Polanco, Mexico City

Polanco
View of Polanco neighborhood with part of Chapultepec Park in the forefront. View of Polanco neighborhood with part of Chapultepec Park in the forefront.
Location of Mexico City in south central Mexico
Website	http://www.polanco-online.com.mx

Shopping mall 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 seven official neighborhoods ("colonias") in Mexico City, 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.

History

The Domit House on Castelar Street

Older house wedged between two apt buildings

Polanco was developed in 1937 by the Aleman family, the same developers of Ciudad Satélite and San José Insurgentes districts, in the land that was originally the Hacieda de los Morales, just north of Molino del Rey town and Bosque de Chapultepec. The first area to be built was the one that is now called Polanco Reforma and lies just north of Paseo de la Reforma, the entrance to the new neighborhood was signed by a tile obelisc facing Reforma. In those days, there were only mansions surrounded by gardens and tree lined streets. By the 60's the first department store arrived to the neighborhood, forever transforming the face of Polanco. In the 70's the last piece of land to be developed was sold, the triangle of Ejército Nacional, Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca and Periférico, where no stand-alone housing was built, only apartment buildings. The 1985 earthquake reshaped the city layout, and Polanco was no exception; restaurants, embassies, boutiques and corporate business slowly moved from Zona Rosa and found a great new home in Polanco. Suddenly big houses were torn down and new buildings were erected instead. The old inhabitants moved to neighborhoods such as Bosques de las Lomas and Tecamachalco. Today Polanco is facing a challenge. Land price is one of the most expensive in the city, as city rules forbid skyscrapers in the area. There are few big mansions remaining which are protected by INBA, therefore large building projects can not be undertaken like the ones in Lomas de Chapultepec, or Santa Fe, two areas which have an edge on attracting new inhabitants.

Architecture

Centro Comercial Antara Polanco shopping centre

Shops on Masaryk Street in a Colonial Californiano building

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 "Colonial Californiano", inspired by the Mission Revival Style in the Southwestern United States, with pseudo-baroque quarry windows, 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 replaced with new buildings.

Inhabitants

Polanco is notable because of its cultural diversity. This neighborhood has historically been preferred by the descendants of Jewish, Lebanese, Germans and Spanish immigrants. It is also notable because it is considered to be an expensive neighborhood with wealthy inhabitants, including celebrities, artists and politicians. The neighborhood is also populated with expensive offices, restaurants and shops.

Today

Polanco is nowadays to the city what Zona Rosa was in the 1960s. It is one of the most active areas with upscale hotels, including the Presidente Intercontinental, JW Marriott, W hotel, Nikko and Camino Real; restaurants; and shopping malls, including Antara Polanco, Plaza Moliere 222 and Pabellón Polanco, as well as embassies, art galleries and government offices. It houses the offices of international organizations such as the UN, OAS, Inter-American Development Bank, Pan American Health Organization and the OECD Mexico Centre, and the offices of many corporations, including Coca Cola. There are several residential developments currently underway in the area, in hopes that this will encourage an influx of new inhabitants.

President Masaryk Avenue

Main article: Avenida Presidente Masaryk

The highest-priced street in México. It is the street with the most upscale boutiques in Mexico City. It is compared by some to LA's Rodeo Drive or New York City's 5th Avenue. The Avenue is named after the first President of Czechoslovakia Tomáš Masaryk.

Shops include Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Chanel, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tiffany & Co., DKNY, Ermenegildo Zegna, Bulgari, Chopard, Gucci, Hermés, Etro, Roberto Cavalli, Burberry, Frette, Max Mara, Corneliani, and Hugo Boss.

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  Traffic circle at Masaryk and Arquimedes
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  Corner of Masaryk and Dumas streets
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  Sidewalk outside of upscale mall on Masaryk
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  Section of Masaryk near Lafontaine

Other photos

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  Clock tower at western edge of Lincoln Park
• 
  Older house on Urbina street. Behind it is a multi-story skyscraper
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  Bike path in Lincoln Park
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  Artificial pond in Lincoln Park
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  House at corner of Reforma and Julio Verne at entrance to Polanco

See also

• List of leading shopping streets and districts by city

External links

• Polanco official guide.
• Polanco at the Mexico City Virtual Guide.