Second Period (1866-1899):

Neighborhoods:

• Las Mercedes, La Catedral, Convento, and Santa Clara came to be known as neighborhoods of the "Ciudad de Ovando", or the City Center. This was an area of high socioeconomic status, though the outskirts of the South bank of Santa Clara did contain poorer areas. Each of these four neighborhoods was named for its local church or parish. Buildings in the "Ciudad de Ovando" were done in colonial style, characterized by masonry, Roman ceilings, thick walls, windows with grilles, and extensive passageways. Generally, they had large patios surrounded by fruit-bearing trees. The Plaza de Colón, government offices, best stores of the city, largest theater of the day, and the clubs La Juventud and Unión were also located in this central zone.

• Pueblo Nuevo (New Town), Navajito, San Antón, San Miguel, and La Estancia. These neighborhoods were gathered around the "Ciudad de Ovando" and were considered "middle class" in a general sense. Homes here were small in size, and some were made of done in masonry. The majority, on the other hand, were shack-type dwellings made of wood and ceilings of galvanized iron. Of the five neighborhoods, San Miguel was known as the happiest and most party-loving. San Miguel and Navajiro also experienced more change during the Second Period due to the increased economic activity of its residents. In Pueblo Nuevo, the middle and poor classes lived together, and the area developed a reputation for "ambiguous character". The neighborhood La Estancia would later become absorbed into that of Santa Bárbara, which was home to a population of immigrants from Curacao.

• Another neighborhood that emerged to be important in the walled city of Santo Domingo during this period was El Polvorín. El Polvorín began in San Lázaro and continued along Las Mercedes. Its population density increased due to the establishment of the Mercado Nuevo (New Market).
  o Ciudad Nueva (New City) was the first result of an officially organized expansion outside the walled city. It covered the area known as the Sabana del Estado or the Sabana del Rey. Plans for Ciudad Nueva were drawn up in 1884.
  

• San Carlos was a highly populated area bordering Santo Domingo that experienced significant growth due to the sugar refineries in the area. However, San Carlos was not officially considered a neighborhood and an extension of the city until 1911.
  

• The ranches to the Northwest and Southwest of Santo Domingo also experienced growth during this time, serving as retreats for the city's wealthy residents.