Controversial Construction Update: Adamar Solimán Condo in Tulum Boosts Despite Legal Hurdles

The construction of the Adamar Solimán condominium in Tulum is progressing, despite not receiving a land use change resolution from the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat). The civil organization, Defending the Right to a Healthy Environment (Dmas), released two videos on Monday, showing that the construction of the building, located in a marine turtle nesting area near Xcacel Xcacelito, is still ongoing.

Photographic and video evidence from November 11, 2024, shows that work at Tanka IV, located opposite Bahía Solimán in the municipality of Tulum, is proceeding as usual. The footage reveals masons assembling the structure for a seven-story building, known as Adamar Solimán, according to real estate posts on social media.

Semarnat announced a month ago that the project had not been granted federal land use change permits required for construction. Locals, environmentalists, and the Dmas organization have reported that building work began without permission from the three levels of government in November 2023, over a year ago. Legal actions, ranging from complaints to amparo trials, were initiated, forcing the developer to halt work at various points throughout 2024, but these orders were not adhered to.

Following a closure enforced by the Federal Attorney's Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa), the private party was asked to undergo an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluation. The document was submitted in July by the commercial company Desarrollos Tulum Dieciséis, acting as the project's promoter.

On October 9th, Profepa issued an irrevocable resolution that the project "does not apply", effectively denying authorization for the building's construction. Despite this, the company has disregarded the resolution, as highlighted by Dmas on Monday. Consequently, more legal actions are being prepared to safeguard the site, which is a frequent nesting ground for marine turtles.