Thanks to its strategic position, Genoa is a centre of exchange between the Mediterranean Sea and the North of Europe and has a big commercial and industrial tradition. It has been one of the major naval powers of the XI century and a great industrial city in the XIX and XX centuries. Nevertheless, over the last few years, the city experienced an economic and demographic decline, while the urban growth stimulated a big change in the social and environmental characteristics of the city centre. The town centre, composed by the suburb Pre-Molo Maddalena and the former harbour, is characterized by a high density of old buildings and social and environmental blight.

The Urban II Genoa Programme is intended to develop a strategy for the regeneration of the historic city centre, in order to reach physical integration between the centre and the old harbour of the town. In this way the city centre, continuously growing, could acquire a new urban dimension, extending its barycentre towards the sea. The strategy lists the following priorities:

The Urban II Genoa Programme strategy is based on the idea that the progressive “reconquer” of the city centre starts from the physical regeneration. There are several integrated interventions able to merge physical, economic and social actions through the development of wide “cultural” features of the area. Thus, the priority aimed at improving environmental and urban regeneration is the one in which the biggest part of the resources are allocated. The Urban II Genoa Programme pays particular attention to the implementation of important public structures to attract consumers and investors creating “micro-areas of excellence” (e.g. the ones in which the Sea and Navigation Museum and the University are located).

The revampment of important areas (e.g. the Galata suburb and the Sea Museum) together with the restoration of the ancient harbour, have been a core strategic instrument to regenerate the urban environment of the town. Moreover, 2000 m³ of public spaces have been restored and many squares and streets (e.g. Salita dell’Oro, Via dei Giustiniani and Vico del Campo, three of the most famous and old roads of Genoa city centre) have been renewed. Furthermore, the Programme lists measures to strengthen social structures and services (such as “Extracompetenze” and “Verso la Cittadinanza Attiva”) and innovative communication strategies. These interventions helped to enhance citizens participation in the whole Programme of development and regeneration of Genoa. In 2006, Genoa city centre and De Rolli palace have been recognized as Unesco world wide patrimony.

The final beneficiary of the intervention is the City of Genoa. Moreover, the Urban II Genoa Programme involves all the citizens living in the city centre, the tourists and all the stakeholders benefiting from the urban, social, infrastructural and economic revampment of the target area.

The total amount of the intervention is 30 million euros. The European Regional Development Fund cofinaces the Urban II Genoa Programme for an amount of 11 million euros (36,7 percent), the national public participation is of 16 million euros (53,8 percent) of which 9 million euros are national funds and the rest is splitted among the Region, the Municipality and private investitors.

Within the framework of the Community Initiative Programmes, the Genoa Programme is in line with the European Union main features. It promotes the implementation of innovative strategies for sustainable economic and social regeneration of a medium-sized town.

Ministry for Infrastructure
Ms. Daniela Versino

01/01/2000

31/12/2008

case

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Urban renewal

City centre development