Presidente Cordova
About this development
Presidente Cordova is a heritage rehabilitation in El Vado, one of the oldest barrios in Cuenca's historic center. The building is early-twentieth-century vernacular architecture and sits on the city's heritage inventory, so the work here is restoration rather than construction: wooden floors, mural-painted ceilings, carpentry and balconies are being recovered, and the original adobe and bahareque structure is being repaired in place rather than replaced. Nine units are organised around a central patio, with communal terraces above it. Two are ground-floor commercial locales; the other seven are apartments of one and two bedrooms, from compact mezzanine lofts to larger two-bedroom homes. The Cruz del Vado, San Francisco and the Mercado 10 de Agosto are all a short walk away, as is the Tomebamba River. An elevator serves every floor.
Cuenca's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is a polite way of saying you can't knock much down and you can't put much up. Mostly that's a good thing. It also means the projects worth looking at down there aren't new towers, they're old houses being brought back, and Presidente Cordova is one of those.
The building is an early-1900s house in El Vado, the barrio that drops down toward the river on the western edge of the centro. It's on the city's heritage inventory, so the restoration is supervised and the original fabric has to survive it. Wooden floors, carpentry, balconies and the painted murals on the ceilings are being recovered rather than reproduced, and the adobe and bahareque walls are being repaired where they stand. If you have ever wondered what is behind the plaster on these old streets, this is it.
Nine units sit around a central patio, with communal terraces above and rooftops in every direction. Two are ground-floor commercial locales. The rest are homes, and they are deliberately not the same: a couple are compact lofts with a mezzanine bedroom over the living space, and the larger ones run to two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
An address, not just square meters
El Vado was a working barrio, all trades and bakeries and small shops, and a good deal of that is still there. The Cruz del Vado sits at the top of the street. San Francisco and the Mercado 10 de Agosto are a few minutes on foot, the river is closer than that, and an elevator serves every floor.
One thing to know before you fall for a floor plan: the two units with the large private terraces are both on the top floor, and both have already sold.
- ★ Heritage rehabilitation of an early-1900s house on the city heritage inventory
- ★ In El Vado, steps from the Cruz del Vado, San Francisco and the Mercado 10 de Agosto
- ★ Original wooden floors, mural-painted ceilings, carpentry and balconies recovered
- ★ Built around a central patio, with communal terraces above
- ★ Seven apartments and two ground-floor commercial locales, elevator to every floor
Building amenities
Availability by floor
| Unit | Type | Beds | Baths | Interior m² | Terrace m² | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local 01 | Commercial unit | – | – | 49.79 | – | $76,500 | Available |
| Local 02 | Commercial unit | – | – | 50.97 | – | $78,500 | Available |
| Departamento 01 | Apartment | 2 | 2 | 60.68 | – | $91,000 | Available |
| Departamento 02 | Apartment | 2 | 2 | 72.3 | – | $114,000 | Available |
| Unit | Type | Beds | Baths | Interior m² | Terrace m² | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Departamento 03 | Apartment | 1 | 1 | 37.2 | 3.22 | Sold | Sold |
| Departamento 04 | Apartment | 2 | 2 | 86.69 | 1.8 | $148,000 | Available |
| Departamento 05 | Apartment | 1 | 1 | 53 | 3.9 | Sold | Sold |
| Unit | Type | Beds | Baths | Interior m² | Terrace m² | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Departamento 06 | Apartment | 1 | 1 | 67.3 | 28.02 | Sold | Sold |
| Departamento 07 | Apartment | 1 | 1 | 48.33 | 27.51 | Sold | Sold |
Total areas may include storage and parking per the developer's table.
How it is paid
- Reservation On reservation, in addition to the purchase price$5,000
- Down payment On signing the purchase promise30%
- Construction installments In installments through construction65%
- On handover When the unit is handed over3%
- On deed At signing of the deed2%
The $5,000 reservation is paid on top of the purchase price and is not credited against the down payment. Indicative and subject to written approval by the developer; confirm the installment schedule per unit before making an offer.
El Vado map.
El Vado, Cuenca