Tulum’s Maiim Building Faces Demolition Over Environmental Harm

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The demolition of the Maiim building in Tulum appears unavoidable after authorities declined to appeal a federal court ruling mandating the destruction of the structure due to environmental damage in Bahía Solimán. However, the case remains open as the construction company filed a motion for judicial review, according to the civil association Defendiendo el Derecho a un Medio Ambiente Sano (DMAS).

Authorities Decline to Challenge Ruling

In the judicial proceedings concerning the Maiim building, no government agency contested the amparo judgment requiring the private developer to demolish the property for environmental violations along the Bahía Solimán coastline. DMAS confirmed that only the construction company pursued legal recourse.

“Which authority appealed the Maiim case ruling? None. Recall that Profepa (Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection), Sedetus (Quintana Roo’s Sustainable Urban and Territorial Development Secretariat), and the Tulum municipality were the defendants in this case. The May 26 ruling by a judge compelled these three agencies to act within their authority to restore the affected area. Thus, only the developer has challenged the decision. It seems the developer stands alone,” DMAS stated in an update on the case.

Court Orders Demolition Over Environmental Violations

Earlier in June, a federal judge in Quintana Roo ordered the demolition of the Maiim building, constructed without proper environmental impact permits along Tulum’s coast. The development, which marketed luxury condominiums, was found to threaten sea turtle nesting grounds.

The ruling stemmed from an amparo lawsuit filed by DMAS in 2024 against federal and local authorities for permitting the construction of the Maiim building in Bahía Solimán, approximately 10 kilometers from Tulum’s municipal seat and adjacent to the Xcacel-Xcacelito Sea Turtle Sanctuary, a state-protected natural reserve.

Despite receiving licenses from federal, state, and municipal authorities—later alleged to be irregular—the project violated environmental safeguards. DMAS initiated legal action in August 2024, citing risks to endangered sea turtles, which nest along this stretch of coastline during this season.

The case continues as the construction company seeks judicial review, while authorities have yet to intervene further.