Zona Rosa, Mexico City

Zona Rosa began to be developed along with the rest of Colonia Juárez in the mid-19th century; however, it has always had an independent identity. Originally the area was called “La Teja”, then “La Zona Americana” or “Colonia Americana”, as presidents from Benito Juárez to Porfirio Díaz promoted it for foreign investment and residency up until the early 20th century. The area also attracted Mexico City's elite who were looking to escape the city center. Expensive cafes and restaurants, art galleries, and jewelry stores continued to attract wealthy residents, although on a reduced scale. There are fears that these interventions, along with those scheduled between 2010 and 2012, will not be enough to save the area. ==Description==

Zona Rosa is a portion of the official neighborhood of Colonia Juárez, comprising 24 of the colonia's 99 city blocks. The borders of the area are formed by Paseo de la Reforma to the north, Varsovia Street to the west, Avenida Insurgentes to the east and Chapultepec Avenue and Metro Insurgentes to the south. Most of the streets in the area are named after European cities. A number of these streets are made of cobblestone, with two pedestrian-only. About 40 sculptures – 17 created by young artists from the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plasticas of UNAM – have been installed on various streets, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Zona Rosa. The area is one of Mexico City's primary shopping districts and nightclub areas. Streets are filled with bars and nightclubs, which fill on weekends. Among these clubs, men's clubs with table dances and gay bars stand out. It is also the site of the Corridor de Arte José Luis Cuevas, which occurs on weekends when an average of 40 artists display their works for sale. On this street stand around 40 sculptures created by young artists of the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plasticas of UNAM. Gay community 's Zona Rosa is lined with gay bars. Another prominent area is Amberes Street, home to Mexico City's gay community. Zona Rosa is one of three areas in Mexico City where gay bars and other businesses operate, along with Plaza Garibaldi and an area on Avenida Insurgentes South. However, Zona Rosa is the largest of these and considered to be the gay community's business center, with over 200 businesses spread over 16 blocks. It was first held in 1978 with about 300 people participating. During this event, the nightclubs, discothèques and bars of Zona Rosa fill with members of the LGBT community starting at midday. Many businesses, whether they cater to gays or not, are decorated with rainbow colored balloons, streamers and other items. Despite the crowds, police presence is not significantly heightened. The parade usually marches along Paseo de la Reforma from Puerta de los Leones to the Glorieta de la Palma, with the entire stretch completely closed to traffic for the event. The city has even participated, offering free AIDS tests to attendees. In 2003, there were more than 20,000 participants. There have been conflicts between Korean-owned businesses and Mexican neighbors over noise and sanitation issues, with some Mexicans complaining that the Koreans do not want to adapt to Mexican society. Another issue has been legal problems, both with the status of merchandise and the status of employees. A store owned by Koreans was shut down by police for selling imported merchandise of questionable origin in 2002, with 33 workers detained. ==Economy and tourism==

Most of the business conducted in Zona Rosa is through retail establishments. The area is home to 714 businesses, which include 137 restaurants and 37 parking garages. Another prominent retail segment includes businesses that cater to Mexico City's gay community. Since they were established in the 1990s, these businesses have grown in size and number and include sex shops, bookstores, movie theaters and exclusive hotels, as well as bars and nightclubs. These total over 200 businesses spread over 16 blocks, which is now considered to be the community business center. The area that connects Metro Insurgentes with Zona Rosa tends to become crowded with street peddlers selling tamales, perfumes, handicrafts, unlicensed CDs/DVDs and more to passerby groups. The general deterioration of the area, both in physical infrastructure, crime, and types of businesses, has been problematic for the area as well. Although the area is still heavily promoted by the city, its secretary of tourism has admitted that it has lost much of its international prestige and can no longer be assured of its status as a tourist attraction. This area was designated as a "Barrio Mágico" by the city in 2011. Luxury hotels in the area include Maria Isabel Sheraton, Galeria Plaza, Plaza Florencia, Cristal Rosa, Geneve, Marquis, Aristos, Royal and Marco Polo. Despite the area's problems, the 24 hotels in the area report an average occupancy rate of 80%, mostly from foreign tourists, year-round. ==Education==

The Center for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (CELE) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has a venue at Milán Street, partially sponsored by Fundación UNAM. ==References==