By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s a very different project for the Caribbean, and a very different project for the Dominican Republic.

But that’s what makes it so fascinating.

The Alta Vista Group has officially broken ground on a new $45 million project called the Alta Vista Mountain Village, a vision for a real estate community and “mountain hotel” in the Bayacanes community of the La Vega province.

The eco-luxe project will consist of just under 2 million square feet of development in five “pillars”: a restaurant, a mountain-lodge-style boutique hotel, villas, condos and apartments, according to Franklin Liriano, president of Alta Vista Group.

If the name of the company sounds familiar, it should – it’s the group behind the famous Altavista eatery in La Vega, a destination restaurant that has long offered some of the most remarkable views in the Caribbean.

The Alta Vista Mountain Village, designed by architect Denis Lockward, will be set off the road between La Vega and Jarabacoa, with sweeping views of the Cibao Valley and the Dominican Republic’s central mountain range.

The property will feature anti-seismic design and an earthy style with finishes in precious woods, stones, glass and concrete, according to the company.

Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina leading the groundbreaking ceremony in La Vega.

It isn’t a beach hotel — and that’s the point, putting a new spotlight on a beautiful but still largely undeveloped tourism destination that’s unique for the region.