Transformation and change in downtown Buenos Aires

HERZER, HILDA; DI VIRGILIO MARIA MERCEDES; RODRIGUEZ MARIA CARLA; MERILNSKY GABRIELA

TRIALOG

TRIALOG Association - Planning and Building in the South

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2008 p. 40 - 47

0724-6234

Since the 1970s, downtown areas in the cities of some central countries have gone through urban renewal. These quarters started attracting artists, new businesses and small and large companies, middle-income segments of the population, and others who have transformed the cityscape and have created in some cases serious issues for the low-income residents of these areas (Muñíz, 1998). Gentrification principally involves two movements: (1) recovery of residential areas in the cities? central quarters and their occupation by middle and upper middle-income households and/or (2) a reinvigoration of commerce. Both contribute to the increase in the value of property. Residential and commercial gentrification can in some cases merge. However, commercial gentrification can take place without residential renewal. These processes result in increased building maintenance expenses that hurt owners, and cause rising rentals and property taxes. Some residents pay the increases, but others, both owners and/or tenants ? including poor families who have lived in these areas for a long time ? must leave their neighbourhoods (Wilson, 1992; Smith, 1996; Marcuse, 1986 and 1998). Most research on this issue has focused on these urban processes in the developed world but has rarely addressed them in Latin American cities. Our work summarises the main findings of a longitudinal study which began in 1998 in the La Boca, San Telmo and Barracas quarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina.[1] It examines gentrification through an analysis of the affected households? characteristics ? socio-economic level, living standards and employment ? in order to determine which aspects of their life styles make them vulnerable to displacement. It also scrutinises the residents? perception of change as well as the local and national governments? interventions that encourage such developments. The purpose of our study was to increase the empirical evidence in this regard about Latin American cities, given the wide range of processes underway, and to contribute to the existing body of theory in this field.  [1] Developed as part of the grants programme at UBACyt, of the Instituto de Estudios Urbanos del Instituto de Investigaciones Gino Germani (UBA), led by Prof. Hilda Herzer.