In 2023, the Municipality of Valparaíso, after the approval of the Council, entered into the lease contract for the La Nave Building built in 1912, located on Serrano Street. This meant the transfer of the three Local Police Courts and the Economic Development Directorate, bringing municipal services closer to the heart of the Port District and reactivating the commercial hub and increasing sales of its renowned restaurants and cafes.
Also in the plan, steps from the British Arch, at the intersection of Huito with Av. Brasil, is the Utopian Building, designated as a Historical Conservation Property since 2005. With an initial investment of 200 UF per month in rent, in addition to $53,000 ,000 in the provision of the internal infrastructure of its spaces and in the recovery of its façade, the property has become a recurring place for women and diversities of Buenos Aires.
Since last year, the Citizen Mayor’s Office of Valparaíso gave a new use to this historic property for the operation of the Gender: Women and Diversities Directorate of the Municipality. To do this, he took the initiative to revitalize and restore the emblematic building, with the aim of returning it to its original splendor. Among the actions contemplated are the acquisition and installation of a modern vinyl floor, installation of dust covers, rectification of walls, removal and installation of fixed glass, installation of mirrors in bathrooms and in the dance room, replacement of doors, acquisition of tables for its various spaces and installation of fluorescent tubes and track lights in rooms.
For this, the Mayor of Valparaíso, Jorge Sharpexplain what: “The Citizen Mayor’s Office has been developing a policy in the Valparaíso plan to be able to address the vacancy and abandonment of certain private properties that have a heritage nature. Through a public-private alliance we have made progress in the recovery of three emblematic buildings in our city. One, the La Nave building in Serrano in the heart of the World Heritage Site; the second, the Utopian building on Avenida Brasil of the Directorate of Gender, Women and Diversities and thirdly, a service building that is the Astor on Eleuterio Ramírez street.”
Meanwhile, Macarena Carroza, executive director of the Municipal Corporation for the Administration of the World Heritage Site of Valparaíso, states that 87% of the SPM is private, which represents a challenge for working together. And she also announced that there are property recovery projects on Serrano Street.
“On Serrano Street, which is a main axis of the plan, there are projects, some of which are articulated by the National Heritage Service, which is in its phase 3 of the Regional Archive, which is going to be very important, which is in the Subercaseux Palace. There is also a project that we are directing, which is the School of Arts and Crafts, the Maluk building that is also in Serrano and belongs to the municipality and that efforts are being made for a design, hopefully also articulating vacant sites that are on the sides.”Carroza emphasized.
Daniel Ramírez, municipal administrator, announces that the municipality continues its work to recover historic properties in the city, and to do so: “During the next few weeks we will give very good news to the people of Buenos Aires about a new purchase of a property, now it will not be a lease, but a purchase that will generate conditions of economic reactivation but also cultural and social in the Condell axis particularly ”.
Given this, the Councilor Vladimir Valenzuela, expressed that: “I want to take advantage of making a call to the owners who, having financial resources, have not made progress in recovering their own buildings. I think we have to have a proactive attitude with the city, it is a call to protect the city. From the council we will always be available to be able to advance in alternatives, obtaining resources that allow the recovery of abandoned buildings in our beloved Valparaíso”.
Demolitions in the plan and hills: a community demand
In October 2023, the Municipal Council approved the contract for the supply of demolition and debris removal services for homes that have a demolition order decreed by the Municipal Works Directorate and that do not offer guarantees or threaten ruins. Taking charge, in a certain way, of a heartfelt demand from the community that demands security in their neighborhoods.
Christian Órdenes, Director of Operations of the Buenos Aires municipalitynote that: “We have a historical record of more than 200 properties with a demolition decree for two reasons. Article 148 that orders the owners to take charge of the demolitions, and article 156 that orders the municipality to demolish without further procedure. In that sense, we have been making progress since the Municipal Council approved the demolition supply contract. We have dismantled about 11 properties in different parts of the community. Between now and the end of the year we hope to reach 30 and next year have a new supply contract that will allow us to address the remaining one.”
