The mayor of San José, Johnny Araya, justified the construction of a technology park and a university center for technology training on Calvo cemetery, despite criticism from some sectors.
Araya said that the work would be part of a high-tech corridor in the area between La Sabana and Plan Víquez, parallel to the train line.
Historically, there have been industries that emerged in the heat of the Mercomún. Many industries that are now obsolete or that must be relocated,”
said Araya, who also explained that the Municipality of San José is looking to attract high-tech services to be installed in the corridor to boost economic development and promote jobs in the capital.
To this end, they’ll build the technology park and the university study center in a portion of the land that hasn’t been used in 20 years.
That lot has become in just vegetation (…) We tried to build the Olympic Village for the Central American Games and when we were about to start a trust with the approval by the Comptroller General, an appeal ended the project and that was when the Constitutional Court defined that the only way to use that land was through a law,”
said the Mayor.
The purpose of the work is to offer the space to high-tech companies that pay a fee to the municipality for land use.
Araya added that they have also received recommendations to accompany the technology park with at least one university.
The Government and Administration Commission of the Legislative Assembly are studying a bill that seeks to ensure that the land where the Calvo cemetery is located ceases to be a State domain, to become a patrimonial property. This would allow the Municipality of San José to use the land.