Benefits of the East-side of San José

Would you like to live in an exclusive area, enjoy a Spring-like climate all year, be amongst embassies, ambassador's homes, exclusive stores, and great medical care? Welcome to Curridabat, San Pedro, Tres Rios, etc. . . in general, the East side of San José. Property here is typically a better value than on the West side but you enjoy the same conveniences: great schools, great shopping with three large malls, great restaurants.... Here you will find beautiful custom homes, lovely new gated communities, and modern condos, as well as traditional Colonial-style homes, etc.

On the East side of San José, you will find a wide variety of neighborhoods and environments. From the flashy malls, to the bilingual(Spanish/English) and trilingual (Spanish/French/English) schools, to the sleepy dairy farms up in the hills, the East side offers you culture, nightlife, greenery, a fresh climate, and lower prices for real estate. Just as the western suburbs offer close access to the West side of downtown and a head start to the Pacific, the eastern suburbs offer great access to northern and eastern sides downtown and a head start to the Caribbean Coast or Southern Zone. The University of Costa Rica and the presence of several well-established upper-class neighborhoods guarantee a wide variety of cultural and nightlife options.

Recently, there has been a great growth spurt on the East side. Some of the more notable shopping attractions include: Cemaco Shopping Plaza (a large department store), the 100-store Multiplaza del Este mall, the 125-store TerraMall, the San Pedro Mall (one of the first malls in Costa Rica), the San Pedro Outlet Mall, the Plaza del Sol shopping center, etc. Those malls offer such stores as Tommy Hilfiger, Oscar de la Renta, Kennth Cole, Benneton, GNC, etc., in addition to 40+ cinemas! New restaurants are popping up all over (French, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Peruvian, Lebanese, Mexican, World Cuisine, etc.). The large supermarket/department store chain HiperMas is now majority owned by Wal-Mart and has been a huge success. Having to ask a clerk behind a counter for each hardware item has become a thing of the past with the large Ace Hardware and Tru Value Hardware stores, as well as a huge new Home Depot-type center(EPA).

Probably the most notable presence on the East side of San José is the University of Costa Rica, which is the largest university in Costa Rica. The university defines many of the characteristics of this area today. The commercial district that borders the campus is home to the famous (or infamous!) Calle de la Amargura, where you will find lots of nightlife and dining catering to the younger set. The Jazz Café is especially notable for the high-quality talent it attracts.

San Pedro and Curridabat offer you many advantages and are excellent neighborhoods to live in. You will find real estate here to be generally less expensive than in many of the areas on the West side of San José. But you will find just as many services and amenities, especially with the new malls, restaurants, etc. You will also get a more "Tico" flavor, since not quite as many foreigners have discovered the East side of San Jose yet. The climate is excellent (with average daytime temperatures of about 72 degrees F), not as hot and dry as the West side. Another big advantage to purchasing real estate in this area is the high appreciation you can expect over the next few years. The market study performed for the TerraMall indicated that the East side of San José will experience the highest growth rate within the Central Valley over the next 10 to 15 years. In this area you can find anything except true industrial property and high-rise condominiums. Good buys can be found on elegant older homes. If you want something new, there are many upscale developments and communities, many with restricted access.

There are two major projects that are causing lots of excitement on the East side. One is the new Thunderbird Casino/Hotel/Resort that is currently under construction near the toll booth along the highway near the TerraMall (Tres Rios). It will feature a four-star hotel, convention center, restaurants, shopping, wellness center, etc., along with their newest Fiesta Casino. The other exciting project is Momentum Pinares that is rapidly taking shape by the Curridabat Hipermas. This complex, which is a spin-off of the very successful Momentum Lindora (Santa Ana), will include a shopping center, restaurants, theater, office center, medical tower, and hotel...along with parking for 540 vehicles. Two of the anchors will be a Denny's Restaurant and a McDonalds.

Malls/Shopping Centers:

• TerraMall (near Tres Rios): 125 stores, 15 cinemas, large food court
• Multiplaza del Este (Zapote): 100 stores, 12 cinemas, food court
• Mall San Pedro(San Pedro): 200 stores, 10 cinemas, two-level food court
• Outlet Mall (San Pedro)
• Plaza del Sol shopping center (Curridabat)

Supermarkets/Department Stores:

• HiperMas (Lomas de Ayarco): Similar to a Super Wal-Mart
• Price Smart (Zapote): Similar to a Sam's Club, etc.
• Automercado Supermarket (Curridabat): Lots of U.S. products, Dutch cheese, etc.

Department Stores:

• Cemaco Department Store (Zapote): With Ace Hardware and Radio Shack
• Carrion Department Store (Multiplaza del Este Mall)
• Aliss Department Store (Zapote & TerraMall)

Hardware Stores:

• Ace Hardware Store (Cemaco Department Store)
• Tru Value Hardware Store (Muñoz & Nanne shopping center in San Pedro)
• EPA Hardware Center (Curridabat): Similar to a Home Depot

Nightlife:

• Jazz Café (San Pedro): Excellent live talent
• Hooters Restaurant/Bar; San Pedro
• Many other hot spots

Restaurants:

• Too many to mention but including Chinese, Japanese/Sushi, French, Mexican, Italian, Peruvian, Spanish, Moroccan, Korean, World Cuisine, etc.

Others:

• Office Depot (San Pedro)