VRM Companies will unveil the sculpture 'A Orillas del Río' by Puerto Rican artist Luis Torruella this Thursday, June 18 at 5:30 p.m., celebrating the rebirth of the Ciudad Jardín Gurabo community. The event, held at the Club House area of The River Village, is expected to draw over 300 residents, Gurabo Mayor Vilmarie Peña, and the artist himself, according to a company press release.
The unveiling caps a nearly five-year transformation of a community that had languished in deterioration for about 15 years. When VRM Companies arrived in 2021, more than 500 families were trapped in an environment of neglected common areas, ruined facilities, and declining property values. The Golf Club House—owned by third parties—lay vandalized and unused, alongside an abandoned golf course, unused tennis courts, and a deteriorated entrance booth.
VRM Companies made a commitment to comprehensive transformation despite the challenges of the pandemic and unprecedented construction cost inflation. One of the most significant achievements was the rescue of the Golf Club House, now called The River Village. VRM transferred its ownership to the Master Association of Owners, returning control to residents and turning the abandoned structure into a space housing multiple businesses and operators serving the community. The abandoned courts gave way to a new Racket Club with tennis, pickleball, and beach tennis. The entrance booth was expanded and modernized, and common areas were completely rehabilitated.
The impact extended to both new families purchasing homes and existing residents. When VRM began, Ciudad Jardín Gurabo had about 519 families; today, more than 1,000 families enjoy a first-class community, thanks to delivery of resort-style homes in the River Terrace, River View, and River Estates complexes. Despite historic rises in construction costs, these complexes represent the best affordable housing option among market projects for the middle class throughout Puerto Rico, with average prices ranging around $300,000 and $400,000.
'At VRM Companies, we believe that good development is one that not only benefits those who buy a home, but elevates a place for the benefit of an extended community,' said Rafael E. Rojo, President and Chief Executive Officer of VRM Companies. 'Today, Gurabo has a first-class destination that, while enhancing community life, attracts commercial activity, strengthens the tax base, and projects an image of progress for the entire region.'
The sculpture 'A Orillas del Río' by Luis Torruella evokes the river that embraces the community. Through free and flowing lines intertwining to form the letter 'R,' the work summarizes the spirit of transformation: the Rescue of an abandoned project, the Resilience of achieving it in adverse times, and the Rebirth of a community celebrating life in harmony with nature.
The revival of Ciudad Jardín Gurabo demonstrates how strategic investment and community collaboration can reverse urban decay. The project not only improved living conditions for residents but also contributed to the local economy by attracting commercial activity and strengthening the tax base. It serves as a model for revitalizing other distressed communities in Puerto Rico and beyond.
