5 photos from the developer
Delivered
Empire Residences
Santa María, Panama City
from $1.03M to $1.45M
- Unit types
- 3
- Smallest unit
- 322 m²
- Status
- Delivered
- Area
- Santa María
Empire Residences is a 48-storey tower designed by Saúl Bassan, a well-known Panama City architect, with half-floor residences (322–368 m², plus a larger penthouse collection) that each get a private lobby rather than sharing a hallway with a dozen neighbors. That's the genuine differentiator. What we could not find, across every broker listing and the developer's own project microsite, is who actually developed it. For a tower priced from $1.03M to $1.45M, that's a real gap. Most listings name a strong developer as a selling point. Here, every source names the architect and none of them names the company behind the money. Ask directly before you commit to anything.
Empire Residences prices and floor plans
| Unit | Beds | Baths | Size | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Penthouse Collection | — | — | 425 m² | $1.45M |
| Empire Modelo C - 4 Rec Estate | — | — | 368 m² | $1.19M |
| Empire Modelo A - 3 Rec Clásico | — | — | 322 m² | $1.03M |
Where Empire Residences actually is
Empire Residences sits inside Santa María Golf & Country Club, a 284-hectare (roughly 700-acre) gated community directly beside Costa del Este, about 15 minutes from central Panama City. The tower faces the community's Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole golf course, with ocean and city views from the upper floors. Santa María has its own five-star hotel and dining, and residents share Costa del Este's broader amenities, including Town Center mall and international schools, without living inside that neighborhood directly.
What’s included at Empire Residences
- Campo de Golf Santa María
- Residencias de Medio Piso
- Ultra Lujo
- Club de Campo
Who Empire Residences suits — and who it doesn’t
Buyers who specifically want half-floor privacy and a private lobby over a standard shared-corridor tower; golf-focused buyers who want to be inside the country club rather than adjacent to it; families and executives who work in nearby Costa del Este and want a short commute without living in it.
No source we checked, including brokers and the developer's own project microsite, names the actual developer behind Empire Residences. Every listing credits the architect, Saúl Bassan, but none names the development company. For a tower priced above $1M a unit, that's a real gap to press your broker on before you commit to anything. HOA fees for Santa María generally run around $1.50/m² per month, which would put a 322 m² unit here at roughly $480/month and the largest penthouse near $640/month, but we could not confirm that rate specifically for this tower rather than the community average. Several listings also show pricing as "upon request" rather than published, which made reconciling our own price table harder than usual. Treat our figures as a starting point to confirm, not a locked-in rate.
Before you buy at Empire Residences
Status is delivered and ready for immediate occupancy, consistent across the sources we checked, so this isn't a preselling-stage risk. The building was designed by Saúl Bassan, but we could not identify the developer or builder of record from any source, including the project's own microsite. Ask for that directly, along with the entity's track record, before you go further. We have not verified title status or a Registro Público finca number for this specific tower. Confirm both with an attorney, and get the actual current HOA fee in writing rather than relying on the community-wide $1.50/m² estimate.
What to check, and how →FAQ
Who developed Empire Residences?
We could not find this from any source, including brokers and the developer's own project microsite. Every listing credits the architect, Saúl Bassan, but none names the development company. For a tower priced above $1M a unit, ask your broker to name the developer directly before you go further.
Who designed Empire Residences?
Saúl Bassan, a well-known Panama City architect, described by several listings as designing the tower specifically for elite clients.
What makes Empire Residences different from other Panama City towers?
Half-floor residences with a private lobby for each unit, rather than a shared hallway. That's a real, checkable differentiator most towers in this price range don't offer.
Is Empire Residences delivered?
Yes. Every source we checked describes it as ready for immediate occupancy, not a preselling or under-construction project.
What are the HOA fees at Empire Residences?
Santa María generally runs around $1.50/m² per month, which would put a 322 m² unit here near $480/month and the largest penthouse near $640/month. We could not confirm that rate specifically for this tower rather than the community average, so get the exact figure in writing.
How far is Empire Residences from central Panama City?
About 15 minutes by car, inside the Santa María Golf & Country Club community next to Costa del Este.
Is Empire Residences titled property?
We have not independently verified title status or a Registro Público finca number for this tower. Confirm with an attorney before any deposit.