Semarnat Approves Demolition of Punta Paraíso Condo in San Pancho After Two Towers Collapse

Mexico's environment ministry, Semarnat, has authorized the municipality of Bahía de Banderas to demolish and remove the Punta Paraíso condominium in San Pancho, Nayarit. Administrative Resolution 1551/2026 sets a non-extendable one-year deadline, counted from delivery of the permit, to carry out the work on 1,817.39 square meters of land reclaimed from the sea.

According to the resolution, the demolition responds to an emergency caused by the imminent risk of collapse. The damage it describes includes deep undermining of the ground, exposed foundations and structural damage to slabs and retaining walls.

The permit follows the collapse by a few days. On October 21, the federal environmental protection agency, Profepa, reported that two towers of the complex had collapsed and sent staff to assess the emergency alongside civil protection officials. The agency attributed the collapse to hurricanes and storms, whose surf eroded the sand and exposed part of the foundations. Revista Espejo describes the development as a 44-unit complex built irregularly on land reclaimed from the sea.

The project already faced a court-ordered demolition. In early October, a federal administrative appeals court unanimously denied an amparo filed by the developer, Pacific Lifestyle Properties, after a six-year legal fight. That ruling confirmed Profepa's penalties for breaching the concession and affecting the federal maritime-terrestrial zone. The company must demolish two towers, restore 1,466.008 square meters to their original condition and pay a fine of 96,220 pesos. The court figure does not match the one in the Semarnat permit, and the sources reviewed do not explain the difference.

The reports we reviewed do not say how many owners or buyers the complex had or how their ownership claims will be resolved. They also do not specify whether anyone was injured. Those questions remain open.

For anyone buying or selling oceanfront property in Bahía de Banderas, the case offers a concrete lesson. A building that occupies federal zone or reclaimed land can end up under a demolition order even after years of marketing and sales. Before signing, practical due diligence includes confirming the true boundaries against the federal zone, asking for the concession title when a lot borders the beach, and having an independent notary and attorney check the registry and environmental status. The collapse also shows that coastal erosion, worsened by hurricane season, is a physical risk that adds to the legal risk for buildings placed too close to the water.