Costa Rica’s new Legislative Assembly — the one hundred and fifty million dollar “chimney” that isn’t working like it should

In case many retired expats do not know, Costa Rica new legislature building was inaugurated on October 19, 2020. It replaces the old building located nearby that had been in operation since 1958.

The government spent about $150,000,000 on the project.

The  new structure rises 18 stories above street level, has four underground floors and is 80 meters or 262 feet high.

The center of building is an open space like a chimney with many offices facing inward and a courtyard on the ground floor.

It features cross ventilation (ventilación cruzada) to make it more energy efficient, thus reducing the need to use of air conditioning. It also has solar panels on the roof  to further help save electricity.

Eventually, the new building will house 600 workers including diputados (congressmen and congress women).

However, there have been some setbacks. Some of the legislators and employees have had trouble finding their way around the building because of its size and especially the lack of signage. One legislator remarked, “I spent nearly 40 minutes being  lost between the different elevators while trying to reach my office from the parking lot. The building resembles a maze.” Another congress person said, “The building is definitely not user friendly for the public or the press corps.”

Furthermore, there have been problems with the Internet. First, it is difficult to make telephone calls over the Internet. Second, it is hard to access platforms like YouTube. Finally, there is no television connection. To think that the government is paying $87,000.00 dollars for this service that is supposed to provide wireless communication, protection against external cyberattacks and a closed circuit security system for the whole building.

To make matters worse, fourteen officials of the Legislative Assembly were diagnosed with COVID-19 on October 22. According to the Legislative Assembly’s doctor, Walter Rodríguez, nearly 50 people were  put into mandatory isolation. The outbreak prompted the temporary closure and disinfecting of the whole building.  On top of that, a janitorial service had not been hired at the time the building opened.

As of the second week of November some of the difficulties have been addressed.

A virtual tour of the chimney may be seen at: