Progreso's Malecon Has a New Face

When I first moved here eight years ago, I kept hearing expats saying that Progreso was going to be the next “Playa” and I was excited that I was going to be in the thick of it ! “Playa” referred to Playa del Carmen on the Mexican Riviera. What so many people had discovered many years ago as a quaint and charming  fishing town is now a bustling playground to many Europeans and North Americans, full of all inclusive resorts, great shops and and swanky hotels and bars. Still a great place to go have fun, but not a place I want to live !



Now that the malecon has been redone, I’ve started hearing the rumors again – “it’s gearing up for big changes !” Personally, I don’t think so. The powers that be in Progreso are the ones who decide the future of Progreso, and I don’t think that they want to give up control of their town. And that’s just fine with me ! Of course when foreigners buy property here, it usually looks spruced up and definitely improves the town and motivates others to paint and pretty up their homes too. This is definitely a good thing, but Progreso is still very Mexican,  the pretty juxtaposed with the gritty. Away from the downtown area, not all the streets have signs and not all the streets are paved. These are things that attracted many of us to live here in the first place.

 Merida is rapidly expanding and most of the new upper income areas that are sprouting up are doing so in the north part. In 10 years, I think Merida will be rubbing shoulders with Progreso and many people insist it will happen is less time than that. So I guess it depends on how you want to see it – will Progreso change … or will Merida just try to get closer to Progreso’s ocean front and fresh air ?

The new  malecon is now blessed with better lighting, public showers and more palm trees. The added palm trees definitely won me over ! The park is now looking much prettier and has been renamed “Parque de la Paz”.  The two park-like settings at each end of the malecon definitely make the area more inviting and  fresh.