Repairing a city center's broken heart
Revitalization is a complex process including social, spatial, and economical changes introduced to devastated urban locations. Its aim is to put life into stagnated and destroyed areas, improve the standard of living, revive real-estate value, and improve the image and identity of citizens.
Revitalization mainly concerns city centers. It is executed by either pulling down existing constructions or using them as a basis for rebuilding. Selecting either of these methods depends on the area's condition, yet it is the second that allows new projects to retain the tradition and atmosphere of the place. "In town planning, large revitalizing operations consisting of large investments preceded by large rampage seem to be a primitive and inefficient approach," argues Olaf Swolkień, in his article "Chasing life, a dispute on revitalization."
"In the case of the city it is extremely important to remember about the citizens' culture and their social situation," he adds.
Revitalization is considered a regional developmental priority by the European Union, with some regions receiving considerable subsidies. In Poland, revitalization projects can be financed with the help of EU structural funds, with up to a maximum of 75 percent of the qualified costs refunded, as well as with grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Economy and Labor, which refunds up to 10 percent of qualified costs.
Warsaw is also applying to the European Regional Development Fund for subsidies, as part of the Integrated Operating Program for Regional Development, to finance its simplified revitalization program for the years 2005-2013. Four districts are included in the project, two on the left side of the river Vistula, Śródmieście and Wola, and two on the right side, Praga Północ and Praga Południe.
According to the plan drawn up by Warsaw authorities, the objective of revitalizing Środmieście is the development of tourism and culture based on cultural heritage assets. The main undertaking in this area is repair and maintenance works to the ramparts of the Old Town in 2005-2013 at a cost of zł.11.77 million. The same objective is assumed in the case of the Wola district. However, in Wola social and economic enlivening is important, through improving the quality of the public space. One of the interesting projects in this area is the re-creation of a historical horse-and-tram route. This would be a major tourist attraction, as no European capital has a reproduced horse-and-tram route. The project will be finished by June 2006 and will cost zł.260,000.
However, these modest projects pale in comparison to Central Europe's largest urban regeneration project in the center of Budapest. The plan aims to revitalize the eighth district in Budapest, Józsefváros, one of the most decrepit neighborhoods in the city. "Fifty percent of flats there do not have toilets [and] there is huge unemployment," explained Tibor Tatar, the director of real-estate investment at the Futureal company. Speaking at CEPIF 2005, he said Futureal Holding is in charge of the whole project, which has been labeled Szigony-Corvin.
The involved costs of this ambitious project are estimated at HUF100 (zł.1.65) billion, with a large portion of the funds to go on non-residential developments, which will make the area more commercial, with shops, offices, and hotels.
Residential buildings present their own problems as 92 percent of the apartments in the eighth district were built before 1920, and 20 percent lack the basic comforts. The area now has a reputation as the city's ghetto.
"We must rescue this part of the city as soon as possible," said György Molnár, the head of development and housing at the eighth-district municipality, in an interview with Hungarian daily Népszabadság. At first 1,100 apartments will be demolished and 1,400 renovated. "We start in March 2006," announces Tatar. The project completion is scheduled for December 2012.
Revitalization mainly concerns city centers. It is executed by either pulling down existing constructions or using them as a basis for rebuilding. Selecting either of these methods depends on the area's condition, yet it is the second that allows new projects to retain the tradition and atmosphere of the place. "In town planning, large revitalizing operations consisting of large investments preceded by large rampage seem to be a primitive and inefficient approach," argues Olaf Swolkień, in his article "Chasing life, a dispute on revitalization."
"In the case of the city it is extremely important to remember about the citizens' culture and their social situation," he adds.
Revitalization is considered a regional developmental priority by the European Union, with some regions receiving considerable subsidies. In Poland, revitalization projects can be financed with the help of EU structural funds, with up to a maximum of 75 percent of the qualified costs refunded, as well as with grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Economy and Labor, which refunds up to 10 percent of qualified costs.
Warsaw is also applying to the European Regional Development Fund for subsidies, as part of the Integrated Operating Program for Regional Development, to finance its simplified revitalization program for the years 2005-2013. Four districts are included in the project, two on the left side of the river Vistula, Śródmieście and Wola, and two on the right side, Praga Północ and Praga Południe.
According to the plan drawn up by Warsaw authorities, the objective of revitalizing Środmieście is the development of tourism and culture based on cultural heritage assets. The main undertaking in this area is repair and maintenance works to the ramparts of the Old Town in 2005-2013 at a cost of zł.11.77 million. The same objective is assumed in the case of the Wola district. However, in Wola social and economic enlivening is important, through improving the quality of the public space. One of the interesting projects in this area is the re-creation of a historical horse-and-tram route. This would be a major tourist attraction, as no European capital has a reproduced horse-and-tram route. The project will be finished by June 2006 and will cost zł.260,000.
However, these modest projects pale in comparison to Central Europe's largest urban regeneration project in the center of Budapest. The plan aims to revitalize the eighth district in Budapest, Józsefváros, one of the most decrepit neighborhoods in the city. "Fifty percent of flats there do not have toilets [and] there is huge unemployment," explained Tibor Tatar, the director of real-estate investment at the Futureal company. Speaking at CEPIF 2005, he said Futureal Holding is in charge of the whole project, which has been labeled Szigony-Corvin.
The involved costs of this ambitious project are estimated at HUF100 (zł.1.65) billion, with a large portion of the funds to go on non-residential developments, which will make the area more commercial, with shops, offices, and hotels.
Residential buildings present their own problems as 92 percent of the apartments in the eighth district were built before 1920, and 20 percent lack the basic comforts. The area now has a reputation as the city's ghetto.
"We must rescue this part of the city as soon as possible," said György Molnár, the head of development and housing at the eighth-district municipality, in an interview with Hungarian daily Népszabadság. At first 1,100 apartments will be demolished and 1,400 renovated. "We start in March 2006," announces Tatar. The project completion is scheduled for December 2012.
