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Genoa: trial courts in the former Rinascente

06 November, La Repubblica

A court in place of the Rinascente department stores that closed down after 60 years. An actual district where to move the offices of the Justice of Peace, the Juvenile Court and the Surveillance Court. The President of the Court of Genoa, Enrico Ravera, has already discussed it with Mayor Marco Bucci. Something is moving to prevent the property will remain empty. The owners are Carige, Generali and the American fund Varde Partners – the same that last year acquired the whole Boscolo Hotels portfolio. But what is more important is recovering the heart of the city, otherwise destined to a sad and relentless decline. Giancarlo Vinacci, City Councillor for Economic Development, explains that “we’re evaluating the possibility of opening new shops and assigning the Urban Free Zone status to the area as provided by the Genoa Decree to benefit from the tax relief programs”.

For what concerns Rinascente, its destiny depends on the Ministry of Justice. The National Association of Judges (ANM) sent its proposal for turning it into a judicial district to the Minister’s committee that is in charge of the maintenance of the judiciary offices in Genoa and Liguria. The committee will then transfer the proposal to Rome. Domenico Pellegrini, judge and Genoa’s ANM president, explains: “the city administration seems to be interested in the judicial district idea. The solution will be very much appreciated by lawyers too”. The judiciary office spaces are limited at present: “The offices of the Judge of Peace are distributed between the sixth and seventh floor of a building in Via De Amicis, and, with all the people coming and going, it’s not ideal”. There are also the Surveillance Court in Via XII Ottobre, the Juvenile Court in Via IV November and the Graduate School of Magistrates in Via del Seminario.

In addition, also the courts where trials take place, the magistrates’ and administrative offices need more space. The Ministry of Justice would have to pay for the relocation after having evaluated whether to buy or to rent the space.

Rinascente is closed. Moody, belonging to the Fogliani group, is being chased by creditors after the bankruptcy of Qui Group! Popular shops such as Bagnara and Berti closed a long time ago, Vezzoni has downsized, the Piccapietra gallery is a desolation. Andrea Carratù, president of the central-eastern district, intervenes: “The only way to relaunch this area is to incentivise new openings. But we need initiatives such as the reduction of Tari and Imu”. Civ XX Settembre President Ilaria Natoli agrees with that: “The area will benefit a lot from an operation like that. Apart from the collapse of the Morandi bridge, the city is going through a deep crisis. We can see with our own eyes the results: people are gone, shops are closing one after the other”.

The benefits for the businesses operating in the Urban Free Zone are the exemption from taxes like Irpef, Ires, Irap and Imu or the payment for the staff’s social security and national insurance contributions. Pietro Biciocchi, City Councillor for Budget, intervenes: “We must see whether there is the budget to do that, as the necessary investment to implement an Urban Free Zone is 10 million”. There should be 100 million available as provided by the Budget Law. Vinacci continues: “We’re currently studying new solutions to favour new businesses. We’ll include them in a brochure that will be ready in a couple of weeks”.

Source: La Repubblica

Translator: Cristina Ambrosi