The property where the project Casa Méndez will be developed, is a beautiful building of two stories that dates from the XIX century. It has a very wide façade, with a patio that brings in natural light to the property.
The building has an excellent location, built in between the Hotel Central, and the Church Felipe Neri, both with future restoration projects. Across the street, facing Casa Méndez is the project Condominium Callejón del Chicheme, currently under construction. Diagonally to the property is Casa Góngora and architect Sebastián Paniza's residence, both recently restored.
The project will consist of 5 apartments and 2 small offices. Two of the apartments will have private patios, the largest one occupying the entire front façade of the first level of the building.
Reseña Histórica
The block where the project "Casa Méndez" is located, exists since 1673, a couple of years after the foundation of the the new City of Panama, in San Felipe. Although the exact date of construction of the current property is ignored, we know that on the same site an edification existed around the year 1850, since it appears in a map of that time. Besides, this house was not affected by the fire of 1878, which confirms that the construction that existed in the XIX century is the same as the current one.
The façade, however, judging for the morphology of the openings and the balcony, was remodeled around the year 1915.
The house is closely linked to the history of important Panamanian families of the time. The first known proprietors were the couple formed by Mr. Juan José Méndez, born in Andalusia, and Mrs. Mercedes García de Paredes. She was Mr. José García de Paredes and Mrs. Dolores de la Barrera y Urriola's daughter, who were of prominent families of the colonial time. The residence became, later on, property of the Méndez' family descendants, until the middle of the XX century.
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