At the edge of Costa del Este, in a coastal section also referred to by real estate developers as Costa del Mar, one of the area’s most striking new residential projects is currently taking shape: Ipanema Waterfront Residences.
Anyone driving along Corredor Sur can easily follow the progress of construction. Work is still underway on the two residential towers, but parts of the outdoor areas are already beginning to take shape. Green areas and the first landscaping elements indicate that the project is intended to be more than simply two additional high-rise buildings. A currently rather unattractive stretch of coastline is planned to become part of an extensively designed residential and leisure environment.
Apartments from 63 square metres
Ipanema consists of two residential towers directly on Bahía de Panamá. According to the developer, apartments with one, two or three bedrooms are being offered.
The floor plans currently shown on the official project website range from 63 square metres to particularly large versions of 265 square metres. Regular models include one-bedroom units of 63, 73 and 85 square metres, two-bedroom apartments of 89, 90 or 100 square metres and several three-bedroom layouts ranging from 100 to 139 square metres. Larger layouts and a penthouse model are also offered.
The developer also provides an indication of pricing. GLP Properties currently advertises Ipanema apartments from approximately US$280,000 and states that only the final units remain available. Prices and availability may, of course, change during the continuing sales process.
Around 5,000 square metres for leisure and recreation
A central part of the project is its common and recreational areas. The official project information refers to approximately 5,000 square metres of amenities.
These include an extensive pool landscape. GLP describes the main pool as the largest private pool in Panama City. Other facilities listed include a 50-metre swimming area, wellness and spa facilities, fitness, spinning, TRX and boxing training as well as a running track.
The wider leisure offering is also unusually extensive. The project lists a private cinema, tennis court, two basketball courts, two football fields, a sports bar, BBQ area, fire pits and different recreational and lounge areas for adults, teenagers and children.
The most distinctive feature, however, is located directly on the coastline.
A private man-made beach on Bahía de Panamá
Ipanema’s visualisations show a private man-made beach with a light-coloured sandy area in front of the landscaped leisure facilities. Between the sand and the water, the renderings show a substantial shoreline reinforcement made from large natural rocks.
The beach therefore forms part of the private recreational and landscaped waterfront area. Together with the pool, sunbathing areas, landscaping and views across the bay, the development is intended to create a resort-style atmosphere.
At this location, Bahía de Panamá presents a very different appearance depending on the tide. At high tide, the water dominates the view across the bay. At low tide, because of the extremely shallow coastline, the water retreats a long way and large areas of exposed mud become visible.
The design and long-term maintenance of the areas directly along the water will therefore be particularly important to the overall appearance of the development.
First challenge: waste in the bay
This brings into focus one characteristic of the location that naturally does not appear in the project renderings.
Waste in the rivers and coastal areas of Bahía de Panamá has been documented for years. A substantial amount enters the bay through rivers crossing the metropolitan area. Río Abajo reaches the bay in the surrounding coastal area, while Río Matías Hernández enters the bay farther east.
Government agencies and scientific research have repeatedly documented pollution affecting these and other urban rivers. Research on plastic pollution along Panama’s coasts also indicates that, in addition to human sources, tides, waves and other coastal dynamics can influence the distribution of plastic and other marine debris.
The problem is recognised, and several measures are now being implemented. Río Abajo, Río Matías Hernández and Río Juan Díaz form part of Proyecto Siete Cuencas, which aims to intercept solid waste in the rivers before it reaches Bahía de Panamá. Cleaning and rehabilitation measures are also being carried out along Río Abajo and the surrounding coastline.
For Ipanema, it will therefore be interesting to see how much ongoing cleaning and maintenance will be required for the man-made beach and, in particular, the shoreline reinforcement immediately in front of it.
Second challenge: Corredor Sur
The second challenge can already be heard today: Ipanema is located immediately beside Corredor Sur.
The expressway is one of Panama City’s most important traffic arteries. Cars, buses, trucks and particularly motorcycles therefore create a clearly noticeable level of traffic noise.
Environmental studies also show that traffic noise is a real issue in this area. One study with measuring locations including Costa del Este and areas immediately adjacent to Corredor Sur recorded maximum noise levels of 70 to 80 dBA during the day and 60 to 70 dBA at night. These figures are not measurements taken directly at Ipanema, but they provide an indication of the documented traffic-noise levels in the surrounding urban area.
In addition, the Estudio de Impacto Ambiental Categoría II “AMPLIACIÓN DE LOS ENTRONQUES COSTA DEL ESTE E HIPÓDROMO – CORREDOR SUR” included a separate environmental-noise measurement carried out directly at Entronque Costa del Este in April 2021. Noise conditions were therefore also specifically examined at the Corredor Sur interchange serving Costa del Este.
How strongly traffic will be perceived inside the future apartments will depend on numerous factors, including distance, building orientation and acoustic insulation. The situation in the outdoor areas may be particularly interesting. A major part of the Ipanema concept is precisely about spending time outside – by the pool, on the sun terraces, in the landscaped areas or on the man-made beach. How noticeable Corredor Sur will be acoustically in these spaces can only be assessed reliably after completion.
A currently unattractive stretch of coastline is changing
Waste in the bay and traffic noise are two challenges associated with the location. They do not change the fact that Ipanema has the potential to substantially improve a currently unattractive stretch of coastline.
One positive feature is already visible during construction: work is not limited to the two towers. Parts of the landscaped areas can already be seen from Corredor Sur. Green areas and landscaping works provide an initial indication of how substantially the appearance of this area may change.
The combination of apartments in different sizes, unusually extensive shared facilities, a large pool landscape, green areas and a private man-made beach makes Ipanema an interesting project for Costa del Este.
Whether the completed development will match the expectations created by the renderings, how the man-made beach will perform in everyday use and how residents will experience the immediate proximity of Corredor Sur cannot yet be answered.
That is precisely why the development will be worth following. One thing is already apparent: more than just another high-rise development is taking shape at this edge of Costa del Este.
Additional sources
The primary source for the project is listed below this article. For the assessment of individual aspects, the following additional sources were consulted: Ministerio de Ambiente de Panamá (MiAmbiente) – Saneamiento de la parte baja de la cuenca del río Abajo, Ministerio de Ambiente de Panamá (MiAmbiente) / Marea Verde – Proyecto Siete Cuencas, Distribution of Plastic Debris in the Pacific and Caribbean Beaches of Panama, an environmental study with noise measurements in Costa del Este and areas adjacent to Corredor Sur, as well as the Estudio de Impacto Ambiental Categoría II “AMPLIACIÓN DE LOS ENTRONQUES COSTA DEL ESTE E HIPÓDROMO – CORREDOR SUR”.
Relevance: Ipanema illustrates how Costa del Este continues to develop and how previously unattractive coastal areas are being incorporated into high-end residential and recreational projects. For prospective property buyers, apartment prices, sizes and extensive common facilities are relevant alongside two important location factors: the immediate waterfront setting and the proximity of Corredor Sur.
