City awards P14M contract for conservation plan of Dominican Hill heritage site

The city government of Baguio represented by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong awarded to the winning bidder – Palafox Associates the contract for the preparation of a detailed engineering study and conservation management plan of the Dominican Hill Heritage Site to the tune of P13,900,880.

The contract agreement was signed January 31, 2024 with Palafox Associates represented by Architect Felino A. Palafox, Jr., the principal architect, urban planner, founder and managing partner of the winning consultancy firm.

The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in 2022 forged an agreement for the national government to grant a P15 million fund for the Dominican Hill Heritage Site redevelopment plan.

Palafox Associates as the winning bidder is expected to finish the plan within six months from receipt of the Notice to Proceed. 

Expected accomplishments include detailed cultural mapping; detailed building and landscape assessment; detailed architectural and landscape conservation plan, structural retrofitting design; mechanical, sanitary, electrical and communications plan; project management plan; a 3D scale model; site and building carrying capacity and view protection study; willingness to pay and business model development; incorporation to Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Creative Circuit Plan; as well as policy recommendations.

The city government worked closely with the NCCA in the plan to conserve the century-old retreat center and transform it into a Creative Hub for the city’s art assets that will foster Baguio as a creative city befitting to its UN-vested status as member of the global creative cities network.

The century-old Dominican Retreat Center which was originally built by the Dominicans to serve as a school in 1915, turned into a hotel in the 80’s, and acquired by the city in 2004. – JMPS