborhood of nice single family homes. Over the last 18 months a good number of them have been sold and torn down to make room for apartment buildings

This is the lot just several doors east of our apartment building. It was a single family home until just lately. How it is a hugh hole in the ground. There will be three apartment buildings built on this lot. Each building will be from 11 to 13 stories tall. They dig straight down 30 plus feet on the inside of the existing fence.

The trucks are lined up on our street to haul the coral rock and dirt away. It is mostly coral that has to be broken up and then loaded.

Once the hole is cleaned out a crew moves in to set up for the construction.

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The cement pillars and then cement floors on each level go in.

Cranes often move in to help get the building materials to the top.

The walls consist of blocks laid  in place and then stuccoed over. 

Another view of a building under construction.

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This lot was just a hole in the ground when we arrived and we have watched this building each step of  the way. It is now finished and ready for occupancy.

There are some large apartment buildings in Santo Domingo.

This apartment building is just across from the Casa de Huespedes next to the Temple. The Area Presidency and several of the non-native church employees live in this building.