VRM Companies will unveil the sculpture 'A Orillas del Río' by Puerto Rican artist Luis Torruella on Thursday, June 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the Club House area of The River Village in Ciudad Jardín Gurabo. The event, expected to draw over 300 residents, Mayor Vilmarie Peña, and the artist, celebrates the community's rebirth after years of deterioration.
For nearly fifteen years, Ciudad Jardín Gurabo suffered abandonment, with over 500 families trapped in neglected common areas and declining property values. The Golf Club House, owned by third parties, lay vandalized and unused alongside an abandoned golf course and tennis courts. In 2021, VRM Companies committed to a comprehensive transformation, restoring dignity and value to the entire community amidst a pandemic and rising construction costs.
Key achievements include transferring ownership of the Golf Club House—now The River Village—to the Master Association of Owners, allowing residents to control the facility. The space now hosts businesses and services that enrich quality of life. Abandoned courts were replaced with a new Racket Club featuring tennis, pickleball, and beach tennis. The entrance booth was expanded and modernized, and common areas were fully rehabilitated.
The impact reaches both new families who purchased homes and existing residents. When VRM arrived in 2021, Ciudad Jardín had about 519 families; today, over 1,000 families enjoy a first-class community, with new resort-style homes in River Terrace, River View, and River Estates. Despite historic construction cost increases, these complexes offer affordable housing with average prices around $300,000 to $400,000.
'At VRM Companies, we believe that good development is one that not only benefits those who buy a home, but elevates a place for the benefit of an extended community,' said Rafael E. Rojo, President and CEO. 'Today, Gurabo has a first-class destination that enhances community life, attracts commercial activity, strengthens the tax base, and projects an image of progress.'
The sculpture 'A Orillas del Río' symbolizes the community's transformation through free-flowing lines forming the letter 'R,' evoking the river and representing Rescue, Resilience, and Rebirth. VRM Companies, celebrating 50 years in 2026, has developed over 15,000 homes and 70 communities in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Florida.
