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Naples, military hospital: green light to hotels and shops

27 April, Il Mattino

Europe is investing in the preservation and reconversion of its cultural heritage and of disused public buildings. Naples is a good example of this, as the city launched the financing of three projects, including the one for the old military hospital in Quartieri Spagnoli for 750 thousand Sq m. The complex has a surface of 25 thousand Sq m, 15 thousand of which will be destined to green spaces, including parks and walking paths connecting San Martino to Lower Naples. For the remaining 10 thousand Sq m, the project bets on local businesses, with artisanal shops and small companies operating in innovative sectors. But the real news is the social meaning of the project that was awarded by the EU exactly, for this reason, quoting the city as an example “for the recovery of urban marginal areas”.

Mayor Luigi de Magistris participated at the presentation of the project in San Domenico Maggiore. He commented the award from the EU: “Naples is taken as an example because the city successfully involved the locals in the recovery of degraded urban areas. The European Union looks positively at the results since they combine aesthetic, the recovery of the territory and the participation of the people”. The requalification and the reconversion of the disused properties have been the theme of the conference of the “2nd Chance project”, developed within the territorial cooperation program Urbact III.

Carmine Piscopo, City Councillor for Urban Planning and Common Properties, explains: “This is not an abstract work, we were able to requalify this place thanks to the support of the community. Today, projects and visions concerning urban requalification have been presented, and the transformation process of Quartieri Spagnoli has already started”. The project saw also the participation, through manifestations of interest, of over forty associations, universities and citizens; over 200 of them contributed at the reconversion through temporary interventions. “This was a unique collective experience – explains Piscopo –  and I would like to stress that in the old military hospital there are already many artisanal laboratories. We’re giving this place back to the city”. How will the structure be used? “The recovered territory of San Martino hill will be the link between upper Naples and lower Naples through passages and paths. The already existing places will be reconverted. For instances, the small buildings may be turned into eco-sustainable hotels”. Piscopo considers the area “as a giant that must be woken up. The area might accommodate spaces for children and hubs for start-ups. We’re currently evaluating these solutions to create a new sharing economy, it will be a new vision of the city”.

Source: Il Mattino

Translator: Cristina Ambrosi