Debate is Underway on the Use of Land in Reverted Areas of the Urban Project in Albrook
The Albrook urban plan, promoted by the Government on the land located behind the metro station, has generated questions from urban planners and community organizations, who consider that the initiative contradicts the land use established in Law 21 of 1997 for the reverted areas.
The Albrook urban renewal initiative in Panama’s reverted areas centers on a 50-hectare master plan targeting former Ministry of Public Works hangars and warehouses, requiring an estimated $7 million for its first phase. The project highlights ongoing debates regarding balancing high-density transit-oriented development with the preservation of Albrook’s legacy low-rise, green footprint.
Project and Land Use Details
- Location: Situated on a 50-hectare site behind the Albrook metro station, utilizing old government hangars and warehouses.
- Cost: Estimated at $7 million for the initial phase.
- Scope: Focuses on new road infrastructure, green area recovery, and land adaptation near public transit.
- Timeline: Scheduled to begin construction works around 2027, pending updates to the Metro Line 1 partial development plan.
Core Debate Factors
- Urban Density vs. Green Space: Residents and planners weigh the need for modern transport integration against protecting the low-density, tree-lined character unique to former U.S. canal military zones.
- Transit Integration: Maximizing land utility around heavy traffic nodes like the Albrook metro station, bus terminal, and domestic airport connections.
The urban renewal project that the Government is promoting in the Albrook area, called “Albrook Metropolitan District”, which is located on the land behind the Panama Metro station, has urban planners and community organizations on alert, who believe that the initiative does not comply with the land use established in Law 21 of 1997, which regulates the development of reverted areas. The concerns center on the interpretation of this regulation, which defines the permitted uses for the Albrook land. While the government is promoting a mixed-use project with institutional buildings, a commercial area, and a boulevard, urban planning specialists believe that the area where this plan would be developed is designated for job creation, a very specific category established by Law 21.
