Puente Pico is a new conservation project with a mixed-use community about 4 km from Playa Dominical. Phase one is spread over 213 ha of old forestal plantation and divided by the Rio Guabo, Puente Pico will offer coastal resilient living with water, power, and food all produced in the community.  Puente Pico is registered and striving towards certification as the first LEED for Communities in Costa Rica.  It is a place for healthy space.

The area is located in the Lagunas and Baru region of Costa Rica, where the Guabo and Baru rivers meet.  Spanning two municipalities, the residential living is primarily along the lower Lagunas road (mostly out of site of the road) while the park and restaurant (and more) will be on the East side of the Rio Guabo.

Many residential lots with homes and landscapes designed, some sold completed and some sold off plan, as well as the amenities to support the residential community.  Additionally a restaurant, market, bike & adventure shop, many km of hiking and mountain biking trails, and a hotel.  A co-working facility and education / conference halls will complete the space.

Hiking and biking trails will be available for public use with entry fees, and there will be additional park areas along the river that may be open during daytime hours.  The majority of the property will be available to residents and guests.

Mandala Desarrollo SRL is the contracted developer for Puente Pico.  Mandala operated in Costa Rica as CJI prior to a restructuring in late 2024, removing residential design and construction from their services and focusing on larger community projects.  The Mandala team developed the Alegria Village community in San Mateo, Costa Rica, as well as many Costa Rican hotel projects while advising and designing many others.  Mandala focuses on professional and responsible land projects. 

Puente Pico & Mandala teams are committed to responsible development in all ways, including meeting all permit requirements.  To date the project has only obtained maintenance and bodega permits, however engineering is currently in process for the remaining permits.  All permits will be in place prior to work starting.

LEED is a globally recognized green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It provides a framework for healthy, efficient, and cost-saving green buildings, and is used to evaluate and certify the sustainability of buildings and neighborhoods.  Typically seen in larger buildings in urban environments, LEED now has a rating system for cities and communities.  Puente Pico is proud to pursue the first designation in Costa Rica, and happy to have metrics to report against.

Jack and France have both lived and worked in and out of Costa Rica for many years.  Jack has worked in sustainable development for close to 15 years and leads Mandala Desarrollo SRL as well as US based companies with a focus on responsible development projects.  France guides clients and investments in responsible directions, holding an MBA from Harvard and Masters from Oxford while actively pursuing a PhD in Depth Psychology.  They bring diverse global perspectives to local partnerships and initiatives.

Puente Pico is formally conserving at least 70% of the land area in the project