Scenes from a (dead) mall

Plaza Paitilla was one of the first enclosed shopping malls in Panama City. (It opened in the early / mid 80’s.) The mall concept never took off, and the place has always been half-empty. In recent years, some of the stores have been occupied by professional services firms such as lawyers, associations, etc.

Whoever owns the place has allowed it to decay to the point where it is derelict. Check out the escalators… neither side works, and the right side is totally destroyed. Was this caused by a horrific accident? A disgruntled maintenance crew? Who knows… I find it mildly amusing (and disturbing) that wimpy potted plants have been placed on either end, as if attempting to keep people from losing life or limb on this deathtrap while keeping the place "pretty".

Here’s a closer look at the sorry condition of the escalators, which stand in the middle of a three-story atrium. Because of the crappy Treo camera, you can’t appreciate the horrid, rusty state of the left escalator. Going up this thing is scary!

This used to be the mall’s food court; the restaurants have long been closed. (Un)fortunately the photograph doesn’t convey the overwhelming stench of frying-fat that still permeates this place. I didn’t take pictures of the bathrooms because I didn’t want to spend any more time in them than was absolutely necessary. Suffice it to say that they are not fit for decent human use.

It’s worth noting that this place is in the middle of one of the busiest, most thriving areas of Panama City, a short walk away from the two newest (and most luxurious) malls in the city. The Panamanian government is spending a lot of money to market the country as a “world-class” tourist destination. And yet it allows places like this to remain open, and in one of the main tourist areas to boot!

Plaza Paitilla is dangerous. There are people working in this place. Why haven’t the owners taken steps to either fix up or close this place? (Can you tell that lawsuits are not a very effective deterrent in Panama?)

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September 12, 2007 | Archived in Panama

8 comments

1
Pelle Braendgaard | 9-17-2007 at 3:24 pm

Wow, this is the first time I’ve even heard of this mall. Where is it exactly? I thought I new Paitilla.
2
jarango | 9-18-2007 at 7:46 am

Hello Pelle, Plaza Paitilla is across the street from Paitilla Hospital, in front of the big traffic overpass. On the corner there is an opticians (Optica Lopez).
3
Carlos Anguizola | 9-18-2007 at 1:05 pm

What a great post. Should be on La Prensa mourning edition.
4
Carlos Anguizola | 9-18-2007 at 1:06 pm

What a great post. Should be on La Prensa, mourning edition.
5
Pelle Braendgaard | 9-18-2007 at 2:17 pm

Wow I had no idea. I have walked by hundreds of times. Does it actually say Plaza Paitilla?
6
jarango | 9-18-2007 at 2:42 pm

It’s not a very big place, certainly nothing of the scale of the new malls. It has a sign outside that says “Plaza Paitilla”, but it’s not very prominent.

Given the prices that some properties around there are going for, I’m guessing the only reason it hasn’t been torn down is that it has two apartment towers sitting on top of it. Still, it could be gutted and turned into something cool. It’s a hot part of town!
7
kelly | 11-17-2007 at 9:31 am

yikes! I haven’t been there. The last time I was in Panama City I want to a mall that was quite beautiful. (and expensive!!!) I can’t remember the name of it but it was HUGE and had a casino in it and a Hard Rock cafe.
8
Elena Hernandez | 12-5-2007 at 2:42 pm

Hello, Jorge… I too think this is a great post. I go to this mall often because this is where my hairdresser has his shop, and it is sad to see its sorry state- I encourage you too to send it to “Opinion” of La Prensa…it should definitely be on the newspaper. Cheers, Elena