El Condado, Puerto Rico
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El Condado ("The County") refers to a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico just east of the historic colonial district of Old San Juan.
Its location close to historic Old San Juan, beaches, hotels and other attractions such as nightclubs, casinos, shops and restaurants make the district of El Condado a tourist destination which is often likened to Miami Beach.
El Condado experienced a boom at the turn of the century when some of the wealthiest families built their homes in the area. The Vanderbilts built a summer home in 1919 which today has been converted into the Condado Plaza, a luxury hotel. The Behn brothers, founders of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company which later spawned ITT, also built their home in the area as well as the bridge which honors their name, Two Brothers Bridge (Puente Dos Hermanos). The Two Brothers Bridge links El Condado to Old San Juan. Ashford Avenue, named after another well-known Condado resident Dr. Bailey Ashford, runs through the district and leads toward the Two Brother's Bridge.
The 1950s-60s saw another boom in El Condado, with the rapid industrialization of Puerto Rico, El Condado was becoming a popular tourist destination. Large hotels, mainly sponsored by the government as part of Operation Bootstrap where built. These included the Caribe Hilton, and La Concha hotels. A convention center was built which hosted many activities. Many Puerto Rican families started to move into the area. As more and more people started to move into the area, high-rising apartment buildings started to be built.
Today, El Condado looks quite different from what it did at the turn of the century. Some of the luxurious homes which still remain nestled between the high-rise condominiums have been converted into hotels, shops, museums or restaurants. Dr. Bailey Ashford's home has been remodeled and there are plans in turning it into a museum.
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International celebrities are often sighted in the area, as well as well-known Puerto Ricans who have called El Condado home - José Miguel Agrelot, and Lourdes Chacon (sister of the also famous dancer Iris Chacon) are among them. Marvin Hagler was sighted vacationing there in 1983 after his fight against Roberto Duran. Today it is also common to see couples taking strolls down "El Paseo de Don Juan", a sea side road to enjoy the sunset and children playing in some of the many parks in the area.
El Condado has also been the scene of tragedies such as the Karl Wallenda televised tight rope fall in 1978, and the Dupont Plaza Hotel fire which killed 97 people on December 31, 1986.
El Condado's success as a popular residential and tourist spot is taking a toll in the infrastructure and residents. While properties in El Condado tend to be expensive, it is also often traffic congested and residents have to contend with high noise levels even at late hours due to the nightclubs and other attractions. Plans are currently underway to attempt to alleviate the traffic congestion with the construction of new bridges, demolition of the convention center to make way for a park which leads to the sea (A newer bigger convention center with better access is being built just outside of the district) and other projects such as the "Condado Beach Trio" which aims to restore historic hotels, among these the Condado Plaza and La Concha hotel.