Turin:
Managing revitalisation in the historical city centre
Turin:
| |
| Country: | a) Western Europe | ,b) Italy |
| Language: | |
| Type: | Policy |
| Area: | City/Town, District/Quarter, 100,000 - 1 mill. |
| Actors: | Local government, NGO |
| Funding: | Local government, European Union |
| Topics: | Employment |
| Energy | |
| Health | |
| Objectives: | Improve living conditions |
| Increase public awareness | |
| Increase use of clean technology | |
| Instruments: | Local government structure / organisation |
| New management structure |
Within the EU URBAN Programme the City of Turin put forward an urban regeneration project that aims to revitalise the urban function of the historical centre, the Porta Palazzo area. On the one hand this centre around the Piazza della Repubblica is a junction for traffic, commerce and social relations, on the other hand it is an area which has suffered from degradation. The project therefore aims to implement innovative solutions in the areas of building refurbishment, training and employment, information technology, social inclusion and environmental protection. It can be regarded as an example of good practice in urban development for the following reasons:
In November 1995 the European Commission launched a call for an URBAN Pilot Programme which was designed to explore new approaches and solutions in the area of urban regeneration, integrating aspects of social inclusion, environmental protection, traffic management, cultural revitalisation and information technology. From 503 proposals from 14 Member States a total of 26 Urban Pilot Projects were selected. From July 1997 onwards a total of 63 million ECU (39% of total investment) was available as co-financing from European Regional Development Funds for a two year period.
The City of Turin selected the historical centre, the Porta Palazzo-Borgo Dora district, as a target area for improvements to typical urban problems caused by economic crisis and a change in social structure. According to 1995 figures the district has a population of 8,107 and an unemployment rate of 12% of the working force registered at the employment agency. This Porta Palazzo area includes the Piazza della Repubblica which is one of the largest market places in Europe: approximately 1,000 traders and over 200 permanent stalls and shops which are visited by up to 40,000 people per day. Due to a lack of building maintenance, poor waste management and above-average crime rate the area was affected by decline in population and closures of small enterprises. In 1995 the percentage of foreign citizens was 9.8%, compared to 2.5% in the city of Turin as a whole; the crime rate (persons arrested per year) was 3.2% compared to 2% in the province of Turin.
Against this background the Gate project (taking its name from Porta Palazzo) was embedded in wider regeneration efforts for the area. The URBAN pilot project can be summarised in terms of the following headings:
Project date and status
The project started in July 1997 and will be completed at the end of September 2000.
Strategy
Although Porta Palazzo is a lively place with trade and sightseeing, it is also an area that suffers from deteriorating conditions in living standards and buildings. Decline in population and poor standard of local amenities resulted in a decline of economic activities and reduced attractiveness of residential environment. Under the motto "The Gate: living not leaving" ("Porta Palazzo: Vivere, non solo Transitare") the URBAN pilot project started in July 1997 as an initiative to implement an integrated set of measures in various fields with potential to contribute to enhancing physical conditions and the local economy. Based on a "social contract" agreement between local residents, public and private sector institutions and organisations, a partnership was created that aims to work together in five key areas:
1. Business incubator
This theme relates to attracting of new investment to the area by optimisating existing measures and initiatives and promoting new initiatives consistent with an overall concept of economic revitalisation. New initiatives should be implemented with the help of actors from the sector concerned (e.g. agricultural producers, craftsmen, traders, job seekers etc.). Actions are planned in the areas of fruit quality management, qualification in crafts, courses for unemployed people, location of new businesses like arts and antiques shops.
2. Safety net
This theme relates to crime prevention, health and proximity services. Improving neighbourhood services and caring for marginalised social groups constitutes a priority in developing of a safer environment for local residents. Provision of measures is directed towards prostitutes, alcohol addicts and drug users and people with a criminal record.
3. A good place to live
The physical renewal of squares and buildings is important to create job opportunities on the one hand and to prepare for new economic, cultural and recreational activities that, in addition, attract local people as well as visitors outside business hours. Improvement in the physical environment is vital for health reasons, upgrading business infrastructure and starting new initiatives (e.g. public houses, artistic activities).
4. Sustainability
Environmental protection measures have been primarily conceived in the areas of waste management and energy efficiency. In particular, markets traders are involved in setting-up recycling systems for organic and non-organic wastes. District heating systems and insulation measures are elements in the local maintenance and building renewal programme.
5. Linkability
Under this theme actions have been implemented that are concerned with physical access to the area and virtual participation in the restructuring process via new technologies. Priority is given to re-organisating public transport, parking and through traffic by cars. Computer communication is regarded as an element for improvements in business and learning by providing access to customers and people outside the area.
Activities
As URBAN pilot projects usually arrange measures in terms of key areas in run-down urban neighbourhoods, each project has to design behorehand a set of measures according to its application. On the one hand this approach helps to put forward a comprehensive policy, on the other hand there is little flexibility in expenditure policy or time schedules if a certain part of the initiative has to adjusted. In Turin's case, measures are primarily directed towards economic activities, rehabilitation and renovation, environmental protection and information technologies. All areas include elements of on-the-job training and re-qualification. The following individual initiatives have been started or linked to other activities or programmes in the district:
1. Business incubator
planning weekend after hours: this is a promotion event for local residents which in the first place aims to create new sensitivity for the ideas of the Gate project, to collect information on inhabitants' expectations and get city-wide publicity;
food quality control: as the fruit and vegetable market is directly supplied by local producers from the region, introduction of new quality standards is a vital element to safeguard consumer credibility and to attract new consumers. In cooperation with the Italian Association of Direct Producers in Agriculture the areas of production, packaging, transport and sales have been revised. This also led to the creation of new services and new jobs in cooperative societies for horticultural support and packaging, market place cleaning etc.).
keeping arts and crafts alive: the opening of the Artisan Restorers School had impacts in various fields. Historical building are being renovated, new professional training opportunities have been created, international cooperation was established;
business information activities: in cooperation with the city's department for project work and professional training, an business advice centre has been opened which gives advice to business-start-ups, cooperative ventures, immigrants and women.
2. Safety net
support measures for prostitutes: under the motto "beyond the road" the situation of prostitutes has been improved with the help of the Committee for the Civil Rights of Prostitutes (Comitato per i Diritti Civili delle Prostitute). These activities include a work programme for mutual understanding between local residents and prostitutes, caring for health and disease, organisating a drop-in centre;
support measures for people with alcohol and drug related problems: under the motto "on the road, enabling care" a street unit with social operatives has been set up. It is mainly involved in counselling, individual help, mediation between different cultures, direct health assistance and cultural animation;
partnership between young people and the community: in order to improve educational and recreational activities for young people a new centre opened, owned by San Giocchino Parish;
re-organisation of policy services: security improved with the opening of a local police station. This district station comprises 37 policemen and 3 officers and helps to bring back confidence in public safety.
3. A good place to live
building stock rehabilitation: housing rehabilitation is firstly concentrated on building in central locations as this will have a strategic impact in attracting of other activities by public and private owners;
market place renovation: a prime goal is up-grading the market place. As this is a central meeting place for the community, fundamental improvements are planned: substitution of the current asbestos roofing with new 'healthy' roofing; re-establishment of hygienic and sanitary conditions in the covered food market, eliminating of suspended electric fixtures and reconstructing of the clothing market;
'after hours policy' for the market place area: in order to revitalise the area new services have been introduced for times in which commercial activities have ceased. As the attractiveness of the place depends on an adequate infrastructure the project committee and the city's environment protection department are working together in the implementing of activities such as creating catering services, opening sport facilities, putting in place green areas, carrying out measures to reduct atmospheric pollution etc.
4. Sustainability
introduction of waste management: effective waste management is a keystone in better living conditions. The local waste management strategy is strongly linked to economic activities in the market area. Action has been taken to pre-select the output materials from the open-air market for a reuse recycling regain strategy, to collect organic waste from the open-air market to produce high quality compost and to encourage food market traders' responsibilities for packaging (recycling paper board, refilling plastic and glass vessels). Coordination of measures have been located with the newly established Porta Palazzo Waste Management Board;
introduction of waste management in the food sector: introduction of a pilot scheme for waste management in the food sector involves 150 of 1070 stalls which are prepared to influence the whole product cycle. This includes waste minimisation in the production process, negotiating to eliminate waste disposal tax for Turin hill farmers in order to charge only actual amounts of waste and advertising campaigns to the participating food producers;
introduction of district energy planning: upgrading energy standards at district level will be put into action by the following steps. A planning assistants' team will assess the potentials of energy savings, assist energy measures in the first phase of building renovation, implement guidelines in energy conservation. A special energy conservation scheme for the district will deal with technical, regulatory, economic and financial aspects. An energy rehabilitation programme will help to implement more sophisticated measures (e.g. solar systems, bypass for summer water heating, greenhouses etc.);
5. Linkability
re-organisation of mobility and parking: as private cars and parking will be banned from the Porta Palazzo district after building an underpass and after covered car parks, the area will experience a fundamental change in transport activities. It is expected that this will change attitudes towards walking and cycling;
looking for missing links in revitalisation policy: after carrying out an audit of public spaces the policy of revitalisation took up the initiative to become active in the area of a multi-ethnic 'gastronomic corridor' and a cycle and pedestrian route along the River Dora. In the catering sector improvements relate to architectural design and construction, feasibility study to constitute a cooperative society to manage rehabilitated sites, management training and marketing. The route construction involves execution of planning and building works;
setting up Internet communication: communication is an important part in problem sensitivity and the process of problem solving. With the help of Internet technology at a central open-air square, electronic study circles (15-20 students) and a community forum (50-100 people in regular two year cycle) the Gate project aims to make progress towards democratisation and participation in the regeneration process (especially by young people) and dialogue with other urban communities.
Partners
In January 1998 a project management committee was established as a non-profit organisation. This committee ("Consiglio Direttivo") is made up of members from private and public sectors and there are two types of participation: surpporting members and participating members.
Members mainly act as co-funders or sponsors and are involved in the internal auditing process and the review of correct management. Furthermore, they help to disseminate project ideas and results at city level. The members of project are the City of Turin (5 members), Chamber of Commerce (1 member), financial institutions: Compagnia di San Paolo and Fondazione CRT (1 member from each bank), three major commercial associations and agricultural producers who represent the economic sector of the area (1 member each) and three major non-profit organisations located in the area (1 member each).
Participating members are actively involved in the implementation of measures as they agreed to participate via their membership in the local partnership ("Forum Civico"). The partnership is built on the know-how of each member (associations of residents, house-owners, voluntary associations, cultural groups, economic associations etc.).
The committee is run by a director and an executive technical staff who are responsible for management and control of each phase of the project as well as for conceptualisation of further actions.
Total funding of the project "The gate: living not leaving" amounts to 5,069,316 million Ecu of which 50% is covered by European money from the European Structural Funds as part of a pilot project within the URBAN programme.
The area of the Gate project is already subject to considerable investment by local and national government as well as the private sector. A total of approximately 75 million Ecu has been concentrated on the area in order to prevent further decline.
Currently, the project impact is mainly visible in employment effects. In particular renovation of housing stock in the market area and construction of the underpass below the market has led to the direct employment of approximately 1,000 people. It is expected that overall revitalisating the local economy will result in the creation of 100 permanent jobs. Training and temporary employment via job placement schemes will benefit young immigrants without formal skills and qualification.
As this project runs until the year 2000 no evaluation has been carried out so far.
Although project operation has only started in January 1998, a first assessment of the project was given by I. Curti at the URBAN pilot projects meeting in Brussels on 12 May 1998. As representative of the City of Turin she stresses that the concept is innovative, at least by Italian standards. In particular, setting up a committee with responsibilities for implementation and overall guidance is a new element in urban policy in Italy. The following factors can be regarded as essential in the success of the transformation process (cp. Internet 1998):
Ecotec 1998: Urban Pilot Projects, Article 10 European Regional Development Funds, Annual Report 1997, report prepared for the Directorate General for Regional Policy and Cohesion of the European Commission, Luxembourg
European Union 1998: Urban Pilot Projects, Phase II, 1997-99, Article 10, European Regional Development Fund, Project Descriptions, Regional policy and cohesion, Luxembourg
Progetto the Gate Porta Palazzo 1998: project information folder, Turin
Internet 1998://www.inforegio.org/urban/upp/SCR/event2.htm
| Name | : | comitato Progetto Porta Palazzo |
| Firstname | : | |
| Telefon | : | +39 / 11 / 521 62 42 |
| Telefax | : | +39 / 11 / 435 85 33 |
| Address | : | galleria Umberto I |
| piazza della Republica 4 | ||
| I - 10122 Torino | ||
| Name | : | Curti |
| Firstname | : | Ilda |
| Telefon | : | +39 / 11 / 561 75 74 |
| Telefax | : | +39 / 11 / 54 58 84 |
| Address | : | Citta di Torino |
| SA XI Relazioni Internazionali | ||
| Via San Francesco d'Assisi 3 | ||
| I - 10100 Torino | ||
The City of Turin is one of the metropolitan centres in Northern Italy. It is a city in change to a service industry. The city is also famous for its sport events and is currently bidding for the winter olympiad 2006.
Project was added at 28.03.2000
Project was changed at 28.03.2000