BOLZANO. Sell the Plaza, the provincial palace in via del Ronco, to return it to its original residential function. The scenario emerged during the inspection of the department director Daniel Bedin at the invitation of Team K advisors Matthias Cologna and Thomas Brancaglion. Something is moving.
Twelve floors at the Plaza. Then, going up from the neighborhoods, five floors upformer Land Registry in via Duca d’Aosta. Another six floors in the historic center, Piazza Università. For the size of Bolzano, three skyscrapers. For the needs of Bolzano, squeezed by the cost of land, by the laziness of politics in imagining areas of urban development capable of lowering prices, by workers and university students without a roof, a breath of fresh air, if those voids became full of accommodation.
Speaking of voids: the building in via Duca d’Aosta has been there, standing still since December 2011. A century, with the pace of growth of today’s needs. There was a project to convert it but it collapsed. On 10 February last year, the cold shower communicated by the then councilor Bessone: «The regional council has rejected the idea of making it a judicial hub». No polo, but no apartments either.
Like in Piazza Sernesi. What the two “skyscrapers” have in common is ownership: the Region. The Plaza, on the other hand, belongs to the Province in its above-ground floors. With the annexed car parks which are private, belonging to Habitat, therefore belonging to the Tosolini group. Speaking of parking spaces, there would be twelve underground parking spaces in via Duca d’Aosta. In short, a real estate treasure. These days, it’s a crime to keep it like this, unused.
Juri Andriollo claims: «I proposed to create a student residence project, especially in that building in Piazza Università». Answer? «None, so far», explains the municipal councilor. And instead a glimmer of hope is opening up. And for everyone and three fronts. Taking advantage of a functional element: Arno Kompatscher is now also president of the regional council.
And here’s the news. «We are working – he announces Christian Bianchi – to make the Region and Province sit at a table”. The project consists of going down a couple of roads. The first, and more practical, talks about a possible negotiation for the transfer of the two buildings in Via Duca d’Aosta and Piazzetta Università from the Region to Palazzo Widmann. «It would be the simplest solution. For us – comments the provincial Heritage councilor – and for the Region itself, which would enjoy a convenient round of play and we would provide ourselves with an additional option to manage on the real estate level, negotiating with interested private individuals”. Or, and here is the other option, remaining in the public dimension, investing in the conversion, for example, of student dormitories or controlled-price housing.
The feeling is, essentially, that we are thinking of taking advantage of this political “window” – the Landeshauptmann with the dual role – to shake up a situation which, having remained in stalemate for decades, could become politically unpresentable. «We can take matters into our own hands», comments Bianchi again. Given that, for example, after the rejection of the redevelopment project of via Duca d’Aosta, the Region had decided to launch a market survey which, however, is showing no signs of life. The Province also wants to have the same free hands for the Plaza in via del Ronco. As reported in yesterday’s newspaper, we know that the private individual has a supermarket in mind, while the public body that owns the above-ground floors also has in mind to move on real estate funds, rather than for the redevelopment implemented directly. Which would be challenging. P.CA.
What are the key challenges facing urban redevelopment in Bolzano’s vacant buildings?
Interview between Time.news Editor and Urban Development Expert
Time.news Editor (E): Good morning, Christian! Thank you for joining us today. There’s been some exciting news about the Plaza and other buildings in Bolzano. It seems like there’s a real push to rethink their use, particularly concerning housing. Can you give us a brief overview of what prompted this discussion?
Christian Bianchi (B): Good morning! Yes, indeed, there’s been a lot of dialog recently regarding the Plaza and surrounding buildings. The fact is, Bolzano is in dire need of more housing options due to the rising costs of land and the growing population of workers and university students. The Plaza, along with the buildings in via Duca d’Aosta and Piazza Università, present unique opportunities to alleviate this pressure.
E: It’s interesting to note that these buildings have been largely unused for years. The former Land Registry building has been vacant since 2011. What has been the obstacle to transforming these spaces into residential units?
B: That’s a great question. The main issue has been political inertia and the lack of a cohesive strategy for urban development. There was a proposal to convert the Land Registry into a judicial hub, but that fell through. The buildings are essentially sitting idle, despite the urgent need for housing. It’s disheartening when you consider the potential they have to really transform the landscape of living spaces in Bolzano.
E: I understand there’s been a proposed plan to create student residences in these buildings. Can you elaborate on that and the current stance from the local government?
B: Absolutely. Councilor Juri Andriollo has been advocating for student housing specifically in the Piazza Università building. However, he’s faced a lack of response from the municipal council, which has been quite frustrating. The opening of discussions between the Region and Province is a promising development, and hopefully, it can lead to concrete actions regarding these proposals.
E: Speaking of collaboration, what do you think the significance is of having Arno Kompatscher, now also the president of the regional council, involved in these discussions?
B: Having Kompatscher in this position is crucial. He can facilitate dialog between the Region and the Province, both key players in this process. The fact that they are willing to sit at the same table to discuss these buildings is a step in the right direction. It could lead to negotiations that consolidate their ownership and ultimately pave the way for meaningful redevelopment.
E: Given the potential real estate treasure that these buildings represent, do you think there is an appetite among private investors for projects like student residences or controlled-price housing?
B: Definitely! There’s a tremendous opportunity for private investors to engage with the public sector on these projects. By converting these spaces into student housing or affordable residences, we could attract a larger demographic. Not only does this help address the housing crisis, but it also revitalizes these dormant buildings, boosting the local economy and community vibrancy.
E: It sounds like there’s much to be hopeful for! What do you think the timeline could look like for seeing these transformations start to take shape?
B: While I can’t predict exact timelines, I believe that if the discussions continue on the right tracks, we could see proposals for redevelopment within the next year or two. However, much depends on the prioritization and commitment from both the Region and Province to move forward. The more engaged the community is in advocating for these changes, the quicker we could see action.
E: Thank you so much for your insights, Christian. It’s clear that Bolzano is at a pivotal moment in redefining its urban landscape. We look forward to seeing how these projects develop in the near future!
B: Thank you for having me! Let’s hope for positive changes and a better housing situation for the residents of Bolzano.