Brief summary of the operation

The loss of attractiveness of central urban areas on regards of population and economic activities is a problem which is confronting EU regions in a similar way and which is related with a variety of economic and social factors. The crisis of the economic fabric linked with the diffusion of suburban shopping centres is considered is at the same time cause and consequence of city centre risk of abandon. Based on the direct experiences of partner towns, the Project “Urbe Viva” starts from the idea that public policies tackling city centre decline need to be planned, lead and promoted by a unique coordination body which should be the result of a steady public/private partnership. At EU level (UK, Sweden, Belgium, France) integrated urban management experiences have already been tested often with good results. In Partners’ countries instead, although there are significant pilot experimentations, it doesn’t exist a comprehensive elaboration of tailor-made methodologies for town centre management. Therefore the Project intends:

a) to spread in partner Municipalities a strategic and managerial approach for tackling requalification of central urban areas;

b) to boost the creation of steady public/private partnerships and forms of “negotiated” and “participated” town planning;

c) to encourage partner Municipalities to develop policies and actions coherent with a strategic framework, jointly defined by different urban stakeholders and aiming at regenerating economic fabric of central urban areas and in the same time increasing employment opportunities, strengthening social bonds, exploiting cultural and historic heritage of the town;

d) to spread in partner Municipalities the culture of ex ante and ex post evaluation of public policies and instruments for urban development.

“Urbe Viva” will be organized in four main steps:

1) collection of experiences and international best practices;

2) development and pilot implementation of a common analysis method of urban areas;

3) elaboration of operative tailor-made models of coordinated urban management;

4) creation of an ex-post evaluation methodology.
In Partner Municipalities is expected a sensible improvement of management capacity of facing historic city centre desertification. Furthermore, through a wide dissemination strategy, Partners intend to stimulate at regional, national and EU level the research of new tools and policies for urban development, and specifically the activation of support instruments to finance pilot experiences of urban integrated management.

The main outputs of the Project are expected to be:

a) publications and reports (local work tables reports, best practice reports, urban areas analysis reports, operative models for integrated management, final report);

b) communication means (Web Site with a dedicated Intranet area, communication materials, press releases and articles);

c) conferences (1 closing local conference in each partner town, 1 final conference in Venice).