Before renting the apartment in Mexico City's Nápoles neighborhood where I now stay, I had stayed at a number of Airbnb rentals in the Condesa neighborhood. On every visit to Mexico City, I make it a point to go back and visit my old stomping ground. So last Friday I walked north up Insurgentes Avenue about two miles to Condesa.
Condesa was hit hard by the earthquake which struck Mexico City on September 19th of 2017. One of apartment buildings where I frequently stayed was damaged in that quake. It was finally decided to demolish that building. So my first stop in Condesa was to check out the status of that property. The last time I was there, the building had been torn down, there was a barricade across the empty lot, and there was a sign saying that the structure was going to be rebuilt. That has not changed. There is no sign of construction yet.
Just a couple blocks away was the scene of one of the worst tragedies of that earthquake. A seven story building collapsed, and 49 people were killed. Now, on a portion of that empty lot a new apartment building is nearing completion.
A sign in front of the construction site shows what the finished building will look like. The X-shaped beams are a construction technique to alleviate damage from future earthquakes.
On Sonora Avenue an empty lot where a demolished building once stood now has a food truck and an outdoor café.
The food scene in Mexico City is definitely varied and cosmopolitan. This food truck specializes in two snacks typical of the Netherlands... "poffertjes" (small, puffy pancakes) and "stroopwafels" (waffle cookies with a caramel filling). Certainly not your typical Mexico City street food!
I have written before that Condesa boasts one of the highest concentrations of art deco architecture in the world. One of the most outstanding art deco gems, the "Edificio Basurto" suffered serious damage in the 2017 quake. The fourteen story apartment building was built between 1940 and 1945. Fortunately, architectural engineers were able to save the building. The renovation appears to be now complete. I saw a couple a ladies walking out of the front door, so some of the apartments are obviously occupied once again.
A visit to Condesa must always include a stroll through one of my favorite parks in the city, Parque México. I have posted many photos of the park on this blog over the years, but I can't resist posting more.
The centerpiece of the park is the Lindbergh Forum, an outdoor theater in art deco style. It was named after the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh who flew to Mexico City in 1927 on a good-will visit. The space had fallen into decay, but was restored to its former glory in 2015.
At the entrance to the Forum is a fountain called (no snickering, please) "The Fountain of the Jugs".
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