Doctor Leonardo Aguilera emphasizes that the renovated building, more than a physical space, is a beacon of culture and creativity that will be projected for generations.
Santiago.- The Banco de Reservas inaugurated the Cultural Center that will operate in the restored facilities of the emblematic Hotel Mercedes. The ceremony was headed by President Luis Abinader, who highlighted the opening of this new space dedicated to culture and art in the North region.
The CEO of Banreservas, Dr. Leonardo Aguilera, stated that the transformation of the legendary Hotel Mercedes into the Banreservas Santiago Cultural Center demonstrates that stories do not die, but rather become “a thread that unites us, that reminds us who we are and who we can be.”
He explained that in this new center visitors will be able to enjoy art exhibitions, workshops, presentations, virtual reality rooms, conferences and other creative manifestations that inspire to dream, learn and create.
“Our institution has dedicated a substantial investment in this renovation; a respectable amount in financial terms, but which pales in comparison to the magnitude of this work as a cultural reference and of unimaginable projection,” Aguilera expressed.
The building was acquired by order of President Abinader and transformed by Banreservas through an investment exceeding 340 million pesos, in a meticulous engineering process that was highlighted by the executive president.
Aguilera also valued President Abinader’s vision, who from day one understood that this building, linked for decades to the collective memory of several generations, represented a starting point for a new beginning where each person could feel welcomed, valued and inspired.
He maintained that the renovated building is not just a physical space, but a collective dream come true: a beacon of culture and creativity that will project for generations in the very heart of Santiago.
He remembered that every corner of the old Hotel Mercedes preserves a story. He highlighted, for example, its symbolic Roof Garden, from where guests enjoyed a wide view of Santiago, with its lights, cars and bohemian atmosphere; elements that will reawaken the curiosity of present and future generations.
When recreating the trajectory of the historic building, historian Edwing Espinal, a member of the Dominican Academy of History, pointed out that the former Hotel Mercedes, now the Banreservas Cultural Center, reflects the spirit and thought of Santiago and the entire Cibao.
About the Hotel Mercedes
The Hotel Mercedes was inaugurated on April 9, 1929. Built in reinforced concrete, it had 44 rooms distributed between the second and third floors, a dining room on the first floor, and a terrace on the fourth level, from where a privileged view of the city was enjoyed.
Among the highlights, the graduation of the then young Joaquín Balaguer as a law graduate from the University of Santo Domingo was held in its halls in 1929, and the dance festivals with the Hollywood orchestra in 1961 were famous.
Illustrious guests passed through its rooms, such as the American petroleum geologist Frederik Gardner Clapp (1935), the African-American soprano Lillian Evanti (1939), and the renowned American journalist Page Cooper (1946).
In essence, its facilities represent a fundamental part of Santiago’s social life and entertainment. Its walls witnessed events that marked an era and that today come to life again from a new cultural and artistic perspective with the opening of the Banreservas Cultural Center.
