Hello Sue,

You wrote of a:-

>a large construction project going on close to what I
>think is the ambulance headquarters

That is the dialysis unit. There are often quite a few
ambulances there waiting to return their patients to their
homes.

>We could not tell what it is but it is being built in front of
>beautiful views

That construction project is well underway now, it is the
"Complexo Escolar do Alvito" ( the Alvito School Complex).

>Someone suggested it is going to be a huge shopping mall with
>hotel and watersports by the Obidos dam. I did not think it
>was big enough

You're right Sue, it is not big enough. The Plaza Oeste complex
is going to be a lot bigger than that. It's going to be in the
land adjoining the school, but the entrance is going to be back
towards Obidos a bit, nearer to the motorway.

>I wondered if you know anything more about the extent of the
>project and what it will contain.

The project has been mooted in the local papers many times over
the recent years. You can read full details of the complex in
the Plaza Oeste post I've just made to the blog. It's a much
needed and largely welcomed investment for the area. I think
you'll be impressed.

The aerial view I've posted there may make it clearer to you
where the Plaza Oeste complex is to be located.

sincerely,
David

Villa Apartment Rental with Pool and Tennis - Silver Coast.

Hi David,

Taking into account the recession, do you know if/when
the plaza oeste development will be finished?

Hello Audrey,

I think it's a case of "when" rather than "if". Many shopping
centre projects around the world are on hold pending a return
to growth. Not much point building a new shopping centre if
the prospect of renting the shop units is low.

Royal Obidos was also looking inactive for quite a while, but
since Christmas/New Year 2009/10 the Royal Obidos golf project
has become very active indeed with massive earth moving works
going on at the moment to create the golf course.

So, although I think there is good reason for the Plaza Oeste
developers to become more optimistic of growth in their
catchment area, there is little specific information, some
quoted below, which has so far found it's way into the media
on Plaza Oeste since the recession started to bite.

What is clear is that the opening date of 2011 which I gave
in my article on Plaza Oeste is now less likely.

In that article I quoted the promoters as saying that the
project would begin construction in the middle of 2009.

Yet in August 2009, the Gazeta das Caldas quoted the president
of the local "Junta de Gaeiras, Eduardo Silva" as saying that
"the project Plaza Oeste is planned to start works early next spring".

So that prediction of spring 2010 means it is should start about
now, but that is already nine months or more behind the previous
announcement.

Later in 2009, in the minutes of the meeting of the "Câmara
Municipal de Óbidos" of 16th December 2009 it is stated that
councillor Goreti Ferreira asked if the Plaza Oeste is going
ahead with the construction of the shopping centre and hotel.

The President of the Obidos council replied that the only
information he had was that the project is advancing. It's
implementation depended on the willingness of the entrepreneur.
However, he said that he had "unofficial knowledge that there
had been a redefinition with greater investment in the leisure
and tourism components."

That unofficial position is confirmed by a PDF document just
issued by "urbact.eu" in March of 2010 entitled "Learning from
troubled times: city reactions to economic crisis" which
discusses Obidos and three other cities.

URBACT is jointly financed by the European Union (European
Regional Development Fund) and the Member States.

In their document URBACT comment on the "slowdown or
re-sizing of some major urban projects" and they say:-

"Plaza Oeste, a shopping mall with a new approach focused
on landscape and leisure, is currently redefining its core
business."

Hope that helps.

sincerely,
David

More pictures of Plaza Oeste at:-

Plaza Oeste to have more leisure and tourism?

Thanks a lot!

Audrey