ANALYZING OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE UNDERUTILIZED PUBLIC ASSETS FOR LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is an international financial institution serving as the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean. The government of the Dominican Republic approached the IDB to explore strategies to monetize existing public assets while attracting private investments and supporting local job creation. To support this work, the IDB tasked a Capstone team to develop a standardized analysis framework to evaluate potential opportunities for leveraging public real estate assets in order to deliver economic impact and financial returns for the public sector. Through a case study methodology, the team conducted a “highest and best use” real estate analysis for selected property and determined opportunities for asset repurposing that delivers both financial returns and economic impact through urban regeneration. The team's final deliverables comprise a business case with a financial model, procurement alternatives, and potential financing structures.