To quote Johnny Mercer’s lyrics, we’ve always been inclined to “accentuate the positive.” However, the following instance touched our souls so deeply that we simply could not remain silent.

Restaurants rely on dress codes to provide a certain level of sophistication and ambiance. Financial institutions and legal firms rely on them to inspire trust and project professionalism among their clients. By the same token, urban planers look at a city’s past, present and future development and attempt to implement guidelines, a sort of “dress code,” to create, preserve and even promote a unified image.

Such is the case of Mexican cities like Merida, also called “the white city” due to its white buildings and its citizens’ commitment to keeping it clean, or Guanajuato, with its multi-colored yet homogeneous colonial downtown area, considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one in which new buildings must be planned according to strict rules in order to maintain their cohesiveness.

Unfortunately, the same can not be said for Puerto Vallarta, where the recent transformation of several landmarks might appear misguided, even to the untrained eye. The decision to destroy a local landmark such as Molino de Agua, a place deeply entrenched in the hearts and souls of Vallartenses for decades, to turn it into an aesthetically unpleasing urban housing development devoid of consideration for its traditional surroundings, can be compared to altering the colors of a masterpiece painting to make it blend with the colors of its owner’s living room. To get the big picture and learn what was lost, simply point your Web browser to the Molino de Agua Website, www.molinodeagua.com, which sadly enough remains active at the time of this writing. There you will discover phrases such as the following:

“In the city’s center at the mouth of the Cuale river, is Molino de Agua. Thirty years ago it was called the Jungle Inn and was more like a forest than a hotel, displaying tall palms as well as rubber and mango trees. Molino de Agua has retained the charm of the city’s past while adding the comforts of modern life.”

“ ... is being considered an ecological reserve.”

“ ... surrounded by majestic rubber trees and tropical forest as a Botanical Exhibition at the banks of Cuale River.”

“... cobblestone floors, artisans wooden doors, wall wide windows and thousands of details that enhance the taste of Typical Vallarta Architecture.”

“ ... located under the shades of grandiose trees and bounded to singing fountains with their own private terrazas.”

Perhaps, if the developers responsible for the project had taken the time to visit this Website or opened their eyes to appreciate the time-honored heritage of what many affectionately call “Old Vallarta,” we wouldn’t be publishing these words. We have witnessed the demise of other tourist destinations due to the lack of a sound urban development plan and government officials and private interests reluctant to respect existing guidelines or implement even more stringent ones. Puerto Vallarta and its citizens of today and the future deserve better.