Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón | Architecture & Interior Design

It's awful that they're behind Esencia. Even worse that it's Astrid Díaz, who presented herself as a champion of sustainable development in Puerto Rico.

No to the Esencia project! No to the destruction of our resources! The beaches belong to the people. This project will have a negative impact on Puerto Ricans. No more! Our people can't take any more! Unless what you're trying to do is leave Puerto Rico without Puerto Ricans.

It's truly outrageous to see a Puerto Rican architecture firm involved in a project like this in Cabo Rojo. Even more so when, instead of being transparent, they're limiting comments and deleting the opinions of people who live here and are being affected. That's not professionalism; that's narrative control. If the project were as positive as they claim, they wouldn't need to silence the community. This development isn't happening in a vacuum. It's having real consequences: problems with water access, low water pressure, and legitimate concerns about the environmental impact, including mangroves and vulnerable species. There's also a very real fear of displacement for communities and the loss of spaces that have always been part of town life. What's most disappointing is that this is coming from Puerto Rican professionals—people who know perfectly well what these spaces mean to the people here. It's not just another project; it's a profound change in the life of a small town that didn't ask for this. As a resident of Cabo Rojo, this doesn't feel like development. It feels like an imposition. And trying to hide the opposition on social media only makes it more obvious. The decisions they're making speak not only to their work, but to their values. I'm leaving a comment here BECAUSE THEY'RE DELETING THEM ON THEIR PLATFORMS!! NO TO ESSENCE