Urban Design Visions for Aruba: San Nicolas

ORANJESTADURBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBASAN NICOLASURBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA

SAN NICOLASURBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIADepartment of City + Regional PlanningCPLN 760 Urban Design Studio Fall 2010

2 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6

1. INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS 19

2. CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN 35

3. SHORT-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN 53

4. LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN 75

5. REGIONAL AMENITIES STRUCTURE PLAN 91

6. CONCLUSIONS + RECOMMENDATIONS 115

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PENNDESIGN 122

STUDIO FACULTY + PARTICIPANTS 123


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe Urban Design Vision Plan for San Nicolas was prepared by students in an Urban Design Studio at the University

of Pennsylvania’s Department of City and Regional Planning during Fall Semester 2010. Students in the Departments

of City Planning and Landscape Architecture were responsible for the production of the studio work, with guidance

from their instructor team of Michael Larice, Gary Hack and Jonathan Fogelson. A team of students, recent

graduates, and instructors were responsible for producing this document, which was largely designed and laid out

by Ben Bryant. Special thanks to Sarah Marks and Hannah Bryant, who helped edit and proofread the documents.

The studio was jointly funded by the Government of Aruba, the American Planning Association, and the School of

Design at the University of Pennsylvania. We are grateful to these institutions and their staffs for their generous

support of the studio, as well as their assistance in public charrettes, site tours, client meetings, and public

presentations. We are particularly thankful for the tireless work of Daphne Every from the Aruba Monuments Bureau

and John Reinhardt from the American Planning Association without whose help the studio would not have been

possible. We appreciate the guidance of the many Aruban residents, business owners, and officials who took the

time to engage us in the Aruba workshops and final presentation in Philadelphia. We are grateful to the Oranjestad

Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center for their hospitality and accommodation.

The students and faculty would like to thank the following people and organizations who contributed to the success of the studio:

GOVERNMENT OF ARUBA

Mr. Mike Eman Prime Minister

Mr. Oslin (Benny) Sevinger Minister of Integration, Infrastructure and Environment

Ms. Jocelyne Croes Minister Plenipotentiary

Mr. Emil Herde Advisor to the Minister, Infrastructure Advisory Team Member

Mr. Fredric Every Chief of Staff, Ministry of Integration, Infrastructure and Environment

Ms. Daphne Every Landscape Architect, Aruba Monuments Bureau

5URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - SAN NICOLAS

THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION

Mr. Paul Farmer Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. John Reinhardt Program Manager

Mr. Thomas Bassett Program Associate

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - PENNDESIGN

Ms. Marilyn Jordan Taylor Dean, School of Design

Mr. Chris Cataldo Director of Finance and Administration

Ms. Christine Reid Business Administrator

Ms. Kate Daniel Dept. Coordinator, City and Regional Planning

Ms. Roslynne Carter Admin. Assistant, City and Regional Planning

Ms. Stacy Ritchey Operations Assistant, Office of Operations

Mr. Karl Wellman Director of Operations, Office of Operations

STUDIO CRITICS

Ms. Patty West Landscape Designer, Andropogon Associates, Ltd.

Ms. Susan K. Weiler Partner, The Olin Studio

Prof. Harris Steinberg Director, Penn Praxis, PennDesign

Prof. John Landis Chair, City and Regional Planning, PennDesign

Prof. Laura Wolf Powers Assistant Professor, PennDesign

Prof. Domenic Vitiello Assistant Professor, PennDesign

Prof. Michael Nairn Adjunct Instructor, PennDesign / Urban Studies

Mr. John Robinson PhD Candidate, PennDesign

Prof. David Gouverneur Assistant Professor, PennDesign

Prof. Witold Rybczynski Professor, PennDesign & the Wharton School

Ms. Catherine Bonier PhD Candidate, PennDesign


INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS

This Urban Design Vision Plan is the result of

collaboration between an urban design studio at the

University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, the

Government of Aruba, and the American Planning

Association. The primary objectives of the studio

were educational; to expose and engage students in

urban design issues and skills building exercises that

could help prepare them for future careers in urban

design and planning. The team from UPenn toured

the island and then broke into two groups; with 8

students focusing on San Nicolas and 13 students

focusing on Oranjestad. They took the results of two

Renobacion Urbano workshops and charrettes and

began their analysis of the two cities. After collecting

data and meeting with key stakeholders they returned

to Philadelphia to produce the Vision Plan you see

in front of you. Through first hand observation and

experience, research, and interviews the following

challenges and opportunities were identified for San

Nicolas.

RETAIL TROUBLES – San Nicolas has a shortage of

both local and tourist-driven retail.

NEGLECTED PUBLIC REALM – Much of the public

realm of downtown San Nicolas is under-developed

and unfriendly.

RED LIGHT DISTRICT- Currently, there is no specialized

district for adult entertainment in San Nicolas nor are

there any specific signage regulations being enforced.

LAND VACANCY - Both retail and housing vacancies are

challenges for San Nicolas and the region. There are

many vacant parcels in downtown San Nicolas, and they

are an impediment to creating a safe, vibrant downtown.

ACCESS AND CIRCULATION - Downtown San Nicolas is

extremely disjointed from the ocean. There is virtually

no pedestrian or bicycle connection from the downtown

to any of the beaches as well.

RENOVATION OF BABY AND RODGERS BEACH - The

beaches and adjacent recreational facilities are in need

of substantial restoration.

FRAGMENTED NEIGHBORHOODS - There are many

neighborhoods around the periphery of downtown San

Nicolas. These neighborhoods are fragmented from each

other by environmental barriers, a lack of infrastructure,

and disjointed road networks.

FLOODING – Stormwater infrastructure to deal with even

moderate rain events is poor.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

7URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - SAN NICOLAS

UNCERTAINTY OF REFINERY - San Nicolas was developed

around the refinery as its sole economic basis, but

the refinery has scaled back and repeatedly ceased

operations. Although the refinery is scheduled to come

back online within the year, its long-term viability is still

in question.

REMEDIATION - Much of the areas within and around the

Valero lands have been cleaned up, but there is still the

possibility of soil and water contamination.

TOURISM - Over seventy percent of Aruba’s GDP is

based on tourism, yet most tourists don’t even know

San Nicolas exists. Currently, very few tourists visit San

Nicolas and only do so on day trips to Charlie’s Bar, the

beaches, or adult entertainment venues.

NATURAL ASSETS - The existing natural assets of Seroe

Colorado are one of San Nicolas’ greatest opportunities.

However, many of these landscapes are in need of

restoration or at least careful management.

CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN

Several vision statements and design principles emanated

out of the analysis of San Nicolas and are supported

by the results of the Renobacion Urbano II workshop.

These Vision Statements should be the guiding direction

of future planning and implementation, while Design

Principles provide educational ideas for achieving the

visions. Five vision statements guided our work in San

Nicolas.

Each of these vision statements is supported by several

related design principles. The San Nicolas Vision Plan

applies each of these to the various urban components

that make up the plan’s proposals. Collectively these

proposals are presented in a Citywide Structure Plan

diagram.

VISION 1 - NEW MODEL FOR TOURISM: San Nicolas’

tourist economy will emphasize both natural resources

and cultural assets. Design Principles: 1.1 Infill

development can emphasize culture and heritage

tourism. 1.2 Eco-tourism development can be used to

preserve the existing ecologies of San Nicolas. 1.3 Making

amenities accessible to both locals and tourists can

provide for greater diversity and economic sustainability.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010

VISION 2 - CONNECTED NEIGHBORHOODS: The people

of San Nicolas will be connected to valued places

and communities. Design Principles: 2.1 Connecting

downtown San Nicolas with the ocean can provide

new cultural and economic opportunities for the

city. 2.2 Meaningful infill development can connect

neighborhoods. 2.3 Developing and enforcing growth

boundaries can ensure neighborhood density. 2.4 Multi-

modal transit can make neighborhoods more accessible.

2.5 Neighborhood centers can be established as sites of

social interaction.

VISION 3 - A REGIONAL PARK SYSTEM AND ECOLOGICAL NETWORK: A park system for the San Nicolas region will

protect existing natural resources and restore degraded

ecosystems. Design Principles: 3.1 New parks can be

created by restoring natural areas in the region. 3.2 Linking parks and natural areas together can create a

more accessible and resilient ecological network. 3.3 The use of native and drought resistant plant species can

help conserve water resources and reinforce the natural

identity of the island.

VISION 4 - ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AND DEVELOPMENT: The refinery site will become a catalyst for new

opportunity in the San Nicolas region. Design Principles: 4.1 Remediating the site with ecologically regenerative

plant life and integrated landscape systems can provide

a cost-effective long-term solution to soil contamination.

4.2 Future public works projects can be designed around

existing refinery infrastructure to minimize inputs

and costs. 4.3 Transferring designated land to other

parties can reconnect the Valero lands to the rest of the

region. 4.4 Repurposing land for a variety of uses can

provide greater economic diversity for the region. 4.5 Sustainability planning can help reduce the ecological

footprint of new development of the refinery and provide

suggestions for more appropriate design solutions.

VISION 5 - A DOWNTOWN FOR EVERYONE: San Nicolas

will be a revitalized, imageable, and vibrant place that

attracts both residents and tourists. Design Principles: 5.1 A vibrant downtown can attract culture and heritage

tourists to its unique character and amenities. 5.2 Designating special zones for red light uses can ensure

safety and comfort for all downtown users. 5.3 Creating

strong visual connections and wayfinding signage can

orient visitors and support easier navigation for tourists. 5.4 Providing a downtown transportation system

that connects attractions and amenities can increase

connectivity and access for tourists and locals. 5.5 Encouraging strong local retail and community amenities

can strengthen the regional economy.

The San Nicolas Citywide Structure Plan is a physical

diagram that shows the arrangement of key proposed

elements of the city organized collectively in a

framework for development. Its timeline is long-term;

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - SAN NICOLAS

however, many of the projects can be started right now.

The aims of the proposals are to connect the entire

region and provide new economic support for the area.

CONNECTIVITY: The regional plan provides a framework

for increased connectivity between downtown San

Nicolas, adjacent neighborhoods, and the waterfront.

This can be achieved through new road, bicycle, and

pedestrian networks.

ECONOMIC DIVERSITY: The downtown proposals focus

on a new civic center and marketplace, a revitalized

main street, local-serving infill and retail, and a new

downtown commercial center. Within the regional

scale, the proposals focus on larger, long-term economic

development strategies, including a cruise ship terminal,

resorts, and a new institutional center.

LANDSCAPE SYSTEMS: The plan proposes a land

banking strategy for the areas around the periphery of

the refinery. The refinery lands will also be converted

to a number of different ecological uses, including a

tree nursery, a water treatment park, a recreational

adventure park, and a phytoremediation field.

SHORT-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN

The short-term structure plan consists of proposals that

can be implemented quickly and completed within three

to five years. The themes of the short-term structure

plan are revitalization, regeneration, and economic

recovery. Its goal is to infuse San Nicolas with catalytic

energy that spurs a multiplying effect within the town’s

economy, cultural capital, and social capital. All of these

proposals seek to revitalize the downtown district of

San Nicolas through infill development, streetscaping,

and public realm improvements. Our goals for the

downtown entail: creating a new public park and market

in the center of town, improving retail opportunities

through the creation of a new art and shopping district,

consolidating red light entertainment into a single

district, and creating pedestrian streets and a new

neighborhood locus in the Village.

A NEW CIVIC CENTER INITIATIVE - The new civic center

provides a locus for downtown San Nicolas. The site will

include a market plaza with as well as shaded outdoor

seating space. One market building will act as a stage for

performances in the market square or park. A large park,

consisting of a flexible civic lawn, is also planned around

the existing residential and historic buildings. Around the

park is a tree-lined promenade, and a small playground.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


The civic core is also framed by infill of various uses,

including new housing, a museum, and other institutional

buildings.

A REDEVELOPED DOWNTOWN ART AND SHOPPING DISTRICT- Economic instability has resulted in a dying

shopping district with high vacancy. This proposal is

also based on providing a new anchor for the area: the

Gerrit Rietveld Art Academy, a design school based in

The Netherlands. This school will provide the catalyst

for the district, bringing new users to struggling shops.

The new shopping district will also build off a revitalized

public realm. The existing Art Deco building stock could

provide a unique shopping experience and sense of place.

Paving patterns will be used as wayfinding and structural

elements for streets, plazas, and intersections in the art

and shopping district. New street furniture, street trees,

and ornamental vegetation will also be added.

A REIMAGINED ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT - This proposal

retains the red light uses in San Nicolas within an

autonomous district located along Rembrandtstraat, and

redevelops Main Street as an entertainment district.

The adult entertainment district will have public realm

improvements such as trees, seating, decorative lighting,

and exterior building improvements. The area should be

converted to pedestrian only access. The streetscaping

improvements provide an opportunity to link the public

realm between the shopping and entertainment districts.

The Main Street and adult entertainment district will

be terminated at both ends by large hotels. These two

hotels will bring a much needed density of tourists

directly into downtown San Nicolas.

A RENEWED VILLAGE - This neighborhood improvement

demonstration project concerns the regeneration

of existing neighborhoods in terms of physical

infrastructure, social capital, and economy. A

neighborhood commons, built around the existing public

basketball court, is the centerpiece of this plan. A

canopy of trees offers shade, and raised planters with

integrated seating create an amphitheater around the

basketball court, which can double as a performance

area. Side streets in the Village will be converted into

woonerfs, a Dutch design concept for shared streets.

Infill development will replace “missing teeth” in the

Village with new housing, boutique-scaled retail, and

community space. This infill development will also

continue local building traditions in order to harmonize

with the Village’s existing fabric.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN

LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY

- The downtown long-term structure plan strategy

proposes two key overarching ideas. First, future

development on the south side of the island should

be concentrated around a new waterfront core for

the city. The commercial, institutional, residential,

and tourist development that might accompany such

a waterfront would increase traffic flow and energy

in the downtown in a move to revitalize San Nicolas.

Second, future development around San Nicolas should

include shaded, walkable public space and direct public

access to the waterfront and other amenities. Creating

an urban waterfront that is truly open to and used by

the public is essential for the people of Aruba. The

San Nicolas waterfront could provide necessary public

access and create a new and unique experience on the

island of Aruba while still maintaining a distinctly Aruban

character.

The long-term downtown structure plan shows a

potential expansion of the downtown directly to the

water and toward the south-east and Seroe Colorado.

The proposed development includes: a public harbor

connecting downtown San Nicolas to the water; a cruise

ship terminal; an education and research campus; an

Aruba welcome center; an energy museum; a marina; a

regional public recreation and regenerative landscape

network; hotel, rental-condo, middle-income, and

student residential space; commercial space for

shopping, restaurants, bars and cafés, as well as light

industrial and production areas; athletic fields; a

public beach; a look-out pavilion; and a performance

amphitheater.

CIRCULATION STRATEGY - The circulation strategy for

the expanded downtown seeks to address the current

conditions and allow for new opportunities within and

around the Valero lands. The location of the oil refinery

poses several circulation constraints; New circulation

systems can be used to connect catalytic developments

to the east and south of the existing downtown. A new

road acts as a throughway from the shopping district

through the entertainment and university districts to

beaches and other recreational facilities to the east.

Circulation in the new university district will also

extend existing streets from the Village to the east and

encourage linkages to recreation and downtown.

LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY - When the

oil refinery eventually goes offline, development to the

south of San Nicolas will finally connect the city to the

water. Construction of an inviting public space between

the town and the ocean can begin soon after the refinery

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


closes down. Docks located on the refinery lands will be

converted to hold passenger cruise ships. Land near the

downtown will be designated for the future growth of San

Nicolas, including waterfront hotels and condominiums.

Land to the east of San Nicolas will become available

for new development opportunities. Such opportunities

include a new research and development campus for

renewable energy technologies.

A NEW DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT - Providing quality

public space to the people of San Nicolas is the primary

goal of the Downtown Waterfront proposal. The

waterfront access that is created by the new harbor is

framed by public space, which connects the new center

of downtown to the water through a series of public

plazas. This new waterfront development will provide a

density of residents and tourists large enough to support

greater economic development in the retail, service,

and hospitality sectors. The mouth of the harbor is

punctuated by a new cruise ship terminal building on

one side and a public look-out pavilion on the other. The

topography slopes gradually upward from the mouth to

the town, creating a slow, smooth grade upward for the

buildings and streets. As you reach the elevation of the

town, the ground levels, and both sides of the harbor

empty into a plaza framed by the Aruba welcome center

and the energy museum.

NEW DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND NODES -

Valero lands within the immediate vicinity of downtown

will be absorbed into the existing fabric of the city

and will be used to strengthen physical and social

linkages throughout the region. Much of the downtown

extension will be directed toward commercial and

institutional development. The cruise ship terminal,

campus, marina, residential neighborhoods, and public

space bring additional activity and energy to San

Nicolas. The residential area in the expanded downtown

waterfront area integrates tourist housing and amenities

into the city, creating a unique destination and a

lively neighborhood. The creation of a neighborhood

supporting the housing needs of students and faculty will

also be dovetailed into the existing downtown Village.

A NEW ANCHOR INSTITUTION AND MARINA - The

research and development center for renewable energy

technologies will be able to replace the oil refinery as

a large economic generator for the city. The research

and development campus has four main sections. On the

north end of the campus, single-family and multi-unit

apartments will be constructed to house faculty and

their families as well as students, visiting scholars and

scientists. South of the campus housing, will be a block

that acts as an intersection of residential, commercial

and institutional land uses. The campus will not only

conduct research on cutting edge energy technologies,

but also employ these new energy technologies in

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


the site design. The individual buildings of this part

of the campus will be connected on the second floor

by a network of walkways and awnings that integrate

solar panels into the shading structure. The southern

end of the campus allows for large-scale development

opportunities that take full advantage of its waterfront

location, as well as recreational fields and a marina.

REGIONAL AMENITIES STRUCTURE PLAN

GOALS / INTENSIONS - There are five main goals and

principles for the regional structure plan of the San

Nicolas Region. These five goals will work together to

create new opportunities for the region. They are: to

build a more diverse economy unique to the island;

to improve the access, circulation, and connectivity

of the region; to restore and reclaim valuable Aruban

landscapes; to provide new recreational opportunities;

and to achieve a more focused development.

The Regional Structure plan proposes the creation of a

new road network, based on the existing street system

that will allow for both more north/south and east/

west connections. In addition to this street network, a

new bicycle network is also proposed for the region. The

plan also addresses another element of connectivity and

circulation: ecological networks. Currently, the natural

areas in the San Nicolas Region are separated one from

another. The proposed regional bicycle network, which

will allow walkers and bikers to access the different

amenities of the region, will be a part of the larger

ecological network. Resort will also work to support this

network. This plan also calls for the restoration of the

recreational facilities at Baby and Rodgers Beaches and

Commanders Bay as well as the creation of a new Marina

adjacent to the downtown. The final goal of the regional

structure plan is to ensure a more focused development

in the region. Through the use of a greenbelt, the plan

proposes that all future development be concentrated in

already urbanized areas such as in the Downtown or at

Seroe Colorado.

RECREATION NETWORK STRATEGY - The creation of a

new regional park system and ecological network will

be valuable to the San Nicolas Region for a number of

reasons: It will re-knit the ecological fabric of the region,

create new recreational opportunities for residents and

guests, and reclaim valuable Aruban landscapes. By

linking these sites together with Arikok National Park

in an ecological network, there is opportunity to begin

to restore the San Nicolas Region. The restoration and

creation of new parks in the San Nicolas region will also

improve recreational opportunities for both residents and

guests. In this way, these new and restored recreational

opportunities will be both environmentally-savvy and

economically feasible.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


A NEW TYPE OF TOURISM + ADVENTURE CENTER - There

are three major structuring devices for Refinery Park:

the trail system and corridor that run through it, existing

infrastructure, and the need for ecological restoration.

The trail system and corridor are linear elements that

run through the park. Where practical, connections from

this trail system are made to elements within the park

and to the surrounding areas. Key infrastructure will be

retained in order to create a new dive center, a new

kayak center, fishing piers, a viewing tower with climbing

structure, and a new tourism and adventure center.

There are several key elements that this tourism and

adventure center should include, such as a visitor center,

hostel, and campground. Depending on availability of

space and financing, other elements such as a bicycle

rental shop, indoor climbing wall, skate park, cafes and

restaurants could be included. The natural landscape

is the final structuring device of Refinery Park. Based

largely on topography, the landscape should be restored

to begin to re-create a functioning ecosystem for the

region.

RE-IMAGINING A RESORT AND GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT - The remaking of this existing

resort proposal has the possibility of preserving the

extraordinary qualities of the place, without taking

anything away from the Aruban people or prospective

tourists. The main elements of the proposal are: a golf

course, resort development, ecological bike network,

and public park at Colorado Point. This project provides

two alternative proposals for maintaining public access

to Colorado point, while continuing to provide the

economic incentives of a new golf course development.

The first begins with the development program that is

currently on the table and makes a few adjustments to

increase public access to the waterfront and preserve

existing habitat. The second proposal moves about

half of the golf course holes inland to create a larger,

continuous publicly accessible park along the coast. The

goal of a shared public-private circulation system is to

increase public use of the golf course and resort, without

impeding golf course activities. The use of a shared cart,

pedestrian, and bicycle path would link the two public

parks on each end of the golf course, providing a safe

throughway for viewing the habitat preserves within the

golf course.

CREATING PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES - Much of

the refinery site outside of the immediate vicinity

of Downtown could be repurposed for productive

landscapes. Productive landscapes are landscapes that

perform active uses like agriculture, remediation, or

purification through biological processes. The refinery

site could provide two different types of productive

landscapes: a plant nursery/remediation project and a

water treatment plant/park. Both proposals combine

economic generators with restoration projects, creating

multi-functional, robust landscape systems. The nursery

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


would accomplish two goals: bio-remediating refinery

lands and growing native and ornamental vegetation for

the island. The second type, a water treatment facility,

uses the existing refinery infrastructure to collect, store,

and distribute fresh water to the region. This would not

only lessen pollution to the surrounding reefs, reduce

energy consumption on the island and but also provide

opportunity for job creation.

CONCLUSIONS + RECOMMENDATIONS

The Vision Plan for the San Nicolas region has

investigated opportunities and new ideas for revitalizing

the downtown, neighborhoods and environmental assets.

These visions were ultimately expressed in a series of

frameworks and proposals. They seek to create a new

identity for the city without losing the diversity of

existing city. The Urban Design Vision Plan for San Nicolas

suggests a series of structures and projects for the city.

These projects are meant to be instructional; They are

intended to give an idea of possibilities for a site or key

issue. These proposals do not represent a master plan,

but a diagrammatic structure of different moves. Many

of the projects show alternatives for achieving a desired

goal through a variety of means. The structure plans are

also meant to emphasize the range of possibilities for San

Nicolas in different time scales.

1. UNDERSTAND SAN NICOLAS’ ROLE IN NATION BUILDING - San Nicolas has the opportunity to re-cast

itself as a new international destination. New projects in

San Nicolas could be a chance for Aruba to brand itself

with a new approach to international development. San

Nicolas needs to recognize its potential as a world class

Aruban city, and the effect that substantial development

in the region would have in remaking the nation.

2. SOLIDIFY AND COMMUNICATE THE VISION REGULARLY

- San Nicolas is in the process of forming a new identity

for itself. The government and other key stakeholders

need to continue to solidify their long-term goals for

the region. After this vision has been structured, the

community needs to be continually informed in order to

promote common ownership of these visions.

3. CREATE CAPACITY FOR PLANNING AND CITY MANAGEMENT - In order to ensure the continued

success of any new project, San Nicolas needs a local

planning institution and staff. This will be essential to

implementing and maintaining projects of any scale.

The city is also in need of a City Manger that can be held

accountable for continued maintenance and oversight of

the public realm, land use, and urban design goals. This

will also help to ensure that projects are not shelved

every time there is a change in government leadership.

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4. INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES - San Nicolans have a strong culture of

organizing, and this should be utilized in the visioning

process. A community that feels engaged in the

vision-making for their city will feel more inspired to

participate in the project. An open dialogue between

the community and government also builds trust, which

will help strengthen long-term relationships between the

government and the residents.

5. DECIDE ON A POLICY FOR THE FUTURE OF THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN - The design interventions for

the short-term downtown structure plan hinge on a

number of different policy changes in the city. The

most significant of these policy changes would be the

extension of retail hours to allow shopping opportunities

for commuters returning from the north end of the island

and adjustments to the existing land use and zoning

policies to consolidate the red light uses into a single

district.

6. DETERMINE AN ECOLOGICAL AND LAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO PRESERVE VALUED RESOURCES - Many

goals of the long-term structure plan hinge upon

purchase, restoration, and management of large tracts of

land. The enforcement of existing growth boundaries and

development of a land banking strategy will also require

a greater institutional capacity for land management.

7. CLARIFY THE CITY’S CIRCULATION AND WAYFINDING SYSTEMS - Circulation and wayfinding is a major element

of nearly every area structure plan in San Nicolas.

A comprehensive plan for the long-term circulation

network should be discussed prior to establishing new

roads since the road network will likely influence

new patterns of development in areas that are poorly

accessible. The region is also in need of increased means

of pedestrian and bicycle circulation.

8. WORK WITH THE REFINERY TO ACCOMPLISH SHORT-TERM GOALS DURING OPERATION - Although most of

the visions for the Valero lands are long-term in scope,

there are projects that could begin prior to the complete

closure of the refinery. These may include the creation

of an access road through the refinery lands to increase

connectivity to the beaches and resorts and the starting

of on-site bioremediation.

9. WORK WITH KEY EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS IN CAMPUS PLANNING - The Urban Design Vision for San Nicolas

includes two new educational campuses in the city.

Local government needs to actively work with these

educational partners, the Gerrit Rietveld Academy

and the Delft University of Technology, to ensure new

institutions are mutually beneficial for all parties.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


10. UNDERSTAND THE REFINERY’S LONG-TERM ACTION PLAN - It is essential that local government and

community groups develop and implement a long-term

plan for the site as soon as possible. If this happens,

planners can take steps to implement projects as refinery

areas go offline, without having to wait for the total

closure of the site in order to begin a visioning and

implementation process.

11. PRIORITIZE AND IMPLEMENT NON-PATH DEPENDENT PROJECTS - There are still projects of multiple scales

that can be implemented in the short-term. These

include projects in the existing core of San Nicolas, as

well as restoration efforts at Baby and Rodgers Beach,

resort development, and circulation improvements

between the city and its periphery

12. ACCOMPLISH WHAT SEEMS EASIEST - In order to

stimulate interest in larger, more complex projects,

government officials should start with simple, quick, and

implementable projects. Public realm improvements

and demonstration projects are highly visible, and can

serve to bolster support for larger interventions. These

projects allow residents to understand what form their

visions are taking, furthering their potential ownership of

the plans.

URBAN DESIGN STUDIOS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

THE ARUBA URBAN DESIGN STUDIO

INTRODUCTION TO THE ISLAND + CITY

CITYWIDE CHALLENGES + OPPORTUNITIES

1INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS


CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDIO

URBAN DESIGN STUDIOS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

This Urban Design Vision Plan is the result of

collaboration between an urban design studio at the

University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, the

Government of Aruba, and the American Planning

Association. The studio was comprised of 21 city

planning and landscape architecture students, two

professors, and two assistant instructors. The primary

objectives of the studio were educational: to expose and

engage students in urban design issues and skills building

exercises that could help prepare them for future careers

in urban design and planning. Other than a handful of

students with undergraduate design experience, most of

the course participants had little previous experience in

studio project design. They came to this introductory

studio with prerequisite design knowledge, including

courses in design computing, urban design research

methods, neighborhood planning practice, and other

foundational city planning and landscape courses.

Parallel to these educational objectives, design goals

in our urban design studios typically take a pragmatic

and real-world approach to addressing challenges and

solving problems presented by our clients. Our studios

incorporate a wide variety of professional perspectives,

including development, economic, and political concerns.

Urban design at UPenn is typically explored through an

expansive sustainability filter, looking at the full panoply

of social, economic, and environmental issues.

The academic studio setting can provide our clients

with an opportunity to explore options and urban design

issues in a low-pressure / low-key manner that helps

to avoid potentially uncomfortable airing of issues and

design discussions in public. Studio products from UPenn

typically consist of formal presentations to the client,

coupled with a printed document that summarizes

studio outputs. Clients have the right to use the final

documents produced by the students as they see fit, with

no restriction on the right of UPenn or its students to

reproduce or use the work for personal or institutional

purposes. UPenn has a long history of client-funded

studios, which helps to differentiate it from other U.S.

urban design programs. As an academic studio, the

project had a final end date after which the students

departed and were not expected to further engage in the

studio project and deliverables. This is different from

standard project consulting, where consultants can be

retained over an extended period. Conference Participants from the June 2010 conference and workshop tour Oranjestad

The entrance of the Valero Oil Refinery in San Nicolas

21



THE ARUBA URBAN DESIGN STUDIO

In June 2010 the American Planning Association and

the Government of Aruba coordinated a conference

and workshop on the future vision of several areas

of central Oranjestad. The conference was attended

by academics and planning professionals from around

the world, government officials, and members of the

public. Two days of presentations on various urban

design and planning topics were followed by several

days of public workshops and presentations. At the

end of the conference, a set of recommendations

was made by the professional consultants about how

Aruba should move forward in planning the central

area of Oranjestad, including the development of a

coordinated vision and structure plan. In discussion

with the Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure

after the conference concluded, representatives from

UPenn´s School of Design agreed to hold a fall semester

urban design studio to address the production of this

document for Oranjestad, in addition to participating

in a 2nd Renobacion Urbano Conference and Workshop,

this time focusing on the town of San Nicolas. As with

the Oranjestad conference, the American Planning

Association took the lead on coordinating the Renobacion

Urbano II conference and producing a summary

document of that event, while UPenn took the lead on

producing the Urban Design Vision Plans for both cities of

Oranjestad and San Nicolas. This document is the vision

plan for Oranjestad.

The studio delegation from the University of Pennsylvania

arrived in Aruba for a 12 day orientation and site visit

during the second week of September 2010. After

touring the island on the first day, the team participated

in the Renobacion Urbano II Conference in San Nicolas,

which was held in a government building in the center

of town. Students and faculty presented on a variety of

topics, including: downtown entertainment districts,

neighborhood planning, sustainable environmental

issues, and industrial redevelopment. Within these

presentations, case study examples pertinent to

the issues of San Nicolas were presented to provide

inspiration and possibility. Lively discussion was joined

by conference attendees from the community and

government. On the second day of the conference a

public charrette was held with conference participants

to discuss key issues of interest, approaches to future

planning efforts, and design directions for several

geographical areas of San Nicolas. The results of the

charrette were presented to the public in San Nicolas

(after a dramatic rain delay) a couple of nights later.

Compared to the earlier Oranjestad conference, the San

Nicolas event was better attended by local residents and

was much livelier with impassioned debate and historical

frustrations rising through discussion. Despite early

Community members sharing thoughts and ideas during the San Nicolas charrette

Studio instructors, students and community members during the September trip to Aruba


CHAPTER 1

skepticism on the part of local participants, they left the

event with some degree of hope that the studio’s effort

would prove fruitful. Over the next week, those students

assigned to the San Nicolas Vision Plan toured a variety

of local sites, including the Valero Refinery, valued

environmental resources, neighborhoods, and business

areas. The data, context analysis and vision plan for San

Nicolas will be presented in a separate document from

this one, which focuses on central Oranjestad.

While 8 students continued to focus on San Nicolas

during the second week, 13 students were assigned to

Oranjestad and met with local officials, toured various

sites, and discussed the future of the central area with

local stakeholders. Students working on San Nicolas

were divided into two groups and focused their attention

on the historic downtown area (including the Village),

and regional /refinery conversion issues. In the second

week of the visit, students met with local stakeholders,

toured the refinery, looked at potential development

sites, and took tours of downtown areas. Throughout

the week, the studio was able to witness firsthand the

effects of heavy rain events on the city – seeing the

effects of rapid flooding, standing water, and ineffective

stormwater drainage. For both the San Nicolas and

Oranjestad students, the visit to Aruba helped foster a

change in the minds of some of the students. No longer

was this merely a studio about tourism opportunities on a

posh Caribbean island, but instead it became an exercise

in representing the needs of residents, solving real

problems on the island, and providing a workable vision.

On returning to Philadelphia, the real work of the studio

began. In the first weeks back, students undertook

a site and context analysis of both cities, identifying

key issues and challenges that would become the

prioritized problem statements for the studio. This was

presented to a small group of faculty at the University

of Pennsylvania, who provided comments and suggested

clarifications. This effort was then used as the base

information for creating vision statements and design

principles that would guide later design efforts. These

two exercises took the greater part of four weeks in the

studio before the students began work on group structure

plans for the various geographical areas where they had

previously chosen to work. Students worked in these

groups for the rest of the semester, breaking off to work

individually on specific sites within each group area. Each

student worked circularly between the group structure

plan scale and the individual site scale for a couple

weeks. At the midterm review in late October, the

students presented their structure plans for each of five

geographical areas in the two cities. The structure plans

for each city showed the collective changes suggested

by each group and indicated the design direction of

their individual projects as well. For the remainder of

the semester, groups and individuals worked with their

instructors to refine their ideas and designs.

Students from the University of Pennsylvania touring near Baby Beach outside of San Nicolas in September 2010

Students and studio instructors touring the caves of Arikok National Park

23



The final presentation took place in mid-December

in Philadelphia. It was attended by many of the

government officials who participated in both Renobacion

Urbano conferences, along with UPenn faculty, invited

guests, and design critics from around Philadelphia. The

presentations took place over two days. The first night

of the presentation provided a summary of the work

over the semester, highlighting both the process and the

products of the studio. This presentation was incredibly

well attended and began with comments from Dean

Marilyn Taylor, APA Director Paul Farmer, Minister Benny

Sevinger, and the studio instructors. Lively discussion

was followed by a reception and dinner for invited

guests. During the next day, the work from San Nicolas

was presented in the morning, followed by Oranjestad

in the afternoon. Coming into this presentation, a

good degree of skepticism existed on the part of the

client with respect to the ability of students to provide

professional level urban design suggestions that would

be taken seriously back on the island. Closing comments

suggested the studio had easily overcome these worries

and that the students had far exceeded expectations and

surprised our client. In early 2011, the work was hung

in an exhibition space in Oranjestad prior to a UPenn

delegation returning to Aruba to present the work in

March 2011.

The Aruba delegation, studio instructors and invited critics review final student projects at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia

Studio instructors and critics discuss student work from the final review


CHAPTER 1

SITE + CONTEXT ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION TO THE ISLAND + CITY

Located 27 kms north of Venezuela, the island nation

of Aruba is one of a string of islands that make up the

Leeward Antilles with Curaçao and Bonaire. As part of

the larger Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba is a 33 km

long island stretching roughly in a northwest to southeast

direction. The southern coast is anchored centrally by

the capital city of Oranjestad, with multi-national tourist

development on the northwest coast and industrial

refinery development at the southeast around the city of

San Nicolas. The island has an arid landscape dominated

by various species of thorn tree and cactus, along with

a hot and humid climate. The written history of Aruba

dates back to its first contact by the Spanish in the late

15th Century. Dutch administration of the island began

in 1636 under Peter Stuyvesant and continues today,

although it enjoys special status as an independent

country.

Aruba has a hybrid culture formed by its history of

settlement and colonization, including influences

by the indigenous Arawak, the Spanish, Dutch, and

English, immigrants from South America and other

Caribbean islands, and a large non-permanent tourist

base. Part of this mixed culture can be seen in its

two official languages: Papiamento and Dutch, with

English being spoken widely in business and government

settings. Compared to other Caribbean islands, Aruba

has a particularly high standard of living with low

unemployment. Nearly ¾ of its gross national product

comes from tourism, with the rest coming from oil

refining, services, and local products. Some of the key

challenges faced by the island are concerns about the

quality of urban life, a desire to diversify the economy

and increase domestic incomes, a need for infrastructure

upgrading and stormwater control, water resource and

desalinization issues, and the reinforcement of local

place character in new project design. The Oil Refinery and the Carribean Sea arE dominant features of the San Nicolas region

Typical native landscape and vegetation in the area surrounding San Nicolas

25



Aruba Located in the southern Carribean Sea, the island is part of the Leeward Antilles and sits just off the coast of Venezuela. The two major cities are the capital of Oranjestad and San Nicolas.

Oranjestad

San Nicolas

10km


CHAPTER 1

Originally founded as a small fishing Village, San Nicolas

has experienced both great prosperity and great

disinvestment since its establishment. It is a largely Pan-

Caribbean town with many residents of Dutch, South

American, Caribbean, and British descent. San Nicolas

was formerly Aruba’s largest city but now is home to

fewer than 20,000 residents. In 1873, phosphates were

discovered in the hills near Seroe Colorado and Seroe

Culebra outside of San Nicolas, spurring the industrial

economy of the region. By 1879, San Nicolas was being

developed as a service center for mining operations,

and San Nicolas Bay was being outfitted for industrial

use. Mining operations ceased during the first decades

of the twentieth century but were quickly replaced by a

booming oil industry. Lago founded an oil refinery at San

Nicolas Bay and began operations in 1924, revolutionizing

the cultural and economic life of the city. During the

height of refinery operations, prostitution was also

legalized in San Nicolas as a response to the large

population of male contract workers living in the city.

Over the next 50 years, the refinery made San Nicolas

an international hub for industry. Since the 1960s,

the refinery has continually scaled back employment,

leaving the city and its residents with a great deal of

economic uncertainty. The city has also been plagued

with increased crime and drug use in the wake of

widespread unemployment. The city’s formerly vibrant

downtown district is declining rapidly and all but empty.

The blank, concrete wall of the refinery constantly looms

in the background. Despite its position as an economic

anchor for the city, the refinery obstructs any possible

relationship between the city and ocean. In recent years,

master plans for the San Nicolas Region have proposed

new uses and cultural amenities, as well as catalytic

projects for its transition from a primarily industrial-

based economy to one based on tourism. San Nicolas

is now poised to re-define itself as a 21st century post-

industrial city.

1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

9000

7000

5000

3000

1000

REFI

NER

Y EM

PLO

YMEN

T

2015

Before 1925: Fishing village with small phosphate industry

1929: Lago oil refinery opens

Late 1930s-1950s: San Nicolas and Lago experience building boom

Late 1950s-1960s: Competition and mechanization lead to worker layoffs 1970s-1980s: Oil

crises significantly impact the refinery and San Nicolas

Early 1980s: Construction of new government housing in the Village and development of downtown Promenade

March 1985: Oil refinery ceases operations and Aruba focuses on tourist economy

2011: Oil refinery scheduled to reopen

2010: Renobacion Urbano II and small amount of new development

0

1986: Aruba gains ‘Status Aparte’ and economic aid

Mid-1960s: Red Light district emerges

Historic San NicolasThe Oil Refinery has been a driving force of the economy and cultural life of San Nicolas since operations began in 1924

Development HistorySince its opening, the Oil Refinery has influenced the development of San Nicolas

27



CITYWIDE CHALLENGES + OPPORTUNITIES

Through first hand observation and experience,

research, and interviews, the following challenges and

opportunities were identified for the central areas of

San Nicolas. Several meetings and a design charrette

were held with business owners, public officials, key

stakeholders, and residents to identify the key issues

vexing the city. Some of these were physical in nature,

others were functional, and yet others were management

oriented. Some of the key problems we identified were

applicable on a citywide basis, while others were isolated

to specific locations. The outline below summarizes

these issues in a clear and concise manner but has not

been prioritized. Responding to these challenges will

require a coordinated strategy that can build a stronger

central San Nicolas holistically over time. The proposals

that come later in this vision plan will provide both

catalytic and systemic solutions to these challenges.

In this section, the key challenges across the city are

presented, along with opportunities where they might

exist.

RETAIL TROUBLES – San Nicolas has a shortage of both

local and tourist-driven retail. Most residents work, and

therefore shop, in Oranjestad. This retail leakage puts

further strain on the already struggling local economy.

There are also policy decisions that have contributed

to the lack of viable retail, including early mandatory

closing hours for most shops in Aruba, which are too

early for many residents who work in Oranjestad.

Retail shopping hours need to be extended so that

those working during the day can access shops after

6 pm. There are few structures in place for bringing

tourists to and from San Nicolas, and guided bus tours

only come to the south side of the island to visit Baby

Beach. There is also no clear parking strategy in the

downtown for tourists. These two factors significantly

limit the city’s ability to draw retail revenue from anyone

other than local residents. The only regional attraction

within the city is Charlie’s Bar. Many tourists also have

poor perceptions of safety in San Nicolas, which could

be addressed through wayfinding signage, lighting,

and streetscape improvements. Local serving retail is

also virtually nonexistent in the Village and outlying

neighborhoods. Residents primarily rely on cars to get

them to and from any retail destinations, including the

corner store.

Retail LeakageShopping is done primarily in Oranjestad because San Nicolas shops close before commuters return from work

Regional AttractionsFew regional attractions exist in San Nicolas - Charlie’s Bar, a popular establishment since the heyday of the Oil Refinery, is one of the few


CHAPTER 1

NEGLECTED PUBLIC REALM – Much of the public realm

of downtown San Nicolas is under-developed and

unfriendly. Pedestrian space is deteriorated; parks are

few in number; the city’s tree canopy is inconsistent and

disconnected. The public realm is poorly outfitted with

street furniture: benches, lighting, trash receptacles,

bollards, kiosks, signage, and other amenities. Very

few streets have maintained sidewalks and adequate

shading. Many residents park on the sidewalks, further

obstructing pedestrian traffic. There is also litter along

the street and in vacant parcels, and a number of feral

dogs run through the streets. Most problematic is the

lack of shade in Aruba’s hot and humid climate. Trees and

awnings are not used effectively to create a continuous

canopy to provide shade and comfort for pedestrians on

sidewalks or in plaza areas. One of the least inviting

walks is along the refinery wall, which only has a small,

unshaded sidewalk running along its length. Intentional

streetscapes, particularly on key downtown streets and

linkages to the Village, could help to make the city more

walkable and attractive.

RED LIGHT DISTRICT- Downtown San Nicolas is the only

site for legalized prostitution in Aruba. Currently, there

is no specialized district for adult entertainment in San

Nicolas, nor are any specific sex industry regulations

enforced. It is not always easy to distinguish between

traditional and adult entertainment bars, which inhibits

some members of the community from frequenting

any part of downtown after dark. These adult uses

pose challenges to the economic viability of the entire

downtown because many local residents, especially

women and families, do not feel comfortable walking

through many downtown streets. The disinvestment of

Main Street and the red light district has also resulted

in increased crime and drug activity within the area.

The challenge here is finding a way to mitigate between

perceptions of safety and the adult entertainment

industries. Adequate lighting is also needed to ensure

perceptions of safety after dark.

LAND AND BUILDING VACANCY - Both retail and housing

vacancy are challenges for San Nicolas and the region.

There are many vacant parcels in downtown San Nicolas,

and they are an impediment to creating a safe and

vibrant downtown. Vacant parcels provide areas for

dumping, litter, and the proliferation of parked cars. The

poor condition of vacant buildings also contributes to

the negative perceptions of safety. These parcels can be

an opportunity for infill housing and retail development.

Infill development of local retail would bring greater

opportunities for a range of shopping needs, provide

additional jobs, and strengthen the existing urban

fabric. There is also a great deal of vacancy in the

outlying neighborhoods of San Nicolas, especially Seroe

Colorado. Much of this vacancy is due to the fact that

the neighborhood was an exclusively expatriate housing

subdivision prior to the closure of the refinery. Many of

Deterioration of the Public RealmThe public realm of San Nicolas suffers from poor design, inadequate maintenance, and lack of shade given the hot and humid climate

Red Light DistrictThe sex trade industry is legal in San Nicolas, yet there is no formal district for red light uses

29



the houses belong to the government and have recently

been turned over to private owners. These neighborhoods

have no retail or services and are not within walking

distance of any necessities. They need strategic infill

projects that provide employment, retail, and social

opportunities.

ACCESS AND CIRCULATION - Downtown San Nicolas

is extremely disjointed from the ocean. The closest

oceanfront access from the downtown is a 5 km drive.

There is virtually no pedestrian or bicycle connection

from the downtown to any of the beaches as well. One

trying to walk to the beach would have to walk on the

roadway median along the edge of the refinery wall

for over half the trip. From that point on, there is no

longer even a sidewalk along the road’s edge. Only one

road connects the city to the areas of Seroe Colorado

and Colorado Point, much of which is flanked by vacant

expatriate housing. There is also a lack of access

between San Nicolas and Oranjestad. One major road

links the two cities, and it is often congested during peak

hours. Signage along the road is poor, and visitors don’t

Commercial

Red Light Commercial

Institutional

Residential

Open Space

Vacant

VacancyVacant properties can be found throughout the commercial areas of San Nicolas, and offer opportunities for infill development

Main Bus StationBetter transit options are needed in San Nicolas, such as improved bus service and reliability, as well as better pedestrian and bicycle routes

District Land UseMany vacant and underutilized properties sit in the Downtown and the Red Light District, while at the same time few formal parks and recreation areas can be found in San Nicolas

even know they’ve entered San Nicolas until they’re

a few blocks in. The direction of the two main streets

is not conducive to retail access. Also, bus service is

unreliable and not clearly marked, and there are no

opportunities for bicycle transit between the two cities.

Pedestrian and bicycle access within the downtown core

is also not well-developed. Signage is confusing, and

there are few moments or places where visitors are able

to orient themselves to downtown attractions.

RENOVATION OF BABY AND RODGERS BEACH- Baby

Beach and Rodgers Beach are well-used and well-

loved amenities for locals and tourists. The beaches

themselves, as well as the recreational facilities located

immediately adjacent to them, are in need of substantial

0 740 1,480 2,220 2,960370Meters

1:12,00

1,000m

Water FlowsUntreated stormwater mixes with toxins from the oil refinery as it rushes towards the waterfront and endangers water quality and marine life

Toxins

Under-utilized Green Space

Stormwater Runoff

31



FRAGMENTED NEIGHBORHOODS - There are many

neighborhoods around the periphery of downtown

San Nicolas. These neighborhoods are fragmented

from each other by environmental barriers, a lack of

infrastructure, and a disjointed road network. Each

of the neighborhoods has a slightly different socio-

economic status and ethnic breakdown. Seroe Colorado

is physically disconnected from the social life of greater

San Nicolas and is plagued by vacancy and a lack of

retail and social services. Community anchors need to be

developed in these neighborhoods to strengthen local, as

well as, regional ties.

restoration. The old recreational fields, as well as the

roads to the beach, flood during every storm event and

are constantly inundated with water. The former Esso

Club complex, which currently houses JADS diving outfit,

is also in poor condition and beginning to deteriorate.

In addition to restoration, the area is in need of an

ongoing maintenance strategy, including litter removal

and upkeep. There are also limited bathroom and shower

facilities other than those located at JADS. Hospitality

services need to be introduced to the area to provide a

better recreational experience for tourists and residents.

Conversely, this area might be replanned for other

more intensive uses associated with beach or recreation

activity.Beaches of San NicolasBaby Beach and Rodgers beach are among San Nicolas’ best loved recreational open spaces - however, restoration is needed to maintain and preserve these spaces for future generations


CHAPTER 1

FLOODING – Stormwater infrastructure to deal with even

moderate rain events is poor. When it rains, many San

Nicolas neighborhoods flood. This can cause mobility,

health, and sanitation problems. In the downtown

area, surface drainage to the waterfront means

fast moving water that builds rapidly and inundates

Zeewijk. At times this flooding damages residences

and road infrastructure located at grade. During major,

sustained storm events, the roads to Baby Beach become

impassable. In the outlying neighborhood areas, standing

water pools and turns stagnant over time. This untreated

stormwater damages water quality and endangers

marine and reef life along Aruba’s southern coast. To

protect future investments from flooding and damage,

a comprehensive stormwater infrastructure system is a

priority for the city.

UNCERTAINTY OF THE REFINERY - San Nicolas was

developed around the refinery as its primary economic

backbone, but the refinery has scaled back and

repeatedly ceased operations. Although the refinery is

scheduled to come back online within the year, its long-

term viability is still in question. Even if the refinery

continues operations, it provides a fraction of the

number of jobs it sustained during its peak. Shop and

restaurant owners in San Nicolas are in desperate need of

larger numbers of people to sustain their businesses, and

the refinery may not be able to provide that. However,

the refinery lands themselves provide new opportunities

0 740 1,480 2,220 2,960370Meters

1:12000

1,000m

Government-Government has allocated 26 Million in improvements in region

-Government owns large parcels in Seroe Colorado

-Many Government institutions are present on site, including Prison, Korps Mariniers, and Arikok

San Nicolas Community-Residents and businesses in San Nicolas are ready for a change

-Development can be driven by existing organizations in San Nicolas

Sunrise Rock Development-Attempt to bring tourism to the east side of Aruba

-One resort with 270 rooms and 170 condominiums

-Government approved development plans

JADS / Lago Colony-Once the center of activity for San Nicolas Suid with theatre, ice cream parlor and bowling alley

-When revitalized, the center will become a catalyst for redevelopment in Sero Colorado

Valero-Occupies 489 acres, though only 70% of the site is active

-Key actor in determining the future of San Nicolas

Key Actors + Institutions

33



for downtown expansion, new industries, and parks. San

Nicolas needs a long-term vision for the region in the

event the refinery goes offline again permanently at

some point in the future.

REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED LANDS - The Valero

lands and other adjacent parcels have been devoted to

industrial uses for over a century. Much of these areas

have been cleaned up, but there is still the possibility

of soil and water contamination throughout the region.

Stormwater runoff carries large amounts of contaminated

silt into the bay during storm events. This contamination

limits the variety of land uses permissible on the site.

Bioremediation and phytoremediation can take decades

to cleanse a site and should be started on underutilized

areas of the Valero lands as soon as possible.

TOURISM - Over seventy percent of Aruba’s GDP is based

on tourism, yet most tourists don’t even know that San

Nicolas exists, let alone that there would be anything to

see there. Currently, very few tourists visit San Nicolas

and only do so on day trips to Charlie’s Bar, the beaches,

or adult entertainment venues. There are also no hotels

in San Nicolas, so tourists couldn’t even stay in the city if

they wanted to. Plans exist to bring resort development

to Seroe Colorado, which could bring hospitality

jobs back to the local economy. However, there is no

guarantee that these resorts will bring anyone directly

into San Nicolas. The resorts are being introduced

in areas with unique and fragile local ecosystems.

Developing tourist-driven retail and hospitality services

within the heart of downtown would strengthen the

economic basis of the entire region.

THREATENED NATURAL ASSETS - The existing natural

assets of Seroe Colorado are one of San Nicolas’ greatest

opportunities. However, much of these landscapes are

in need of restoration or at least careful management.

Many of these ecologically sensitive areas have been

damaged from mining or refinery operations. Colorado

Point has one of the most unique landscapes on the

island, but the area is difficult to access and is often

covered with litter. Much of this area is also being

considered for resort development. Local residents

frequent these areas, including Colorado Point, and

want to maintain access to the shoreline, caves, and

parks. A balance needs to be struck between economic

and environmental needs in order to protect the fragile

ecologies of San Nicolas.

Natural LandscapesThe areas surrounding San Nicolas contain some of the most beautiful yet fragile landscapes in Aruba

VISIONS + DESIGN PRINCIPLES

CITYWIDE STRUCTURE PLAN + FRAMEWORK

REFINERY CONVERSION + PHASING FRAMEWORK

2CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN

36

CHAPTER 2


CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLANUrban Design Vision Plans present a future goal and

direction for a place. Visions are strongest and most

implementable when they are ‘owned’ by both the

officials who are responsible for seeing them through

and the stakeholders who are most likely to benefit

from them. They must be firmly grounded in the

pragmatic realities of the place but reach beyond what

is conceivably possible. They should help the place

become what it is destined to become from the seeds

that are currently planted there. Good vision plans must

be clear and unambiguous, imageable and inspirational.

They should be based on wide-spread desires for

improvement and change, rather than service for only a

direct few. For vision plans to be effective they must be

communicated easily and regularly. They should become

active policy vehicles for future development decisions.

Successful vision implementation builds an increasingly

larger platform of support for implementation,

including those who would come along later to interpret

and provide new energy for their manifestation. As

broad policy statements about the future, successful

vision planning should be synonymous with a deep

understanding of the current situation, innovative

development, enlightened place-making and inclusive

transformation. Think of visions as the destinations we

are trying to reach.

Design principles, on the other hand, should be

embedded directly within the larger vision plan, but they

function quite differently. Rather than suggesting goals,

they should educate implementers, developers, and

beneficiaries about ideas for achieving particular visions.

Design principles don’t tell us what to do explicitly – that

is the role of the design guideline. Design principles are

mere ideas. They provide thoughts that help justify

the larger vision, show options, and introduce notions

that might not have been considered previously. Think

of design principles as the roadmap that gets us to the

destination.

37



VISION + DESIGN PRINCIPLES

VISION 1 – A NEW MODEL FOR TOURISM

SAN NICOLAS’ TOURIST ECONOMY WILL EMPHASIZE BOTH NATURAL RESOURCES AND CULTURAL ASSETS.

People from over forty different nations call San Nicolas

home. Their heritage is integral to the experience of

the city. The tourism industry contributes significantly

to Aruba’s GDP, and it is important for San Nicolas to

recognize its potential in this economic sector. While

Charlie’s Bar is currently the only major downtown

attraction, the people of San Nicolas will have other

ways of sharing their history and culture with visitors.

Official historic monuments will be restored to promote

cultural tourism that both visitors and residents can

enjoy. The city of San Nicolas, the refinery lands, and

the surrounding landscape have unique attractions

to draw visitors and can help to make the tourism

experience in San Nicolas different than any other found

in the Caribbean. A number of vacant properties also

exist in the historic core of San Nicolas. The city can

take these existing assets and improve them through

infill development. Also, within the lands outside the

city, new tourist-driven development will both protect

and make accessible the semi-arid landscape of Seroe

Colorado. An eco-tourism strategy will serve to connect

San Nicolas to Arikok National Park. Future development

should emphasize natural resources and cultural assets

while preserving them for future generations. Tourists

should be able to access San Nicolas’ landscape amenities

without barring access to locals. San Nicolas has the

potential to create a unique, post-industrial, Caribbean

destination.

Design Principle 1.1: Infill development can emphasize

culture and heritage tourism.

Aruba’s historical buildings, landscapes, and monuments

are assets that help showcase the island’s diverse

cultural identity and character. Supporting historic

preservation and conserving distinctive landmarks will

both preserve Aruba’s history and energize the cultural

economy. Several development opportunities exist

throughout San Nicolas. These could be designed to

give the people of San Nicolas the chance to tell their

story through their buildings and public spaces. Walking

tours, educational signage, and interpretive centers

could provide a backbone for cultural tourism in San

Nicolas. The city would also benefit from making sure

each monument has a continued maintenance plan and

explicitly states its historic significance to visitors.

LandmarksThrough historic preservation and the maintenance of landmark industrial-era buildings, San Nicolas can develop a unique sense of place

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CHAPTER 2


Design Principle 1.2: Eco-tourism development can be

used to preserve the existing ecologies of San Nicolas.

Eco-tourism is a form of economic development based

on traveling to natural areas and staying in low impact

and environmentally responsible dwellings. It is one of

the fastest growing sectors of the tourism market and

can range from primitive camp sites to high-end resorts.

There is a significant amount of tourist development

planned for the San Nicolas region, much of which is

proposed on greenfield sites near Seroe Colorado. Eco

tourism can be a successful means of generating capital

for preservation projects. New development proposals

should employ strategies to preserve and rehabilitate

existing habitat while still providing a viable economic

catalyst for the region.

Design Principle 1.3: Making amenities accessible to

both locals and tourists can provide for greater diversity

and economic sustainability.

San Nicolas currently contains a wealth of cultural

and natural resources used primarily by local Arubans.

Beaches and protected lands, including Baby Beach,

Boca Grande Beach, and Colorado Point, should be

kept accessible to locals. This could be achieved by

maintaining public roads and parkways to important

sites. A unified parkway system along the entire coastline

will aid in the accessibility of important waterfront sites.

New development, parks, civic spaces, and facilities

should be mutually beneficial for residents and visitors.

VISION 2 - CONNECTED NEIGHBORHOODS

THE PEOPLE OF SAN NICOLAS WILL BE CONNECTED TO VALUED PLACES AND COMMUNITIES.

A number of accessibility and connection problems

impede movement between downtown San Nicolas and

the surrounding neighborhoods. There are few modes

of transportation available. There is only one road that

takes visitors and residents to the ocean and outlying

neighborhoods, and the refinery impedes any view or

access to the ocean throughout most of the city. Many

neighborhoods are disconnected from local services and

economic opportunities. Safer and more comfortable

connections throughout the San Nicolas region will make

places and amenities accessible to the people of the

city. These physical connections will not only improve

movement across the region but also provide the setting

for daily interaction and community gathering. Increased

road and public transit infrastructure will also make San

Nicolas more amenable to tourist-oriented development.

By connecting neighborhoods and valued natural

landmarks, both physically and socially, the region of San

Nicolas will foster a unified community and a rich sense

of place.

Eco-TourismThe semi-arid landscape surrounding San Nicolas, largely left untouched by development, offers unique eco-tourism opportunities not found elsewhere in the Carribean

39



Design Principle 2.1: Connecting downtown San Nicolas

with the ocean can provide new cultural and economic

opportunities for the city.

Creating a new waterfront district can revitalize the

economy of a city. San Nicolas has that opportunity and

should work with Valero on a strategy for opening access

to the water. While the refinery is in operation, unused

land within the refinery walls could be repurposed to

allow access from the neighborhoods to the ocean.

Establishing a beautification committee for the refinery

wall can soften the austerity of the wall in the interim. If

and when the oil refinery closes, necessary remediation

should take place to ensure the viability of downtown’s

future growth towards the ocean.

Design Principle 2.2: Meaningful infill development can

connect neighborhoods.

Redeveloping vacant land is a successful means of re-

establishing neighborhoods. Many vacant parcels in San

Nicolas are well positioned for anchor or key institutions

that will knit neighborhoods together and serve as nodes

of community activity. Repurposing vacant land will also

discourage criminal behavior, which should reduce crime

and increase property values in the surrounding areas.

Additionally, it will serve to reinforce the streets and

public realm as vibrant centers of activity.

Design Principle 2.3: Developing and enforcing growth

boundaries can ensure neighborhood density.

Aruba already has a series of ROP growth boundaries.

Land conservation zones can ensure that development

in the San Nicolas region is dense and connected to

existing infrastructure and amenities. Neighborhood

density can prevent urban sprawl and the construction

of additional infrastructure, which would only

serve a small percentage of the population anyway.

Additionally, growth boundaries encourage developers

to develop vacant land that currently exists in many

of the downtown neighborhoods. They also serve to

protect regional ecologies from unnecessary low density

development.

Design Principle 2.4: Multi-modal transit can make

neighborhoods more accessible.

An integrated transportation system allows drivers,

commuters, bikers, and pedestrians to travel safely

and easily throughout the city. This will mean the

establishment of a new system of marked bikeways,

sidewalk amenity investment, and improved bus routing

across the island. Reliability and overall comfort of

transit vehicles can be improved to support greater use.

Also, a greater range of transit networks with safer and

more comfortable stops can encourage greater local and

tourist use.

TransitImproved multi-modal transit systems are needed to more efficiently improve circulation around the island

Refinery WallThe Valero Refinery site cuts off the town of San Nicolas from the nearby waterfront and views of the ocean

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CHAPTER 2


Design Principle 2.5: Neighborhood centers can be

established as sites of social interaction.

Neighborhood centers give physical identity to places.

These ‘imageable nodes’ can center each neighborhood

and serve as the focal point of social life. They provide

public space where neighbors can gather, flexible

civic spaces for meetings, classes, and recreation, and

neighborhood-serving uses, such as libraries, schools, and

local-serving retail. Neighborhood centers can also serve

as anchors for future development.

VISION 3 - A REGIONAL PARK SYSTEM AND ECOLOGICAL NETWORK

A PARK SYSTEM FOR THE SAN NICOLAS REGION WILL PROTECT EXISTING NATURAL RESOURCES AND HELP TO RESTORE DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS.

The San Nicolas region has some of the most stunning

natural assets on the island of Aruba. These include

beaches, cliffs, stands of cactus, and natural roois. The

area around San Nicolas shows traces of its geological

history through its fossilized corral landscapes and

natural caves. San Nicolas is also a short distance from

the Arikok National Park, a protected environmental

reserve. The area is subject to intense climatic variation,

which is expressed in the variety of natural landscape

types around the city. While these celebrated assets all

exist within the San Nicolas region, there are no current

connections between them. Many are also difficult to

access by car or bus, the two most common modes of

transit for both tourists and locals. Developing linkages

between these areas will help to create a unified park

system for the region. A new park system will not only

help to restore the degraded landscape but will also

allow for movement between the various areas. San

Nicolas has the opportunity to create a world class

destination out of its beaches and cliffs. The park system

will also serve an infrastructural function by including

stormwater management elements to help manage

flooding in Zeewijk and Baby Beach.

Design Principle 3.1: New parks can be created by

restoring natural areas in the region.

Many of the region’s open spaces have been neglected

or polluted and are therefore not functioning at their

highest ecological capacity. Many areas are also in danger

of being overtaken by exotic species. Those areas that

have been degraded from neglect can be rehabilitated to

functioning ecosystems and public parks. These parks will

become a part of the regional park system and will allow

future residents and visitors to experience their natural

character. The addition of educational opportunities and

interpretive signage will also foster greater interest and

stewardship for existing natural areas.

Neglected SpacesMany open spaces around San Nicolas are in disrepair, but have the potential to be restored to create a regional park system

41



Design Principle 3.2: Linking parks and natural areas

together can create a more accessible and resilient

ecological network.

A park system can have many benefits for people and

the environment. An ecological network will expand the

territories of plants and animals between isolated natural

areas. This will help create an integrated, functioning

network rather than many fragmented ecosystems,

helping propagate a larger variety of flora and fauna

in southern Aruba. The corridors which create the links

between the natural areas can also be used to create

a trail system, establishing recreational opportunities

for residents and visitors. This trail system will also be

paired with green stormwater infrastructure to capture

water for the parks system.

Design Principle 3.3: The use of native and drought

resistant plant species can help conserve water resources

and reinforce the natural identity of the island.

As a hot and humid climate, not every plant species can

survive or be planted in San Nicolas without adverse

sustainability impacts and extensive water consumption.

To survive into the future, innovative irrigation strategies

will need to be used for urban plant life to establish

itself and grow to maturity. These should combine

stormwater and irrigation strategies into a mutually

reinforcing system. Rather than planting non-native

species inappropriate to the climate, a list of climate

appropriate landscape materials should be devised to

guide planting decisions. This may mean selecting non-

native species from other parts of the world that are

conducive to the Aruban climate, a good example of

which might be the planting of desert palms rather than

tropical palms. As most of the plant materials for Aruba

are imported from North and South America, Aruba would

benefit from the establishment of nurseries and tree

farms that can supply this vegetation while also providing

economic development opportunity. The use of local

plant materials and rock will also help to reinforce a

local landscape identity for San Nicolas.

Tree CanopyBecause of the heat of Aruba’s climate, closely spaced trees with generous canopies are helpful to providing pedestrian comfort in the public realm

Semi-Arid ClimatesAruba’s climate should be reflected in the public realm, and both native and non-native species that thrive in hot, semi-arid climates can be used to reinforce place identity

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CHAPTER 2


VISION 4 - ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AND DEVELOPMENT

THE REFINERY SITE WILL BE THE CATALYST FOR NEW OPPORTUNITY IN THE SAN NICOLAS REGION.

The refinery has been the single most important

economic driver for the south side of the island. Its

closure resulted in significant economic decline for

the larger region, and the refinery lands still sever San

Nicolas from the ocean. While its reopening promises

economic revitalization, unremediated vacant land

and infrastructure will remain when the refinery closes

permanently. Connecting a remediated site with the

downtown and surrounding neighborhoods through a

range of economic and cultural uses will create lasting

value and provide opportunity for economic growth

to protect the health and prosperity of the region.

Remediation of contamination on the refinery site will be

a step toward the regeneration of native plant species,

productive landscapes, and ecological awareness for

Aruba. The site also offers much in the way of reusable

infrastructure, which will minimize capital investment in

public works projects through the reuse of materials and

structures. A remediated site will help to dissolve the

barrier between San Nicolas and the ocean, and should

allow multiple connections to the water from inland

neighborhoods. Public works, tourism, research and

development, and light industry can all exist on the site

together with green public space. The development on

the site will be closely monitored in order to ensure the

health, safety, and sustainability of the region’s people

and natural amenities.

Design Principle 4.1: Remediating the site with

ecologically regenerative plant life and integrated

landscape systems can provide a cost-effective long-term

solution to soil contamination.

The majority of the site needs to be remediated prior

to conversion for non-industrial uses. The site should

be planted with phytoremediating plants that would

eliminate harmful toxins as well as provide landscape

materials that should be planted in other places on the

island. Local contractors could purchase plants from

the refinery nursery instead of from south Florida or

Colombia, and they could be more confident that the

landscape material would survive in the Aruban climate.

A remediated site could also be used as a showcase

for remediation efforts all over the world and would

move Aruba towards a much needed conservation and

sustainability mode.

Design Principle 4.2: Future public works projects can

be designed around existing refinery infrastructure to

minimize inputs and costs.

Aruba’s water issues are two-fold. The island desalinates

all water used for consumption and irrigation, a resource-

Refinery WallRemoving this barrier would result in better connected neighborhoods that are no longer isolated from downtown and the waterfront

43



intensive and expensive process. It also has no real

stormwater management system, resulting in millions of

gallons of water sheet draining to the ocean. By using

an innovative collection system, and by retrofitting the

large number of tanks and connective piping systems that

exist on the site, the rainwater could be collected and

redistributed. This water could be used for the irrigation

of the remediation effort, or be converted to serve the

water needs of San Nicolas.

Design Principle 4.3: Transferring designated land to

other parties can reconnect the Valero lands to the rest

of the region.

Since its beginnings, the presence of the refinery has

disconnected San Nicolas from the ocean. Integrating

the current refinery land into downtown and neighboring

communities will create connections between isolated

neighborhoods while allowing direct access from those

neighborhoods to the water.

Design Principle 4.4: Repurposing land for a variety

of uses can provide greater economic diversity for the

region.

The refinery has been a singular driver of economic

activity in San Nicolas since it opened. Economic

diversity is the key to building and maintaining a healthy

economy for the future of the south side of the island.

The refinery site provides the space and opportunity for

a range of economic activity. Integrating cultural and

eco-tourism, research and development, and alternative

energy with existing local economic activities would

create a strong, independent, and sustainable economy.

Design Principle 4.5: Sustainability planning can help

reduce the ecological footprint of new development of

the refinery and provide suggestions for more appropriate

design solutions.

Strategic sustainability planning (including: energy

production, progressive water desalinization, stormwater

management, sewage and solid waste reduction, and

improved transportation options) can help to effectively

manage resources as the island continues to develop.

Managed networks of natural lands and open spaces

can offset the environmental impact of development

and preserve Aruba’s natural habitat base for future

generations. The refinery is especially poised to

participate in this initiative due to its proximity to wind

farms and existing linkages to regional infrastructure.

1,000m

Downtown San Nicolas

Infrastructure AdaptionExisting infrastructure from the Oil Refinery site can be adapted and repurposed as the site is remediated and reclaimed for new park space and development

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CHAPTER 2


VISION 5 - A DOWNTOWN FOR EVERYONE

DOWNTOWN SAN NICOLAS WILL BE A REVITALIZED, IMAGEABLE, AND VIBRANT PLACE THAT ATTRACTS BOTH RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS.

Downtown San Nicolas, once a vibrant and bustling place,

has declined due to the closure of the nearby oil refinery

and the resulting unemployment for many residents.

With the potential for revitalization from the refinery’s

reopening and new government efforts aimed at bringing

more people and employment to San Nicolas, downtown

can once again become lively. Residents will be able to

run errands and use the downtown both day and night.

Tourists to San Nicolas, drawn by the unique qualities

of the southern part of Aruba and the pan-Caribbean

character of San Nicolas itself, will also find amenities

within downtown. Vacant properties will provide new

retail and institutional opportunities that will draw

residents and visitors to downtown. A revitalized San

Nicolas downtown will imprint itself on the minds of

Arubans and tourists alike and provide a place to live,

work, and play.

Design Principle 5.1: A vibrant downtown can attract

culture and heritage tourists to its unique character and

amenities.

The unique Art Deco architecture of many downtown

buildings can offer a great destination for tourists. The

influx of many different groups of people working at

the refinery has resulted in a town that is unique in

Aruba and in the larger Caribbean region. Downtown

monuments could be restored and repurposed to connect

the present and future with San Nicolas’ vibrant past.

Strengthening downtown’s sense of place will provide a

framework for developing a new tourism industry.

Design Principle 5.2: Designating special zones for

red light uses can ensure safety and comfort for all

downtown users.

For downtown San Nicolas to be successful, it must

appeal to a variety of people while retaining its unique

qualities. Consolidating adult entertainment uses into a

special district can alleviate many community concerns

about safety. Rather than removing these red light

uses from the downtown or maintaining their current

scattered configuration, they should be consolidated.

San Nicolas should create a cohesive and contiguous red

light district with enforced rules, enabling all visitors to

enjoy downtown.

Design Principle 5.3: Creating strong visual connections

and wayfinding signage can orient visitors and support

easy travel for tourists.

Red Light DistrictSan Nicolas can create a welcoming downtown atmosphere for all residents and visitors by consolidating and clearly defining its Red Light District

45



Downtown San Nicolas has two distinct sub-districts,

the entertainment/red light district and the retail

downtown; these sub-districts are disconnected due to a

lack of clear visual connection. Wayfinding signage and

a unified streetscape design could be used to reduce the

impact of this disconnect and help visitors experience

all that downtown has to offer. Downtown San Nicolas

is also the historic core of the area and features nearly

all of the town’s monument buildings. Special plaques at

each monument, along with official maps and brochures,

should be placed at each building to highlight San

Nicolas’ rich history while providing a clear path that

visitors may take to see all of downtown San Nicolas.

Design Principle 5.4: Providing a downtown

transportation system that connects attractions and

amenities can increase connectivity and access for

tourists and locals.

Walkable and easily accessible downtown districts

can draw in greater numbers of visitors and sustain

their interest longer. Currently, public transportation

in San Nicolas is inconsistent, and stops are not well-

marked. Downtown itself is walkable, but it is difficult

to get to and from the area. Transportation networks

should be extended to allow easier movement between

downtown and outlying neighborhoods and attractions

like Baby Beach. These improvements will serve as a key

component to a newly revitalized and vibrant downtown

San Nicolas.

Design Principle 5.5: Encouraging strong local retail

and community amenities can strengthen the regional

economy.

New institutional and business anchors, such as new hotel

space and the proposed Gerrit Rietveld Art Academy, can

position downtown to serve as a catalyst for new retail

and commercial development. These new establishments

can strengthen existing businesses with more traffic,

allowing for greater returns to the local economy.

In addition to these new anchors, new public spaces

should be provided to create areas where residents and

visitors can rest or play while downtown. These new

spaces should allow residents and tourists to walk and sit

comfortably, as well as provide visually attractive space,

through the use of shading and vegetation.

Public TransitAn improved multi-modal regional transit system can help link many of the amenities surrounding San Nicolas to the downtown

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CHAPTER 2


CITYWIDE STRUCTURE PLAN + FRAMEWORKeconomic hinge of the entire region for the last century,

and San Nicolas needs a greater possibility for economic

diversity and job creation. The citywide structure

plan provides just this, including changes in land use

to include urban infill, a new cruise ship terminal and

marina, and a new university campus. The following

section presents the physical projects that address each

of the visions for San Nicolas.

CONNECTIVITY

The regional plan provides a framework for increased

connectivity between downtown San Nicolas, adjacent

neighborhoods, and the waterfront. This can be achieved

through new road, bicycle, and pedestrian networks.

A new road system through the Valero site will provide

a more direct connection from downtown San Nicolas

to the resort developments around Seroe Colorado.

It will also provide greater access to Baby Beach and

new waterfront amenities from downtown San Nicolas.

Additionally, these road networks will lay the groundwork

for a greater diversity of transit options throughout the

region. These could include city buses, tourist charters,

or personal and taxi vehicles. Dedicated tourist stops in

the downtown, Baby Beach, and the new resort will also

increase movement of tourists around San Nicolas.

San Nicolas is a vibrant, Pan-Caribbean town. It is also

an industrial city with a limited future in the refinery

industry. The citywide structure plan addresses the

unique character of southeastern Aruba while providing

a new vision for the area. The ultimate goal of these

proposals is to create a self-sufficient region that

successfully balances tourism, industry, and everyday life

needs.

The citywide structure plan is meant to address San

Nicolas in both the short and long-term. The timeline

for the city-wide plan is based on the final closing date

of the refinery, but many elements can be implemented

within the next five years. Improvements to downtown

San Nicolas, including infill development, a new market

and civic center, new neighborhood streets and plazas,

the re-design of Main Street and the Red light district,

and a new art and retail district, can be initiated within

the short-term. Outside of the city, renovation of the

recreational areas around Baby Beach and a proposal for

a new golf and resort development at Colorado Point can

be initiated immediately.

A LONG-TERM STRATEGY

When approaching San Nicolas in the long-term, the

studio worked under the assumption that the refinery will

go offline at some point in the future. We don’t predict

the moment this will happen. The refinery has been the

47



100m



48

CHAPTER 2


The second series of connective elements addresses

the needs of pedestrians. This includes streetscape

improvements throughout downtown, especially the

Village, shopping district, and Main Street. The Village

and new green campus will also introduce a woonerf

system to San Nicolas. A woonerf is a traffic-calmed

street that is shared between pedestrians, bicycle and

vehicular traffic. These connective elements also include

a bicycle network linking recreational and ecological

amenities in the region. The bicycle network will loop

from Arikok National Park through the refinery lands

and then pass through the golf course development

north of the park. The regional bicycle network will act

as the connective spine for ecological sites throughout

the region. It will also double as a bioswale, increasing

drainage throughout the city.

ECONOMIC DIVERSITY

We are proposing new strategies for economic

development as a replacement for the economic

monopoly of the refinery. The downtown proposals focus

on a new civic center and marketplace, a revitalized

main street, local-serving retail infill, and a new

downtown commercial center. These projects emphasize

local job and retail opportunities within San Nicolas in

order to slow retail and job leakage to Oranjestad. This

retail revitalization will also require a change in opening

and closing hours for businesses in San Nicolas.

At the regional scale, the proposals focus on larger, long-

term economic development strategies. A new cruise

ship terminal will take advantage of excess cruise ship

surplus from the other side of the island to bring a larger

influx of day tourists to the Southeastern region of the

island. These new tourists would add greater support for

local retail in downtown San Nicola and new recreational

opportunities. New tourists would also provide enough

density to support hotels, museums, and civic institutions

in a new waterfront extension of the town. The vacated

refinery lands also provide the opportunity for long-term

institutional job creation. Our citywide vision proposes

a new institutional anchor adjacent to the Village. This

“Green Campus” is envisioned as a joint partnership

with the University of Delft, specializing in green energy

research. The campus would build off the solar and wind

assets of the area and also act as a catalyst for energy

research on the island.

RESORT TOURISM

Tourism accounts for the majority of Aruba’s GDP. These

proposals acknowledge the importance of tourism to the

Aruban economy and seek to draw in a new market: eco-

tourism. The existing plan for a golf course development

provides the opportunity to create an eco-tourism resort

that preserves the existing Aruban landscape without

sacrificing resort amenities. The plan also proposes

eco-tourism campsites around Baby Beach and at the

49



new recreation center on the Valero site. Currently,

downtown San Nicolas does not have any hotels and can’t

take advantage of day tourists and other visitors. Main

Street will provide two new downtown hotels, and new

waterfront hotels will be built facing the bay.

LANDSCAPE SYSTEMS

The citywide structure plan also addresses the unique

ecological systems of the San Nicolas Region. The plan

proposes a land banking strategy for areas around

the periphery of the refinery. These lands would act

as a boundary for further suburban growth, directing

development to Valero lands immediately adjacent to the

downtown core. The refinery lands will also be converted

to a number of different ecological uses, including a

tree nursery, a water treatment park, a recreational

adventure park, and a phytoremediation field. Some of

these landscape-driven proposals include the following

improvements: the area of the refinery which currently

holds the coke barn will be converted to a recreational

park; parcels along the Commanders Bay and the

shoreline of the refinery will be restored to mangrove

wetlands; existing recreational areas, like Baby and

Rodgers Beach, will be renovated. Each of the landscape

systems in San Nicolas seeks to establish or improve the

existing ecologies of San Nicolas.

Short-Term Downtown Structure Plan100m

50

CHAPTER 2


REFINERY CONVERSION + PHASING FRAMEWORKThe Lago Refinery made San Nicolas a thriving and

prosperous city; the refinery site has the ability to make

the region thrive again. The city is economically and

socially tied to the fate of the refinery, and any positive

improvements on the Valero lands will have a catalytic

effect on the city as a whole. Valero employs between

700-1000 full time employees, as well as 3000 temporary

laborers when operational. It is no longer the major

economic player that it was during the first half of the

20th century when it employed over 20,000 workers. Our

proposals are based on the notion that more jobs can be

created from diversifying uses on the refinery site than

by maintaining the 500 acre site as a single industrial

employer.

The Valero plant has an uncertain present and future.

It is unable to produce refined gasoline on site and

only refines jet fuel from crude. This severely limits

the profitability of the refinery since it can only act

as a middle man between raw product and gasoline.

Ultimately, the question is not if the refinery will close

permanently but when. Now is the best time to plan

for this change. Many proposals from the citywide

structure plan can be executed prior to the shutdown of

the refinery, setting the stage for larger regional moves

within the Valero property.

PHASING STRATEGY

It is not pragmatic for the refinery closure to be phased

because Valero uses most of the site for day-to-day

operations. Also, one of the greatest obstructions to

development in the city is the refinery wall. Much of the

pipe infrastructure for the refinery, including water, is

run on-grade immediately behind the refinery wall. In

addition, access to the water within the refinery site is

banned due to security regulations. Fallow areas within

the refinery, like “North 40”, could begin bioremediation

prior to closure or could even be ceded for new uses

once a clear strategy for the entire site is in place. The

issue at stake is making sure the government has a vision

for the refinery site so that areas of the site are not

parceled too early, impeding new development.

Once Valero closes its doors permanently, remediation

on-site would be phased, beginning with the areas

closest to downtown. This phase includes the cruise ship

terminal area, marina, and San Nicolas harbor. The most

likely remediation strategy for the first post-refinery

phase would be the excavation of existing soil, followed

by capping with new soil. This method is relatively quick

but can be expensive, especially in an environment

where fill has to be imported from off-island. However,

this zone is most important to the long-term economic

viability of San Nicolas, and many different parties could

be involved in new development, allowing the burden of

remediation costs to be split between many parties.

The Oil Refinery QuestionSan Nicolas is tied economically and socially to the Oil Refinery, and needs to plan now for the possibility that the Refinery may one day close

51



LONG-TERM PHASING STRUCTURE

The peripheral Valero lands provide an opportunity for

new bioremediation strategies. At present, the demand

for new land around San Nicolas is not great enough

to justify costly remediation projects in areas outside

of walking distance from the city. Phytoremediation,

the use of plants to naturally purify pollutants from

groundwater and soil, would be a great candidate for

much of the Valero site. Phytoremediation is often used

for purifying petroleum distillates, and a mix of planting

materials that are suitable for remediation and suitable

for nursery production could be planted across the site.

The nursery mix would generate revenue to sustain

remediation activities on the Valero site over the course

of the cleanup. Phytoremediation has a long timeline (up

to 30 years) and should be started as soon as possible for

areas slated for eventual development. The Valero site

has the possibility of bringing new economic and social

health to the city. The short and long-term consequences

of all actions taken on the refinery lands need to be

taken into account.

The Refinery WallThe Refinery wall is one of the greatest obstructions to future development, blocking San Nicolas from the ocean

CURRENT DOWNTOWN ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS

SHORT-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY

A NEW CIVIC CENTER INITIATIVE

A REDEVELOPED DOWNTOWN ART + SHOPPING DISTRICT

A REIMAGINED ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

A RENEWED VILLAGE

3SHORT-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN

CHAPTER 3



CURRENT DOWNTOWN ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS

In light of the opportunities that exist in downtown San

Nicolas, there are several issues and constraints. The

largest constraint for downtown San Nicolas is the oil

refinery. While it has provided economic opportunities

in the past, its future is uncertain. The oil refinery is a

physical obstacle between downtown San Nicolas, the

ocean, and properties east of downtown. This exists in

the form of oil refinery infrastructure, pollutants, and a

wall that obstructs the view of the ocean and provides a

physical barrier from the city to the ocean. In order to

turn the city from a landlocked town into a waterfront

destination, the uses at the waterfront need to be

reexamined to create a new experience for residents and

guests. This could be in the form of a catalytic project

for the city that benefits both San Nicolas residents and

the region as a whole.

Connectivity

A lack of connection not only exists between the

waterfront and the town but also between districts in the

current downtown. Main Street does not connect from

the retail area to the entertainment district, and there

is no formal connection from the entertainment district

to the Village. Many of these issues could be addressed

through a series of comprehensive streetscaping

guidelines. In addition, the vacant area in the center of

the city serves as a block to connecting all downtown

districts. These and other challenges will be addressed

below.

Vacancy

While the city has consistent street frontage and a

generally tight-knit urban fabric, there are vacant

buildings and parcels that provide urban design

challenges. First, there are vacant buildings in the

downtown shopping area and entertainment district that

are not only historic but also located in strategic areas.

These buildings must be restored to their former stature

in order to contribute to the unique fabric that currently

exists in the city. In addition to the vacant buildings,

there are large vacant parcels in the entertainment and

shopping districts that must be strategically developed

to complement the programming of the area. However,

the largest vacant parcel exists in the center of the city,

surrounded by the water tower and government building.

This area must be developed to meet the needs of San

Nicolas residents and tourists and to re-knit the urban

fabric of the city.

In addition to these overall key issues, there are site-

specific constraints that should be addressed in the

new design for the city. First, the lack of regulation of

red light uses in the entertainment district has made

it an uncomfortable place for women and families.

Wayfinding signage to downtown

55



Red light uses exist on the main street, in alleys, and

adjacent to single family homes. These uses must be

consolidated to create an entertainment district that is

safe and comfortable for everyone. In the shopping area,

vacancies and inconvenient store hours have resulted

in a lack of a robust retail center. There is also a lack

of public resting space for shoppers in inhospitable

weather, making it difficult to walk around the district.

While the Village has a consistent urban fabric and a

large gathering space in the form of a basketball court,

the area around the basketball court is dilapidated and

does not accommodate residents of the neighborhood.

Additionally, the streets in the Village can be difficult to

navigate due to garbage and illegally parked cars.

SHORT-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY

The short-term structure plan consists of proposals

that can be implemented quickly and completed within

three to five years. It focuses on existing neighborhoods,

infrastructure, and economics as well as proposals

already on the drawing board. The themes of the short-

term structure plan are revitalization, regeneration,

and economic recovery. Its goal is to infuse San Nicolas

with catalytic energy that spurs a multiplying effect

within the town’s economy, cultural capital, and social

capital — and to do so in a tractable, politically-minded

timeframe.

Intentions / Goals

The structure plan for downtown San Nicolas in the

short-term provides opportunity at various levels while

accounting for the primary function and feasibility of

projects in the area. Physical connections between

buildings, streets, landscapes, and water strengthen

Aruba’s social interactions between multiple populations.

All of these proposals seek to revitalize the downtown

district of San Nicolas through infill development,

improved streetscapes, and public realm improvements.

Our goals for the downtown entail: creating a new

public park and market in the center of town, improving

retail opportunities through a new art and shopping

district, consolidating red light entertainment into a

single district, and creating pedestrian streets and a

strengthened neighborhood node in the Village.

Infilling vacant lots, creating better inner-city connections, and diversifying the uses of the Refinery Site are key to San Nicolas’s economic development

CHAPTER 3


Summary

The Valero oil refinery has been the economic lifeblood

of San Nicolas since the 1920s. However, overreliance

on this single employer led to severe economic hardship

when the refinery downsized and eventually closed in the

late twentieth century. With the future of the refinery

uncertain, the short-term structure plan looks to new

economic anchors to diversify the San Nicolas economy.

The proposed satellite campus of the Gerrit Rietveld

Academy has the potential to anchor a revitalized arts

and retail district. An upgraded and better-managed

entertainment district can draw new tourism spending.

Both of these anchors, which are basic industries, can

exist whether or not the oil refinery resumes operations

or closes altogether.

Without the refinery, San Nicolas went from a company

town to a bedroom community. Most San Nicolans

commute to Oranjestad to work tourism jobs, especially

at the large resorts. San Nicolan retailers have also

suffered. The downtown shopping district is all but

vacant. The Gerrit Rietveld Academy will bring a modest

number of jobs and several classes of students downtown

(a specific number is yet to be determined). In the

short-term, the Academy is expected to generate new

retail demand and establish culture programming such as

art exhibits and theater performances. This presents a

tourism draw that can appeal to Aruban and international

visitors alike. In the long-term, the Academy will feed

San Nicolas’ creative class. Architects, fashion designers,

graphic designers, and jewelry designers will enter the

workforce with the potential to establish new, locally-

owned businesses.

The San Nicolas entertainment district presents a unique

challenge in that it is the only district in Aruba where

adult entertainment activity is legal. Enforcement of

entertainment regulations has been lax. Brothels are

scattered throughout the district and solicitation occurs

openly in the street. These conditions repel many user

groups, particularly families, from visiting the district.

While the community remains divided on what should

be done about red light activity, it was concluded at

the Renobacion Urbano II charrette that it should be

contained rather than eliminated. Under the short-

term structure plan, red light activity is consolidated

into a special sub-district where law enforcement is

more manageable. It also makes the remainder of the

entertainment district more attractive to uses that are

incompatible with the sex industry. By rezoning the

district with these considerations in mind, San Nicolas

has the potential to attract a broadened user base. The

primary target is international tourists. The local bars

and urban setting of San Nicolas’ entertainment district

is an attractive down-market alternative to Oranjestad’s

posh resort clubs.

57



In addition to these economic development strategies,

the short-term structure plan also proposes a

neighborhood improvement demonstration project in the

Village. It highlights the power of simple public realm

enhancements to facilitate the neighbor-to-neighbor

interaction that builds social capital. With the goal of

transforming the Village into a tight-knit community

where neighbors trade favors, kids play in the street,

and crime is deterred, this demonstration project is

an exemplar for regenerating Aruba’s troubled urban

districts into neighborhoods of choice.

The short-term structure plan proposes a second social

initiative: a new civic center that replaces a two-

hectare tract of vacant land. This massive gap in San

Nicolas’ urban fabric is positioned at the intersection

of the town’s three central districts: the Village, the

retail district, and the entertainment district. The plan

incorporates much-needed open space, a café/museum

for the interpretation of local history and culture, and a

market hall where small-scale retailers can purvey their

goods. This civic center can tie downtown San Nicolas

together both physically and experientially. It is the new

heart of a revitalized town.

Short-Term Downtown Structure Plan Major Design Moves

Consolidated Red Light District

Neighborhood Improvement Demonstration Project

New Civic Center

100m

Gerrit Rietveld Academie

CHAPTER 3


A NEW CIVIC CENTER INITIATIVE

In discussions with San Nicolas residents about their

city, several people vocalized a need for a place where

residents can come together to celebrate their city and

country. This area is the perfect gathering space due to

its location at the intersection of the retail district, the

entertainment district, and the Village. As it exists today,

the land on the proposed town center is mostly vacant,

although it does include a few parcels of single-family

residential housing, a large government building, and the

historic water tower. This plan aims to capitalize on the

opportunities for the site made available by the existing

monument and government building without sacrificing

the present residential and civic uses.

A New Marketplace

This site is planned to be a regional destination for both

visitors and tourists. First, the southern portion of the

site, bordering the government building, has been turned

into a market plaza with several stalls for Arubans to

sell food and other goods. Seating and gathering space is

provided around the market so that patrons can have a

comfortable experience and are enticed to stay longer.

This area is laid out so there are two seating areas with a

hardscape plaza in the middle and a buffer of succulents

between the government building and seating area. One

market building, at the center of the site, also acts as

a stage that can be used for performances to audiences

either in the market square or the large park. This is

done through raising the building with stairs so that it

can play to either side and by providing sliding doors on

both sides for the purpose of better acoustics.

A large park is planned amidst the existing residential

and historic buildings. This park will exist as a flexible

civic lawn that can accommodate people for a festival,

show, or informal gathering. Around the park is a

promenade with trees on either side to provide shade

and a place for a leisurely stroll. The park also houses

a playground, complete with swing-sets, see-saws, and

a climbing globe for children. There will be a shaded

seating area for adults as well. In addition to a lawn and

a playground, the park will have shaded tables on the

right side for tourists and residents to play dominos and

other games, despite the hot weather.

A Place To Come TogetherA vibrant public space can be created at the intersection of the shopping area, entertainment district, and neighborhoods

59



Bernard Straat

Toren Straat

Aruba Straat

van Renselaerstraat

Existing Conditions

50 Year Plan Waterfront Connectivity

Access to Ocean

Civic Center Site

Civic Center Marketplace

10m

Illustrative PlanThe new Civic Center strategically infills The Gap, creating a connection between The Village and Downtown, as well as establishing a future connection to the waterfront

CHAPTER 3


A New Civic Core

Infill has been added around the park to address the

existing uses on the site. On the left side of the park,

buildings will house a museum. Civic uses will surround

the historic water tower as well as the existing kunuku

houses. These monuments will be restored to their

former condition to celebrate the history of the island.

On the right side of the park, infill development in the

form of single-family homes that will be similar in size

and scale to existing houses in the Village. These homes

will be buffered from the park with succulents, grasses,

trees, and large half-walled backyards to allow for semi-

privacy. Curb bump-outs will make crossing the street

easier from the Village to the civic center. Overall, this

site provides much needed open space for the city. It

allows residents and tourists to experience San Nicolas as

a place where people come together and commemorate

the history and culture of Aruba.

Activity Intensity

Vehicular Circulation

Optional Street Closure

High Intensity Use

Commercial

Open Space

Institutional

Low Intensity Use

Existing

Residential

Pedestrian Circulation

Land Use

System DiagramThe diagram shows a highly connected network of public amenities, commercial and institutional uses

61



Sidewalk5M

Government Building15M

Cafe Area 4M

Plaza3M

Cafe Area 4M

Market Building 10M

Sidewalk5M

Aruba Straat

Sidewalk5M

Civic Building10M

Cafe Area 4M

Promenade3M

Park33M

Promenade3M

Game Tables7M

Buffer 4M

Residential Yard5M

Residential 10 M

Aruba Straat

Massing ModelMarket Section

Park Section

CHAPTER 3


A REDEVELOPED DOWNTOWN ART + SHOPPING DISTRICT

Once a thriving and bustling shopping area, the western

portion of downtown San Nicolas has seen declining

numbers of visitors since the close of the refinery

in the 1980s. A lack of employment opportunities in

downtown following this closure meant that many

San Nicolas residents sought work elsewhere on the

island, predominantly in Oranjestad. Residents also

run their errands in Oranjestad rather than in San

Nicolas, largely due to the early closing hours required

of businesses. This has resulted in a dying shopping

district with vacant buildings and only a small number

of operating storefronts. While these conditions provide

challenges to downtown, there are also several positive

characteristics that signal the potential for a revived

district. The existing building stock and urban fabric of

the area is ideal for a shopping district. Unique Art Deco

architecture, a reminder of San Nicolas’ thriving era in

the 1940s which is not found anywhere else in Aruba,

provides a wonderful character and sense of place.

Existing buildings and vacant lots are ripe for adaptive

reuse and redevelopment.

With the oil refinery reopening in 2011, some potential

revitalization may be possible as employees will need

access to various services. Further, should retail shops

be allowed to remain open later, allowing San Nicolas

residents to run errands after working hours, the

downtown could be able to support additional retail.

However, in the short-term, downtown San Nicolas will

Art School Campus Phasing

Phase One Phase Two

Land Use Potential Infill Sites

63



10m

A Redeveloped Art + Shopping DistrictA vibrant streetscape plan reinforces Zeppenfeldstraat and is anchored by the new Art Academy

CHAPTER 3


need a new anchor to provide the additional foot traffic

needed to truly revitalize downtown. The Gerrit Rietveld

Art Academy, a design school based in The Netherlands,

is opening a satellite campus in Aruba and is looking

at the San Nicolas region for a potential site. Our plan

proposes that the school locate within this section of

downtown as a catalyst for additional development and

retail opportunities to make downtown an art and retail

district for San Nicolas. It should be phased according to

its needs and the availability of vacant properties in the

downtown.

As in many other historic downtowns in need of

revitalization, locating the art academy on this site

would bring the foot traffic needed to bring back

a depressed area. Further, by repurposing existing

downtown buildings, downtown can retail its unique

character while moving into a new era. Existing vacant

lots can allow the school to build necessary new spaces

for studios and galleries in an architectural style that

demonstrates the contemporary and artistic nature of

the art academy.

A Unified Downtown Public Realm

Beyond the art academy, the proposal includes a uniform

streetscape plan for Zeppenfeld Straat, extending into

the entertainment district. A distinct paving pattern

for the main street will allow visitors to have a visual

reminder that the street is important and will connect

the two halves of the downtown. Uniform street trees

serve this function as well. Another distinct paving

pattern will be used on all sidewalks throughout the

district to create a cohesive district.

The “bowtie” intersection at Zeppenfeld Straat and

Van Renselaer Straat provides an opportunity to create

a node that is visually distinct as Van Renselaer Street

and will connect downtown, the new civic center, and

the Village. Here the proposal includes a multi-colored

paving pattern that contrasts from the Main Street

paving pattern, as well as embedded solar light pavers

in bright colors that will provide an exciting night-time

atmosphere.

Another key aspect of the plan is the new public space

created using existing open areas and vacant lots. This

new space will provide ample shade and seating for

shoppers, students, and visitors while they relax with

a drink or simply rest and people watch. The sidewalk

paving pattern continues through this public space while

benches and tree cover provide comfortable rest areas.

ZeppenfeldstraatEmbedded pavement lighting in vibrant colors gives the art academy district a new look and an exciting, active night time presence

65



Section A - Zeppenfeldstraat

Section B - New Plaza Section

A

B

CHAPTER 3


30m

A Reimagined Red Light District - Illustrative Plan

67



A REIMAGINED ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

The red light district in San Nicolas developed in

response to the needs of a large influx of transient male

workers. Now that the refinery operates on a much

smaller scale, there is a question of whether or not adult

uses should continue to be part of the image of the city.

The response we received was one that understood the

importance of the district but wanted to see it contained

from more family-oriented districts in San Nicolas. This

proposal retains the red light uses in San Nicolas within

an autonomous district located along Rembrandt Straat,

a smaller alley directly north of the main street. The

areas would be clearly marked and have day and night

specific streetscaping improvements. The creation of

this district would also allow for greater enforcement of

current regulations, including the prohibition of soliciting

on the street. Sex workers would be allowed in windows

or doorways but not within the public right of way.

The adult entertainment district will also have public

realm improvements such as trees, seating, and exterior

building improvements. These public realm features

would also include a new decorative lighting scheme, a

series of illuminated arches placed over the street at a

10 meter interval. The area would be also be converted

to pedestrian only access.

Commercial

Institutional

Vacant

Red Light

Residential

Existing Land Use

CHAPTER 3


Proposed Land Use Plan

Proposed Circulation

Proposed Open Space + Pedestrian Network

Proposed Sites to Infill + Repurpose

Main Street Commercial

Anchor Commercial

Open Space

Existing Industry

Red Light Uses

Secondary Commercial

Main Street

One-way

Two-way

Pedestrian Street

Infill

Repurpose

69



A Revitalized Main Street

The relocation of red light uses to an adjacent district

will also allow for the revitalization of Main Street.

Currently, half of Main Street along the edge of the

refinery is taken up by surface parking and a large

industrial Laundromat. These uses make the south edge

of the street unsightly and divert visitors from walking

the entire length of the downtown via Main Street. The

public realm between the adult entertainment area

and the retail corridor is disconnected. We propose to

create a unifying streetscaping system to seam the new

arts and retail district, civic center, and entertainment

district together. This will include street tree planting,

wayfinding signage, distinctive paving, lighting, and

seating. The Main Street and adult entertainment

district will be terminated at both ends by two large

hotels. One of these will be located within the currently

unfinished hotel immediately adjacent to the refinery

wall. These two hotels will bring a much needed density

of tourists directly into downtown San Nicolas. There

are currently plans on the table for resort developments

around San Nicolas, but none are being planned close

enough to the heart of the city to guarantee tourist

traffic. Through the separation of the red light and

downtown entertainment districts, these areas will

become the centers of nightlife for San Nicolas and even

Aruba.

Main Street

Red Light District

CHAPTER 3


A RENEWED VILLAGE

This neighborhood improvement demonstration project

concerns the regeneration of existing neighborhoods

in terms of physical infrastructure, social capital,

and economy. A regenerated Village stands to be an

exemplar of the potential for Aruba’s struggling urban

neighborhoods to become neighborhoods of choice.

A neighborhood commons, built around the existing

public basketball court, is the centerpiece of this plan.

Improving upon what already is the social hub of the

Village, the commons is designed to facilitate local

customs for social life. A canopy of trees offers shade

throughout, a necessary amenity for outdoor life in

Aruba’s hot, humid climate. Domino tables cater to

daytime users, especially elders, who often engage the

public realm over a game or simply to people watch.

Raised planters with integrated seating create an

amphitheater around the basketball court, which can

double as a performance area. A small grove creates

a more contemplative space on the west arm of the

commons. Sun rays filter through the canopy onto

integrated seating/planter modules and domino tables,

facilitating passive activity.

Direct physical and visual connections are made

between the commons and adjacent districts through

axial streets and paths. Standing at the commons,

users have uninterrupted vistas to the downtown

shopping district, the entertainment district, Essoville,

the proposed market hall, and the proposed research

campus. A systematic planting strategy guides users

along these streets and paths. White tabebuias are the

standard street tree, fiery-red flamboyants are inserted

at gateways and fulcra, and massive barba di joncuman

trees are reserved for moments of importance.

A New “Public Living Room”

Side streets in the Village are converted into woonerfs,

a Dutch design concept for shared streets. Translating

literally to “public living room,” woonerfs are single-

grade spaces that integrate pedestrian needs—shade,

seating, low vehicle speeds—with automobile needs such

as parking and access. Pedestrians have foot access to

the entire woonerf. They are safe for children to play

in, and they include shaded seating areas for neighbors

to gather. At the same time vehicle access is maintained

throughout and parking supply is increased.

Opportunities for Infill Development

71



Public Living RoomsSmall public places are appropriate stages for neighborhood social life. By centering the Village around a shaded plaza and redesigning its side streets into woonerfs—Dutch for “public living rooms”— the Village can become an example of how Aruba’s urban neighborhoods can better sustain the social networks that bind them together

HELFRICH STRAAT

LAG

O W

EG

ST. MAARTEN STRAAT

50m

CHAPTER 3


Infill development replaces “missing teeth” in the

Village with new housing, boutique-scaled retail, and

community space. The supply of vacant lots in the Village

is enough to support roughly 75 new housing units and

5,000 square meters of retail and community space if the

neighborhood’s existing typology is maintained. Common

residential housing types consist of one-story, detached

dwellings, either single-family or duplexes. Commercial

buildings are also one-story detached buildings or in some

cases small outbuildings related to adjacent dwellings.

Infill development continues these building traditions in

order to harmonize with the Village’s existing fabric.

Woonerf Perspective

Woonerf Plan25m

73



st. martin straat basketball court / event space amphitheater caya saba

Plaza Section

10m

ST. MAARTEN STRAAT

BASKETBALL COURT / EVENT

SPACE

PLAZA SECTION

CAYA ST. JOHN

15m

Creating A Social Hub For The NeighborhoodThe plan envisions a new neighborhood commons built around the existing basketball court with a new ampitheatre and grove for passive recreation

LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS

LONG-TERM DOWNTOWNSTRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY

CIRCULATION STRATEGY

LAND USE + DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

A NEW DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT

NEW DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS + NODES

A NEW ANCHOR INSTITUTION + MARINA

4LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN

76

CHAPTER 4


LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLANcontamination of the land has taken place. A full survey

documenting the level and condition of contamination

of the entire site would be necessary prior to any other

activity. The opportunities, though seemingly endless,

are tied directly to the successful remediation of the

contaminants on the land. Implementing a properly

informed, comprehensive, and creative remediation

strategy would open the land to these opportunities

and provide the potential for tremendous social and

economic impact on the refinery site.

Infill Development and Downtown Extension

The opportunities that exist on the site are nearly

endless. The vast amount of land allows for multiple

types of reuse. High-value (monetary and ecological),

ocean front land provides ample development and

ecological regeneration opportunity, along with the

potential to connect the town of San Nicolas to the

ocean. The large inland tracts have the potential to re-

knit the fragmented development that has taken place,

as well as provide space for land intensive commercial

endeavors. Industrial infrastructure (i.e. tanks, piping,

docks, piers, etc.) provides the bones for energy

production, rain-water storage and reuse, land and water

recreation, light industry and research opportunities, and

multiple types of tourism development options.

LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS

Activity on the refinery lands has defined the San Nicolas

region for over a century. Over the years, the sprawling

tract has been the source of economic activity on

the south side of the island, playing host to multiple

extraction and refining operations. Despite the tumult of

the global economy, the current refinery has managed to

stay in a state of semi-operation. However, some doubt

of the validity and profitability of the refinery has begun

to creep into the equation. Along with this doubt comes

the possibility that more appropriate uses might replace

the refinery to ensure a more sustainable future for the

region and the island of Aruba.

The following proposals seek to highlight a snapshot of

the many possibilities that would become available with

a complete shutdown of the existing refinery uses. If we

imagine that the refinery has shut down and the land

has become the property of the Aruban Government or

a public/private partnership, there are several major

opportunities and constraints that exist.

Remediation

The most significant constraint to development is the

contamination of the site. As a result of the extraction

and refinery operations, heavy and potentially dangerous

77



Connectivity

The Valero lands currently obstruct movement

throughout the region. If the refinery were to

permanently go offline, opportunities would become

available for increasing connections to the ocean as

well as to outlying neighborhoods. This investment in

circulation and road infrastructure would most likely

need to be taken on by the government. Development

along the Northern edge of the refinery would also

strengthen retail along adjacent streets.

LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY

The long-term structure plan for San Nicolas presupposes

the final closure of the refinery and proposes a series of

moves that will aid in the development of the region.

This site has always been the economic anchor of San

Nicolas, and the following projects will continue that

tradition, only with a greater diversity. The long-term

plan will also strengthen linkages between the downtown

core and outlying neighborhoods, improving stormwater

infrastructure, roads, transportation, and neighborhood

facilities. The Valero lands pose great challenges to

traditional projects but can also provide a world-class

example of post-industrial waterfront development.

Long-Term Downtown Structure Plan

78

CHAPTER 4


Goals / Intentions

The structure plan for downtown San Nicolas in the

long-term focuses on development of the refinery

lands nearest to the existing city. This development

will strengthen earlier moves made in the short-term

and begin to really make San Nicolas an international

destination. All of these proposals are based on

big moves, joint partnerships, and infrastructural

investments. Our goals for the downtown in the long-

term entail: creating a new waterfront cruise terminal

and public plaza, creating a new residential and hotel

district, extending the retail district into the Valero

lands, creating a new waterfront gateway to San Nicolas,

and diversifying the local economies thorough a research

campus and water treatment plant.

Summary

The long-term downtown structure plan strategy

proposes two key overarching ideas. First, future

development on the south side of the island should be

concentrated around the urban core of San Nicolas. With

the availability of the refinery land comes the ability to

expand the downtown and develop a truly unique and

beautiful waterfront. The commercial, institutional,

residential, and tourist development that might

accompany such a waterfront would increase traffic flow

and energy in the downtown in a move to revitalize the

city of San Nicolas.

Second, future development around San Nicolas should

include shaded, walkable public space and direct public

access to the waterfront and other amenities. Creating

an urban waterfront that is truly open to and used by

the public is essential for the people of Aruba. Large

developments on the north side of the island have

essentially limited the access to the waterfront, and the

people of Aruba deserve better. This is the opportunity

to create a walkable urban environment that embraces

the water and the coastline that characterize the Aruban

landscape. The San Nicolas waterfront could provide

necessary public access and create a new and unique

experience on the island of Aruba while still maintaining

a distinctly Aruban character.

After the remediation process, the land between the

existing town and the waterfront would become available

for development. The long-term downtown structure plan

shows a potential expansion of the downtown directly to

the water and toward the south-east and Seroe Colorado.

The proposed development includes: a public harbor

connecting downtown San Nicolas to the water; a cruise

ship terminal; an education and research campus; an

Aruba welcome center; an energy museum; a marina; a

regional public recreation and regenerative landscape

79



network; hotel, rental-condo, middle-income, and

student residential space; commercial space for shopping,

restaurants, bars and cafés, as well as light industrial and

production areas; athletic fields; a public beach; a look-out

pavilion; and a performance amphitheater.

CIRCULATION STRATEGY

The circulation strategy for the expanded downtown

seeks to address the current conditions and allow for

new opportunities within and around the Valero lands.

The location of the oil refinery poses several circulation

constraints, including lack of connection to the ocean and

to neighborhoods east of the city. New circulation systems

can be used to connect catalytic developments to the east

and south of the existing downtown. A road from the new

cruise terminal will transport cars, buses, and pedestrians

300m

Oil Refinery - Existing Structures

LONG-TERM DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN AREA

80

CHAPTER 4


to downtown. The bus station will be relocated so that

four different streets can access it for optimal pick-up

and drop-off opportunities. New development along

the edge of the retail district will also provide a road

that connects the retail and entertainment district just

south of the main street from the west to the east. This

new road would act as a throughway from the shopping

district through the entertainment and university

districts to beaches and other recreational facilities to

the east. Main Street will continue to exist as a one-way

street, with instances of two-way traffic, now connected

with public space and commercial uses in the area where

the wall formerly existed. Surface lots and street parking

will exist further south to accommodate tourists and

residents.

Circulation in the new university district will continue

existing streets from the Village through to the east

to allow for linkages to recreation and downtown.

These streets could then be expanded into the refinery

site at a later time to provide a framework for new

development. The circulation strategy also includes a

network connecting the downtown extension all the way

to Colorado Point. There will also be a series of public

plazas and pedestrian paths from the civic center to the

waterfront. Ultimately, the new circulation system will

provide access to the ocean and connections from new

districts to the existing downtown.

LAND USE + DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

The Valero site will eventually become a post-industrial

site. It is currently covered by machinery and industrial

infrastructure. Our land use strategy tries to mitigate

between these existing conditions and land uses that may

be more amenable to downtown redevelopment. When

the oil refinery eventually goes offline, development

to the south of San Nicolas will finally connect the

city to the water. Much of the refinery land will need

remediation as a result of its present use. However,

the land directly south of the entertainment district is

currently used for office space. Therefore, construction

of an inviting public space between the town and the

ocean can begin soon after the refinery closes down.

Additionally, the refinery currently contains working

docks that now accommodate large oil tankers. These

docks can be converted to hold passenger cruise ships

and alleviate the demand on Oranjestad’s port of

entry. Once docked at the cruise ship terminal in San

Nicolas, passengers are guided to the new civic center

where there are markets, outdoor events, government

buildings, a new historical museum, and passive

recreation space – to beaches – golf opportunities – the

national park – and other valued local amenities.

81



Land along the waterfront will be remediated for public

use. A regional bike system along the waterfront will

ensure that the land remains accessible to all and

will connect the neighborhoods of San Nicolas to the

region’s key natural assets. Furthermore, when refinery

land becomes available, a direct path for vehicles from

San Nicolas to Baby Beach can be constructed, which

will decrease traffic from neighborhood streets. Land

above the regional park system and to the south of

the entertainment district is designated for the future

growth of San Nicolas, including waterfront hotels and

condominiums and the commerce required to serve those

populations.

300m

Oil Refinery Boundary

Recreation Network Trail

Primary Circulation

Circulation


82

CHAPTER 4


Lastly, when the wall of the refinery comes down, land to

the east of San Nicolas that runs the length of the Village

and the entertainment district will become available

for new development opportunities. Such opportunities

include a new research and development campus for

renewable energy technologies. The Aruban government

took its first steps towards the establishment of this

center in September 2010 when they signed a partnership

agreement with the Delft University of Technology in the

Netherlands. The location of the R & D center, which the

government aspires to be the forerunner for sustainable

energy in the Caribbean, is proposed to be in the San

Nicolas region where the center can capture the greatest

amount of solar, wind, and water energy.

A NEW DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT

The Downtown Civic Realm

Providing quality public space to the people of San

Nicolas is the primary goal of the Downtown Waterfront

proposal. Multi-national hotel development on the north

side of the island has effectively limited public access to

the water, and this proposal seeks to avoid that outcome.

Not only does this proposal link downtown San Nicolas to

the water, it brings the water to the downtown. It also

brings cruise ship passengers through a post-industrial

park up through the harbor front and into town. The

public plaza that envelopes the harbor terminates at the

proposed civic center, taking San Nicolas Bay directly into

the heart of the city.

By extending the urban fabric of the existing downtown

and increasing the density of the floor area, a truly

urban waterfront experience can be created. The

waterfront access that is created by the new harbor

is framed by public space, which connects the new

center of downtown to the water through a series of

public plazas. The topography and layout of the physical

structures allows one to see the ocean from the center

of downtown and experience the transition from land to

sea. In addition to the public space along the harbor’s

edge, a new cruise ship terminal, a lookout point, and a

public beachfront area accent the waterfront. First floor

cafés, shops, and restaurants line the harbor to create

a vibrant and interactive atmosphere as well as provide

an opportunity for current and potential local business

83



owners to set up shop. The upper floors of the buildings

provide hotel space for tourists and residential space

for vacationers and locals alike. This new waterfront

development will provide a density of residents and

tourists large enough to support greater economic

development in the retail, services, and hospitality

sectors.

300m

Downtown Waterfront and Harbor

Anchor Institution and Marina

Long-Term Structure Plan in Context


84

CHAPTER 4


The Harbor

The harbor itself is a multi-tiered stone and concrete

bulkhead headed by a landscaped amphitheater adjacent

to the downtown. The mouth of the harbor is punctuated

by a new cruise ship terminal building on one side and

a public look-out pavilion on the other. The topography

slopes gradually upward from the mouth to the town,

creating a slow, smooth grade upward for the buildings

and streets. As you reach the elevation of the town,

the ground levels, and both sides of the harbor empty

into a plaza framed by the Aruba welcome center and

the energy museum. A fountain, encircled by benches

and wading pools, is centered in the plaza and fed by

ocean water, which flows down through the amphitheater

creating a series of wading pools and waterfalls. The

topography of the land creates a unique opportunity for

a dramatic staircase that leads directly from the plaza to

the water. The lowest tier is landscaped with grass, and

because of the very minor tidal fluctuation (less than 1’/

.3 meters), it would be a great place to sit and dangle

your legs into the water. The second and third tiers run

level outward from the amphitheater so that as each

walkway leaves the amphitheater it eventually empties

onto the public space that frames the harbor. This urban

water landscape is unique to Aruba and would provide

a much needed amenity for the Aruban people and a

memorable experience for visitors.

Commercial

Institutional

Residential

Open Space

Land Use Plan

Massing of Harbor Development Looking East

85



50m

Waterfront Section

Detail 1

Detail 2

Waterfront Section

Waterfront Illustrative Plan

86

CHAPTER 4


NEW DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS + NODES

Valero lands within the immediate vicinity of downtown

will be absorbed into the existing fabric of the city and

will be used to strengthen physical and social linkages

throughout the region. Much of the downtown extension

will be directed toward commercial and institutional

development. The cruise ship terminal, campus,

marina, residential neighborhoods, and public space

bring additional activity and energy to San Nicolas. The

cruise ship terminal would become the hub of tourist

traffic through San Nicolas. Ships carrying thousands of

people would be able to dock within a short walk from

the downtown. The educational campus would provide

an institutional anchor to the downtown and bring new

opportunity to the city. The center of campus punctuates

the east end of Main Street and would become a node of

activity for the students and locals alike.

The Downtown Neighborhood Extension

The proposed expansion into the refinery site would

create a new set of neighborhoods and nodes in the

downtown. The kind of intensity of development we are

proposing would dramatically increase the number of

both short and long-term residents. The creation of a

neighborhood supporting the housing needs of students

and faculty would be dovetailed into the existing

downtown Village. This neighborhood would also act as

the seam between the Village and existing neighborhoods

to the north of the refinery.

The residential area in the expanded downtown

waterfront area would integrate tourist housing and

amenities into the city, creating a unique destination

and a lively neighborhood. The harbor and the plazas

that connect the new downtown San Nicolas to the

water provide walkable public access and create new

channels of activity from the city to the water and back.

This residential extension will also strengthen the Main

Street corridor and convert it from an edge to a center of

activity for downtown and its extension.

PERFORMANCE AMPHITHEATER

87



CONNECTION TO DOWNTOWN

WATERFRONT PLAZA

PERFORMANCE AMPHITHEATER

LOCAL TRANSIT HUB

ARUBA WELCOME CENTER

New NeighborhoodsNew Harbor and Downtown Activity Node

HARBOR

LOWER DOWNTOWN

NORTH CAMPUS

88

CHAPTER 4


A NEW ANCHOR INSTITUTION + MARINA

An International Research Campus

The premise of the research and development center

for renewable energy technologies is that it will be

able to replace the oil refinery as a large economic

generator for the city. Not only will the center itself

create jobs for those living in San Nicolas but the spin off

manufacturing industries that may result from renewable

energy research will also create jobs for the region. More

importantly, the research center will enable Aruba to

move away from oil dependency by generating its own

energy. This will significantly lower the cost of living for

Arubans, many of whom spend between 30% and 50% of

their income on water and electricity. The increase in

disposable income for San Nicolas households will also

end up supporting local businesses in the downtown area.

The research and development campus has four main

sections. On the north end of the campus, single-family

and multi-unit apartments will be constructed to house

faculty and their families as well as students and visiting

scholars and scientists. This area will incorporate the

woonerf seen in the Village, thereby reducing car speeds

in the neighborhood. These two residential blocks will

re-knit the fabric of the city by physically reconnecting

the neighborhoods in the northeast back to downtown

San Nicolas and by creating walkable access routes

between both places. South of campus housing, will be

a block that acts as a mediating ground for residential,

commercial and institutional land uses. The hotel that

already exists on this block will frame the block to the

west, with another large-scale development such as a

student gym adjacent to it. In the center of the block

there will be an informal gathering space where tourists,

students and workers can take their lunch. East of this

central park, the academic and research core of the

campus begins.

The academic and research core is made up of tightly

knit three to four story buildings that increase in scale

as it approaches the water. This scaling up from the

central node ensures that the research and development

campus does not dominate the three story structures in

the downtown area. The individual buildings of this part

of the campus will be connected on the second floor by

a network of walkways that integrate solar panels into

A

A

Campus Illustrative PlanThe new Research and Development Campus will contain residential areas for students and faculty, an academic core, and an area for parks and waterfront development

50m

89



the shading structure. This shading structure will also be

constructed in the central plazas of the academic and

research core.

A New Marina

The southern end of the campus allows for large-scale

development opportunities that take full advantage of

its waterfront location. Developments in this area should

be more widely dispersed so as to not block vistas to

the water and to integrate pedestrian scale activities

such as the regional bike network that runs through

the southern end of the campus. Waterfront athletics

facilities would be ideal for this space and would provide

the city with essential community facilities such as tennis

courts, basketball courts, soccer fields and boat sheds.

Additionally, the docks that are currently used in the oil

refinery could be reconverted into a marina with a yacht

club house with a restaurant and bar on the top floor,

from which you would have the best view of the Aruban

sunset.

Lastly, the research and development campus will have a

strong central axis on which there will be a bike trail that

runs from the north end to the south end of the campus

and will connect San Nicolas’ neighborhoods to the water

and the regional bike trail. Along the central axis there

will also be a bioswale that will collect and channel flood

water from the roi that is located north of the campus.

Section A - Campus Development

10m


KEY REGIONAL ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS

REGIONAL AMENITIES STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY

RECREATION NETWORK STRATEGY

A NEW TOURISM + ADVENTURE CENTER

REIMAGINING A RESORT + GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT

CREATING PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES

5

92

CHAPTER 5



KEY REGIONAL ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS

The Regional Structure Plan proposes a long-term

strategy for growth in and around San Nicolas. It assumes

the final closure of the refinery, and the ability to

separate the refinery lands into large parcels for further

use. The structure plan defines a framework for new

development on the post-industrial site, and well as

strategies for linking the region through the site. The

key issues and constraints at the regional level are: the

long-term viability of the refinery, the necessity for

remediation in and around the refinery site, and the need

for greater connectivity between Downtown San Nicolas

and the rest of the region.

Post Industrial Town In Transition

The most important issue at the regional scale is the

future of the refinery. A few regional proposals can be

executed prior to the closure of the refinery, but the

major moves hinge on new ideas for the 500 acre site.

The structure plan is presented at its long-term stage,

demonstrating possibilities for the region after the

refinery ceases to be economically competitive. The

refinery is scheduled to re-open within the year, but its

long-term future is uncertain. In the short-term, the

refinery is an impediment to large-scale growth in the

region. After the final closure of the refinery, the post-

industrial site will provide additional challenges and

opportunities for San Nicolas. Some of these challenges

include job creation, site remediation, and funding.

However, the scale and geographical location of the

refinery provide opportunities for the diversifying the

local economy, opening up access to the ocean and Seroe

Colorado, and expanding Downtown San Nicolas.

View of the Oil Refinery and surrounding landscape

93



Remediation

One of the most significant constraints to turning over

the refinery lands is the possible contamination of the

refinery site. The lands within and around the refinery

may be in need of remediation in order to be safe for

new uses. Petroleum distillates, coke, sulfur, and other

refinery-based byproducts may be present in the soil,

requiring a strategy for long-term remediation. The

balancing between expensive short-term remediation

strategies and less expensive but time intensive

bioremediation strategies has the capacity to direct new

growth on the site. The bioremediation fields could also

be used as passive recreation or tree nurseries until they

are deemed safe for new programs.

Access

The last constraint to further growth in the region is a

lack of access. There is only one major road to both Baby

Beach and Seroe Colorado. This road floods during the

rainy season and is not easily accessible by pedestrians

or bicyclists. Presently, beach access is cut off by the

refinery wall. Downtown San Nicolas could take greater

advantage of the proposed resort developments around

Colorado Point if the road network was improved. A

greater variety of transit options between San Nicolas

and outlying neighborhoods is also needed. Access is also

limited between recreational and natural areas around

San Nicolas. It is difficult to walk from Baby Beach, the

National Park, to any other habitat areas, forcing tourists

to rely on personal vehicles.

A New Resort Development

The current plan for a golf course and resort

development in Seroe Colorado will bring a greater

volume of tourists to the southern side of the island.

The resort development will provide greater economic

opportunity for the residents of San Nicolas, especially if

it is designed to work synergistically with local assets in

the region, including Downtown and Baby Beach.

94

CHAPTER 5


REGIONAL AMENITIES STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY

As has already been mentioned, the regional structure

plan assumes the final closure of the refinery and the

acquisition of the land by the central government.

This may happen in five years, or it may happen in fifty

years; but in many ways, the exact timing of the refinery

closure is unimportant. What is important is to have a

comprehensive vision for the region so that if and when

the refinery does close its gates for the last time, the

people of San Nicolas and Aruba are prepared. In this

way, we do not view the eventual closure of the refinery

as a threat, but as a real opportunity to create a more

diverse economy unique to the island of Aruba.

Goals / Intensions

There are five main goals and principles for the regional

structure plan of the San Nicolas Region. These five

goals will work together to create new opportunities for

the region. They are: to build a more diverse economy

unique to the island; to improve the access, circulation,

and connectivity of the region; to restore and reclaim

valuable Aruban landscapes; to provide new recreational

opportunities; and to achieve a more focused

development.

Summary

The eventual closure of the refinery will provide

opportunities to build a more diverse economy for the

San Nicolas Region. Once the 500 acres of the refinery

have been freed up, there is opportunity to use the

lands for a new cruise terminal, new resorts and park

opportunities, sites for research and educational

facilities, and productive landscapes that will help to

restore the land. Each of these, has been or will be

explored more fully and together with the following

goals, will all work together to improve the economic

diversity and vitality of the region.

As was mentioned previously, the circulation network

in the San Nicolas Region is a real constraint for future

growth and development of San Nicolas. The Regional

Structure plan proposes the creation of a new road

network, based on the existing street system that

will allow for both more north/south and east/west

connections. This will not only provide direct connections

between the neighborhoods and the downtown directly

to the ocean but will allow more direct connections

between these areas and the new resorts and natural

amenities around Seroe Colorado. In addition to this

street network, a new bicycle network is also proposed

for the region. It will provide direct connections for

hikers and cyclists to the region’s many natural assets

and Arikok National Park.

95



Regional Bike Trail NetworkPerspective of Regional Bike Trail looping through preserved Oil Refinery infrastructure

96

CHAPTER 5


There currently exists many great recreational

opportunities in the San Nicolas Region. In addition to

the creation and connection of the regional park system

mentioned previously, there are several new resorts

planned for the Region. It is important that these resorts

do not simply repeat the paradigm set in the north, but

are sensitive to the climate of the region and allow for

public access to important sites. This plan also calls for

the restoration of the recreational facilities at Baby and

Rodgers Beaches and Commanders Bay as well as the

creation of a new Marina adjacent to the downtown.

Finally, all of these recreational opportunities should be

accompanied by an educational campaign designed to

teach both residents and guests how to experience and

value these areas.

The final goal of the regional structure plan is to ensure

a more focused development in the region. Through the

use of a greenbelt, the plan proposes that all future

development be concentrated in already urbanized

areas such as in the Downtown or at Seroe Colorado. The

idea is to build upon the already existing urban fabric

in order to create density rather than sprawl. This will

not only help to ensure that areas remain and become

more vital in the future but will help to protect that

sensitive ecosystem of the region. The plan proposes

that all future growth will be concentrated between

the downtown and the water and in the productive

landscapes as need the need arises.

The plan also addresses another aspect of connectivity

and circulation: ecological networks. Currently, the

natural areas in the San Nicolas Region are separated one

from another. The proposed regional bicycle network,

which will allow walkers and cyclists to access the

different amenities of the region, will be a part of a

larger ecological network that will allow plants and

animals to move freely across the region. This is a major

step in restoring the region to a functioning ecosystem.

The San Nicolas region possesses some of the most

diverse, dramatic, and unique landscapes on the Island.

These include but are not limited to the mangroves

at Commanders Bay, the beaches and dunes at Baby

Beach, Rodgers Beach and Boca Grande, the cliffs and

natural bridges at Colorado Point, and the caves of the

southern portion of the Arikok National Park. Currently,

the Refinery occupies nearly 5 kilometers of the coastline

immediately adjacent to San Nicolas. Furthermore, a

proposed resort would limit public access to the areas

surrounding Colorado Point. It is therefore important that

these existing areas of importance are identified so that

they can remain available to the public. Furthermore,

certain refinery lands should be set aside to create a new

waterfront park adjacent to the city. Once these areas

have been identified, they must be ecologically restored

in order to begin to recreate a healthy and functioning

ecosystem for the region.

97



Though much of the Regional Structure Plan relies on

the closing of the refinery, there are elements that

can begin immediately in order to set the stage for

the eventual realization of the whole plan. All future

development in the region should be focused on lands

adjacent to already urbanized areas. The proposed

resorts may happen quite soon, so it is important to work

with the developers to retain valuable land and ensure

the ecological sensitivity of the development. Along

with the resorts, the bicycle network and ecological

buffer can be started on the southeastern portion of the

Island. This then can be connected to Arikok. Finally, the

improvements to existing parks and natural areas such as

Baby Beach and Boca Grande can be begun immediately.

TourismPerspective of new resort development and tourism opportunities near Seroe Colorado

98

CHAPTER 5


300m

Regional Structure Plan

99



REFINERY PARK + ADVENTURE CENTER

RESORT + GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT

100

CHAPTER 5


RECREATION NETWORK STRATEGY

The creation of a new regional park system and

ecological network will be valuable to the San Nicolas

Region for a number of reasons: It will re-knit the

ecological fabric of the region, create new recreational

opportunities for residents and guests, and restore and

reclaim valuable Aruban landscapes. In the following,

each of these will be explored in more detail.

Re-knit the Ecological Fabric of the Region

Currently, the natural areas of the San Nicolas region

isolated from one another. This not only limits the

ability for residents and guests to move between these

amenities but it these spaces from working together as

a functioning ecosystem. By linking the identified sites

together and to the Arikok National Park in an ecological

network, there is opportunity to begin to restore the San

Nicolas Region.

The physical links between the sites and Arikok National

Park will be a thirty meter wide linear buffer, the

minimum width for a corridor. Contained within this

corridor will be a walking and bike trail for people and

a bioswale for stormwater management. To minimize

water and resource needs, this buffer will adopt the

character of each ecosystem through which it passes. In

order to allow for the free movement of flora and fauna,

it is important that this buffer is both continuous and

maintained.

New Recreational Opportunities for Residents and Guests

The restoration and creation of new parks in the San

Nicolas region will improve recreational opportunities for

both residents and guests. This will aid in developing a

new, ecologically based tourism for the region as well as

helping to make the region a destination on the island.

Many people already visit areas around Baby Beach and

Colorado Point for recreational purposes, and these new

parks will build off of that density. In this way, these

new and restored recreational opportunities will be both

environmentally-savvy and economically feasible.

Restore and Reclaim Valuable Aruban Landscapes

San Nicolas has been called a waterfront town without

any water. It is a town cut off from its most valuable

environmental resource. New development in the region

threatens to further cut off the town and its people

from other resources. For this reason, areas which are

valuable both now and in the future for the people of

San Nicolas need to be identified and preserved. This

plan has identified several of these key areas; others can

certainly be added to the list.

101



Commanders Bay

Boca Grande

Trail System

Baby Beach

[Refinery Park]

Roois

bioswale trail bufferbufferbuffer

1000m

5m

Recreation Network Plan

Goals:

Re-knit the Ecological Fabric of the San Nicolas Region

Provide Unique Recreational Opportunities for Residents and Tourists

Restore and Reclaim Valuable Aruban Landscapes

Section A - Typical Section through Bioswale

102

CHAPTER 5


A NEW TOURISM + ADVENTURE CENTER

The location for a new park in the San Nicolas region has

been identified. It was chosen due to its proximity to the

downtown as well as because of the interesting nature

of the existing infrastructure. It is imagined that this

new park will act as the center for the new regional park

system. As such, there will need to be certain amenities

that this park will offer, such as camping facilities and a

visitor center. Refinery Park, as we are calling it, and its

accompanying adventure center, though quite specific

to the site, also provide a type of overnight facility that

can be repeated throughout the park system. This is a

system that can be repeated, and from this, there are

lessons to be learned; the reuse of infrastructure, taking

advantage of the natural amenities on the site, and

restoring the ecology of the site. The new Refinery Park

is imagined as the primary tourist destination in the park

system. Other sites in the system, such as Commanders

Bay and Baby Beach should be designed to meet the

needs of local residents and to ensure that this new park

system remains public. In the following, a more through

explanation of the refinery park will be offered, and the

new adventure center will be explored.

Refinery Park

As has been stated, Refinery Park will provide an

example of how to create other park sites within the

system. There are three major structuring devices for

Refinery Park: the trail system and corridor that run

through it, existing infrastructure, and the need for

ecological restoration. The trail system and corridor

are linear elements that run through the park. Where

practical, connections from this trail system are made to

elements within the park and to the surrounding areas.

In Refinery Park, the bioswales will be connected to the

restored mangroves. This will not only help to deal with

stormwater management, but will seasonally flood the

mangroves with nutrients, mimicking a natural system.

Within Refinery Park exists some of the most visually

interesting infrastructure from the refinery will be

preserved and adapted. Some of this infrastructure

should be maintained in order to both provide for

cultural history on the site as well as to provide for truly

unique recreational opportunities. As an example, at

Duisburg Nord in Germany, old tanks have been converted

into dive pools and other infrastructure converted to

climbing structures. At Refinery Park, there is opportunity

to do this and more. On the plan have been identified

key infrastructure elements that should be retained

in order to create a new dive center with shop and

dive pool, a new kayak center, fishing piers, a viewing

tower with climbing structure, and a new tourism and

adventure center.

parking

Perspective Rendering of activities inside the Adventure Center

103



parking trail fishing pier

A

A

B

B

C

C

1000m

10m

Section B - Waterfront Trail and Fishing Pier

Refinery Park Site Plan

104

CHAPTER 5


The natural landscape is the final structuring device of

Refinery Park. Based largely on topography, the landscape

should be restored to begin to recreate a functioning

ecosystem for the region. Near the water, a mangrove

restoration project and canal system is proposed. From

there, the landscape would likely move from dune

ecology to arid ecology as topography increases. Before

any of this can happen however, work will need to be

done to mechanically and biologically remove toxins from

the site and the soils.

Refinery Park Tourism and Adventure Center

It is important that the new park system for the region

has a clear destination that will attract tourists and

provide a starting point for experiencing the natural

features of the park system and region. Due to the

availability of large warehouse structures on the site, it

is possible that this new center will be able to reuse one

of these buildings. There are several key elements that

this tourism and adventure center should include, such

as a visitor center, hostel, and campground. Depending

on availability of space, other elements such as a bicycle

rental shop, indoor climbing wall, skate park, and cafes

and restaurants could be included. With all of these

elements, there is a choice for what type of tourist to

attract, from the budget minded young traveler to the

high-end eco-tourist.

Adventure Center Elements:

Clim

bing

Wal

lH

oste

lCa

mp

Gro

und

Wel

com

e Ce

nter

$20

Furnace Creek, US

$160

Overland Track, AU

$200

Palm Canyon, US

$2400

Longitude 131, AU

Arikok, AWEl Yunque, PRSeneca Rocks, USGrand Tetons, US

$8

Hostel Sol, BR

$15

I.S.H., UK

$20

Che Legarto, BR

$150

Centre Ecologic Llemena, ES

$50

Chelsea Rocks, US

$35

Aviator Sports, US

$30

Play Mountain, JP

FREE

Duisburg Nord, DE

105



camping area camping area buffer bufferbufferbuffer trail trail

10m

100m

Section C - Campgrounds and Adventure Center

Tourism and Adventure Center

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CHAPTER 5


REIMAGINING A RESORT + GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT

Colorado Point is a unique place in the Aruban landscape.

Currently, there is a plan in place for a golf course and

resort development on the site. This proposal has the

possibility of preserving the extraordinary qualities

of the place, without taking anything away from the

Aruban people or prospective tourists. This project seeks

to balance between touristic uses and local uses, to

provide a unique Aruban experience for all visitors. The

main elements of the proposal are: a golf course, resort

development, ecological bike network, and public park at

Colorado Point. The key principles directing the proposal

are: to maintain access to Colorado Point, conserving

water, protecting and restoring the existing landscape,

and creating sustainable eco-tourist resorts.

Project Assumptions

The project assumptions come from the current proposal

for the golf course and resorts. First, there will be an 18-

hole golf course with golf club and driving range. Second,

there will be a mix of approximately 900-1100 hotel,

condo, and resort units. One of these resort parcels

is planned as a “Rock Hotel”, set into the cliffside at

Colorado Point. The current plan also leaves three

“Public Access” zones on the site. The schematic diagram

designates the location of the tee and putting green for

each of the golf course holes. It also outlines the site

boundaries of five resort parcels, three along the west

side of the course, and two to the south. The schematic

also provide the location of the three main entrances to

the site and the location of the golf club.

Two Alternative Proposals

This project provides two alternative proposals for

maintaining public access to Colorado point. The first

begins with the current scheme and makes a small

number of adjustments. It provides a land swap between

a few of the golf links and the public access lands at

Colorado Point, allowing for greater public access to the

cliffside and natural bridge.

The second proposal moves about half of the golf links

inland to create a continuous public park along the coast.

The regional bike network would pass along the coastal

park. The “Rock Hotel” would also be shifted to a less

sensitive site. This proposal is a significant shift from the

current golf course scheme, but provides greater amenity

to the public. Both alternatives are compatible with the

main principles of the project: maintaining public access

to Colorado Point, preserving and restoring the Aruban

landscape, and creating a sustainable golf course in a

semi-arid climate.

Current Proposal

1st AlternativeLand Swap

2nd AlternativeLinear Waterfront Park

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1st AlternativeLand Swap

2nd AlternativeLinear Waterfront Park

300m

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Circulation + Public Access

The goal of the circulation system is to increase public

use of the golf course and resort, without impeding golf

course activities. One way to achieve this is through a

combined golf cart and bicycle path. This shared cart,

pedestrian, and bicycle path would link the two public

parks on each end of the golf course, providing a safe

through fare for viewing the habitat preserves within the

golf course. The shared path would also take the place

of the regional bike network as it passes through the golf

course. It creates a secondary public link to Colorado

point and the shoreline, without creating redundant

circulation routes. There would be an additional bike

path running along the western edge of the property

and connecting the bicycle network at the northern

and southern edge of the property. Connecting the two

bicycle paths together is a network of walking trails. The

resort would also host an interpretive center for tourists

to understand the unique character of the San Nicolas

bio-region.

Sustainable Golf Course Technologies

The most significant concern for golf courses in semi-

arid climates is water consumption. During the summer

months, golf courses need up to 3,700 cubic meters of

water per week and turf alone requires about 70 to 120

cm per year. The proposed planting plan limits turf grass,

which has the highest water consumption of all plants

Sustainable Golf Course DesignThe use of native vegetation and landscapes, and the limitation of turf grass used on the course can significantly reduce the amount of water used for irrigation while preserving the unique beauty of the landscape

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on the golf course, to fairway, green, and first rough.

Environmentally sensitive water and planting strategies

can improve water efficiency from 20 to 50 percent,

making it well worth the higher initial investment. The

second rough and other high traffic areas on the golf

course will be covered with a fine gravel groundcover

with stands of native vegetation and shade trees. Areas

within the course that are not heavily trafficked, and are

not part of golf course operations will be restored with

native vegetation and groundcovers. These zones would

leave the coral and volcanic rock exposed, highlighting

the singularity of the landscape at Seroe Colorado for

patrons. Preserving as much native habitat as possible

saves money on fill and exotic vegetation. It also gives

the golf course a different character than is experienced

in most other resorts, creating a new kind of golf

experience.

Resort Planning

The siting of resort buildings balances density, building

height, building footprint, and privacy. Vehicles would be

restricted to a main road connecting the golf course and

resort nodes, and parking would be structured to reduce

impermeable surface parking. The goal is not to replicate

hotel developments from the Northern side of the island,

but to create a sustainable eco-tourism resort that still

appeals to many different types of tourists. Sustainable

resorts tend to be constructed with minimal intervention

on the landscape, but are built at very low density. The

Illustrative Plan of the First Golf Course Alternative

100m

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Resort Corridor StreetHotel/ParkingHotel

Resort Corridor Pool Deck Street

10mSection A - Resort Amenities

Section B - Resort Development 50m

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Street

assumptions for the project require a minimum density

that necessitates a higher percentage of multi-family

units. The strategy then is to concentrate development

into compact settlements, utilizing energy efficient and

water conserving technologies.

There are two main building typologies: a four-unit

duplex set into the landscape, and a condo/hotel

complex. The four-unit duplexes are grouped in pairs,

facing the golf course. They are sunken into the

landscape to minimize visual impact. The majority of the

buildings are oriented to catch prevailing winds, allowing

for the possibility of passive ventilation. These are

envisioned as high-end time shares or long-term rentals.

The second typology, a compact hotel cluster, is linked by

a scenic pedestrian corridor. Each of the four clusters is

centered on shared hotel amenities, including the pool,

golf club, and interpretive nature center. Each of these

nodes also provides structured parking for all of the

vehicles at that complex. Golf carts and shuttle service

would be provided to discourage the use of personal

vehicles on site.

New development in Seroe Colorado would provide San

Nicolas with a tourist market the city has never had.

The goal of the proposal is to spur sustainable economic

development, while preserving Colorado point for the

public. Seroe Colorado is unlike any other place in Aruba,

and should be protected for generations to come. Site Plan of the eco-tourism resort and hotel

50m

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CREATING PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES

What is a productive landscape?

Much of the refinery site outside of the immediate

vicinity of downtown could be repurposed for productive

landscapes. Productive landscapes are landscapes that

perform active uses like agriculture, remediation, or

purification through biological processes. The refinery

site could provide two different types of productive

landscapes: a plant nursery/remediation project and a

water treatment plant/park. Both proposals combine

economic generators with restoration projects, creating

multi-functional, robust landscape systems.

Tree Nursery

Over half of the refinery site is proposed to be converted

to a plant nursery. The nursery would accomplish two

goals: bio-remediating refinery lands and growing

native and ornamental vegetation for the island. Bio-

remediation is a more cost effective means of cleaning

up the refinery site than capping. The nursery would

be planted with non-consumables to ensure that

contamination within the soil is not taken up in fruits or

vegetables. The nursery could specialize in street trees,

palms, and native vegetation for the entire island. All of

the vegetation used in new construction on the island is

imported. This is very expensive, and unsustainable. The

new nursery could fill a much needed economic void and

further support local industries on the island. In this way,

a tree nursery on the refinery site could provide jobs in

the region while the land is being remediated.

Many tree species however, will not be tolerant to the

level of hydrocarbons and other toxins likely present in

the soil. For this reason it will be important to initially

plant the site with species of vegetation that specialize

in removing toxins from the soil. There are three species

of legumes and three tropical grasses that are adapted

to the climate of Aruba that have been shown to draw

oil out of the soil. The legumes are Calopogonium

mucunoides, Centrosema brasilianum, and Stylosanthes

capitata. The tropical grasses are Brachiaria brizantha,

Cyperus aggregatus, and Eleusine indica. Of these, the

grasses Brachiaria brizantha and Cyperus aggregatus

have been shown to be particularly effective. The exact

duration and combination of species to be used will vary

on the conditions of the soil.

Beyond early remediation of the most toxic soils, a street

network will need to be constructed on the site in order

to plant, maintain, and harvest the plants. This street

network should connect with the existing street grid and

connect San Nicolas and the surrounding neighborhoods

to existing and proposed amenities. This is to say that

is should be thoughtfully designed so that in the future,

should the city need to grow, the productive landscapes

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can transition from agricultural to more urban uses. A

well designed street network will ensure that the cost of

this infrastructure need only be spent once.

Water Treatment Plant

One of the major problems facing the island of Aruba

is access to fresh water. The second type of productive

landscape on the refinery site is a water treatment

and storage facility. There is a tremendous amount of

infrastructure on the site of the refinery. In the event of

the refinery closure, this infrastructure could be used to

collect, store, and distribute fresh water to the region.

This would not only lessen pollution to the surrounding

reefs, reduce energy consumption on the island and

but also provide opportunity for job creation. This is to

say that there are both economic and environmental

motivations for this project.

On the northern end of the refinery site exists a tank

farm which stores crude and refined oil. These tanks

are situated on large cement pads and are connected

together and to the refinery by large pipelines.

Preliminary research suggests that these tanks may be

able to be cleaned to an extent that they can be used for

grey water treatment. Initially, water could be collected

from Zeewijk in order to avoid seasonal flooding there.

With the completion of the regional bioswale network,

stormwater can eventually be collected from the roois

and bioswales and incorporated into the system.

Example of Palm Plantation Productive LandscapeCigudeg bei Bogor, Java - Indonesia.

Wikimedia Commons - In the public domain


REINFORCING THE VISION

MOVING TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

STUDIO FACULTY + PARTICIPANTS

6

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REINFORCING THE VISION

San Nicolas is a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures. In

the future, the entire region will reinforce this diversity.

Locals and tourists from all over the world will mingle in

its trendy local shops, shaded and inviting streets, unique

parks, and beautiful beaches. Imagine a city that has

developed into an international destination, but has not

lost its edge. San Nicolas has an incredible opportunity

to create a place that is like no other in the Caribbean,

or even the world. To achieve any of these goals, a

substantial planning effort and implementation strategy

focused on the visions, principles, and proposals in this

report is needed.

The Vision Plan for the San Nicolas region has

investigated opportunities and new ideas for revitalizing

the downtown, neighborhoods and environmental assets.

Site visits, stakeholder meetings, and charrettes helped

determine a series of visions for the region. These visions

were ultimately expressed in a series of frameworks and

proposals. They seek to create a new identity for the city

without losing the diversity of existing city. These visions

are:

1 - SAN NICOLAS’ TOURIST ECONOMY WILL EMPHASIZE

BOTH NATURAL RESOURCES AND CULTURAL ASSETS.

2 - THE PEOPLE OF SAN NICOLAS WILL BE CONNECTED TO

VALUED PLACES AND COMMUNITIES.

3 - A PARK SYSTEM FOR THE SAN NICOLAS REGION WILL

PROTECT EXISTING NATURAL RESOURCES AND RESTORE

DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS.

4 - A PARK SYSTEM FOR THE SAN NICOLAS REGION WILL

PROTECT EXISTING NATURAL RESOURCES AND RESTORE

DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS.

5 - DOWNTOWN SAN NICOLAS WILL BE A REVITALIZED,

IMAGEABLE, AND VIBRANT PLACE THAT ATTRACTS BOTH

RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS.

The Urban Design Vision Plan for San Nicolas suggests

a series of structures and projects for the city. These

projects are meant to be instructional; they are intended

to give an idea of possibilities for a site or key issue.

These proposals do not represent a master plan, but a

diagrammatic structure of different moves. Many of the

projects show alternatives for achieving a desired goal

through a variety of means. The structure plans are also

meant to emphasize the range of possibilities for San

Nicolas in different time scales.

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MOVING TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION

The ideas presented as part of the Urban Design Vision

for San Nicolas are contingent upon a number of larger

implementation issues in the city. The ultimate goal is to

establish as series of strategies robust enough to carry

through the visions for San Nicolas. These strategies

begin with the most critical issues and move on to more

detailed implementation strategies.

1. UNDERSTAND SAN NICOLAS’ ROLE IN NATION BUILDING San Nicolas has the opportunity to re-cast itself as a

new international destination. Many of the long-term

structure plans and proposals are hinged upon nationally

significant goals, including new educational institutions,

a cruise ship terminal, and new harbor front destination.

New projects in San Nicolas could be a chance for Aruba

to brand itself with a new approach to international

development. This would also allow San Nicolas to

develop its own unique Aruban character as destination

separate from Oranjestad. San Nicolas needs to recognize

its potential as a world class Aruban city, and the effect

substantial development in the region would have on the

nationwide scale.

2. SOLIDIFY AND COMMUNICATE THE VISION REGULARLY San Nicolas is in the process of forming a new identity

for itself. The Valero lands will not be occupied by the

refinery in perpetuity, and the government needs to be

prepared for long-term shifts in the regional economy

and land use structures. The government and other key

stakeholders need to continue to solidify their long-term

goals for the region. After this vision has been structured,

the community needs to be continually informed in order

to promote common ownership of these visions. These

may happen through the use of community meetings or

charrettes. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the visions

are not forgotten, and promoting public interest is one of

the most successful ways of achieving this.

3. CREATE CAPACITY FOR PLANNING AND CITY MANAGEMENTIn order to ensure the continued success of any new

projects, San Nicolas needs a local planning institution

and staff. This will be essential to implementing and

maintaining projects of any scale. Currently, are

too few experienced planning professionals within

the governmental structure of Aruba, and none are

responsible for a specific city of region. The country is

in need of managing department that is accountable for

continued maintenance and oversight of public realm,

land use, and urban design goals. This will also help to

ensure that projects are not shelved every time there is

a change in governmental leadership. The entire island

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would benefit from having a department with a enough

institutional memory to carry through long-term goals.

Without a dedicated planning and management staff,

projects can often get lost in changes of leadership and

goals.

4. INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSESSan Nicolas already has a strong ethic of community

involvement which should be encouraged and built from.

Many local residents participated in Renobacion Urbano

II, and had a great deal of interest in visioning their

community. The government should continue to engage

existing community groups, including the San Nicolas

Awareness Project, to further refine long-term visions

for the region. San Nicolans have a strong culture of

organizing, and this should be taken advantage of in the

visioning process. A community that feels engaged in

the vision-making for their city will feel more inspired

to participate in the project. People know what they

want and desire to do whatever possible to revitalize

their city. An open dialogue between the community and

government also builds trust, which will help strengthen

long-term relationships between the government and the

residents.

5. DECIDE ON A POLICY FOR THE FUTURE OF THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWNThe design interventions for the short-term downtown

structure plan hinge on a number of different policy

changes in the city. The most significant of these policy

changes would be the extension of retail hours to allow

shopping opportunities for commuters returning from

the north end of the island. This change is needed to

support a diversity of retail development in the city.

The laws set in place concerning retail hours have not

been adjusted to acknowledge contemporary eating,

shopping, and working routines. The redevelopment

of the red light district also relies on adjustments to

the existing land use and zoning policies. Consolidating

adult entertainment uses into a single corridor would

require a means of compelling businesses to move from

their current locations and retrofit new buildings for

adult uses. This may involve incentives, land swaps, or

compensatory settlements to encourage the moving of

businesses. A phasing strategy will also need to be put

in place to govern the transition of uses around the

entertainment and red light district.

6. DETERMINE AN ECOLOGICAL AND LAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO PRESERVE VALUED RESOURCESMany goals of the long-term structure plan for the region

hinge upon purchase, restoration, and management of

large tracts of land. The enforcement of existing growth

boundaries and development of a land banking strategy

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will also require a greater institutional capacity for land

management. There are many institutional measures for

land management, including land trusts, conservancies,

and private-public partnerships with local developers,

all of which may be applicable in the situation. The

government could also partner with the Arikok National

Park Foundation, a non-governmental organization, to

expand their scope to oversee preservation around San

Nicolas. Aruba is relatively new to land conservation

initiatives, passing legislation to protect environmental

resources in the mid-nineties and only creating the

National Park in 2000. Sites around San Nicolas could

greatly expand the reach of the current National Park

lands and create an international destination for eco-

tourism.

7. CLARIFY THE CITY’S CIRCULATION AND WAYFINDING SYSTEMSCirculation and wayfinding is a major element of every

structure plan. The entire region is in need of additional

road infrastructure between the downtown and various

other sites within the city. Circulation goals will need

to be worked out with the Ministry of Infrastructure.

A comprehensive plan for the long-term circulation

network should be discussed prior to establishing new

roads since the road network will likely influence

new patterns of development in areas that are poorly

accessible. The region is also in need of increased means

of pedestrian and bicycle circulation. Existing streets

need to be equipped with new or wider sidewalks to

encourage foot traffic, and the Ministry should work

on assessing what roads in Aruba are wide enough to

accommodate bicycle lanes.

8. WORK WITH THE REFINERY TO ACCOMPLISH SHORT-TERM GOALS DURING OPERATIONAlthough most of the visions for the Valero lands are

long-term in scope, there are projects that could begin

prior to the complete closure of the refinery. These

may include the creation of an access road through

the refinery lands to increase connectivity to the

beaches and resorts. It may also involve the starting of

bioremediation on fallow areas of the site. The “North

40” is currently underutilized and could be strategically

phased into phytoremediation or nursery uses in a

relatively short amount of time. Temporary uses, like

green industry or sustainable technologies could also

be implemented on site temporarily, until long-term

projects are phased in. Local planning and management

agencies need to work with Valero to determine and

implement these short-term goals.

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9. WORK WITH KEY EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS IN INSTITUTION PLANNINGThe Urban Design Vision for San Nicolas includes two

new educational campuses in the city. Local government

needs to actively work with these educational partners,

the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and Delft University of

Technology, to ensure new institutions are mutually

beneficial for all parties. Many young Arubans go

off-island for school due to the lack of educational

opportunities, so these institutions may act as strategies

for combating brain drain. These institutions are also

key catalysts for the long-term development of the

region. University campuses bring in necessary retail

activity and residential demand to spur the first waves of

redevelopment in downtown San Nicolas.

10. UNDERSTAND THE REFINERY’S LONG-TERM ACTION PLAN The refinery conversion will be a long and complex

project. It is essential that local government and

community groups develop and implement a long-term

plan for the site as soon as possible. If this happens,

planners can take steps to implement projects as they

areas go offline, without having to wait for the total

closure of the site in order to begin a visioning process.

This process will require extensive mediation between

the Aruban government and Valero. The two parties

should work together to ascertain whether or not

parts of the refinery site can be phased immediately.

Additionally, the government and Valero should meet

with community stakeholders, the Port Authority, and

educational institutions interested in relocating to

the site, to prioritize land transfers and remediation

projects. The Government may want to consider a form

of public-private partnership to implement long-range

development goals on site.

11. PRIORITIZE AND IMPLEMENT NON-PATH DEPENDENT PROJECTSMany of the larger goals for San Nicolas require complex

negotiations between many stakeholders. Much of the

long-term structure plan for the region hinges upon the

closure of the refinery and the availability of its land

for development. However, there are still projects of

multiple scales that can be implemented in the short-

term. These include projects in the existing core of

San Nicolas, as well as restoration efforts at Baby and

Rodgers Beach, resort development, and circulation

improvements between the city and its periphery. Many

of these goals, especially those involving restoration or

public realm improvements, can be implemented as time

and budget allow. These projects can build incrementally

into a robust, long-term vision. All applicable projects

should be compiled into a series of phasing calendars,

which are flexible enough to accommodate changes in

budget, timeline, capacity, and community interest.

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12. ACCOMPLISH WHAT SEEMS EASIESTThe scale of vision for San Nicolas may seem daunting,

but there are many projects that can be started in the

short-term. In order to stimulate interest in larger,

more complex projects, government officials should

start with simple, quick, and implementable projects.

Many of the public realm improvements in downtown

San Nicolas, including tree planting, plaza creation, and

the installation of shading structures can be completed

within a short period of time, but will immediately begin

the process of encourage public life in San Nicolas. The

use of pilot projects can also foster interest in creating

larger systems of urban design improvements. Public

realm improvements and demonstration projects are

highly visible, and can serve to bolster support for

larger interventions. These projects allow residents to

understand what form their visions are taking, furthering

their potential ownership of the plans.

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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PENNDESIGNThe University of Pennsylvania is one of the oldest

universities in the United States, founded in 1740 and

located in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In

keeping with the innovative example of the University’s

founder Benjamin Franklin, it is a place where teaching

embraces both theory and practice. The educational

experience at Penn is both intellectual and utilitarian;

education that explores not only why, but how. Penn’s

School of Design is dedicated to improving the quality

of life through the design and preservation of artworks,

buildings, landscapes, cities, and regions. The School’s

distinctive contributions to this effort lie at the

intersection of the disciplines of architecture, landscape

architecture, fine arts, city and regional planning, and

historic preservation. The design arts are the common

intellectual core of the School, but PennDesign’s work

is equally rooted in knowledge from technologists,

historians, and social scientists. The School creates an

environment in which students are challenged to consider

the wider implications of their work. Professional

master’s degrees are offered in architecture (M.Arch),

city planning (MCP), fine arts (MFA), historic preservation

(MSHP), urban spatial analytics (MUSA) and landscape

architecture (MLA). The Ph.D. is offered in architecture

and city planning. The University is consistently ranked in

the top ten universities in the United States.

The School’s Department of City and Regional Planning

(PennPlanning) was recently ranked as one of the top

five planning schools in the country. Within the Masters

Program, students can concentrate in Urban Design,

Community and Economic Development, Public/Private

Development, Land Use & Environmental Planning, or

Sustainable Transportation & Infrastructure Planning. The

Urban Design concentration at PennPlanning is one of

the oldest and most progressive programs in the United

States. The School is noteworthy for the history of its

distinguished faculty and graduates, including: Lewis

Mumford, Ian McHarg, Louis Kahn, Herbert Gans, Robert

Venturi, Allan Jacobs, Edmund Bacon and Jonathan

Barnett. Education at PennDesign is directed under the

leadership of Dean Marilyn Jordan Taylor.

PennDesign at the University of Pennsylvania

210 South 34th Street

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6311 USA

(215) 898-3425

www.design.upenn.edu

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STUDIO FACULTY + PARTICIPANTS

STUDENTS

Rachel Ahern Landscape Architecture

Adam Amrhein City and Regional Planning

Chris Bleakley Landscape Architecture

Ariane Burwell City and Regional Planning

Raman Gardner City and Regional Planning

Keyleigh Kern Landscape Architecture / City and

Regional Planning

Emily Leckvarcik City and Regional Planning

Jae Kyung Lee City and Regional Planning

Yumi Lifer City and Regional Planning

Anjuli Maniam City and Regional Planning

Jillian Nameth City and Regional Planning

Marie Park City and Regional Planning

Michael Parkinson City and Regional Planning

Allen Penniman City and Regional Planning

Anthony Riederer City and Regional Planning

Alexandra Sweet City and Regional Planning

John Tatum City and Regional Planning

Adam Tecza City and Regional Planning

Karen Thompson City and Regional Planning

Matthew Vanoosten City and Regional Planning

Andrew Zalewski City and Regional Planning

INSTRUCTORS

Prof. Michael Larice Associate Professor of Urban Design and

City Planning

Prof. Gary Hack Professor of Urban Design and City

Planning

ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS

Jonathan Kol Fogelson Urban Designer - Michael Singer Studio

Ben Bryant Planning Analyst – Group Melvin Design

TEACHING ASSISTANT

Anthony Riederer City and Regional Planning

Department of City & Regional PlanningDepartment of City & Regional Planning

Urban Design Visions for Aruba: San Nicolas

Documents

Transcript of Urban Design Visions for Aruba: San Nicolas