As did the residents of Villa Ortúzar, and given the evidence of the changes that the dynamics of the neighborhood they inhabit are going through, those of Chacarita went out to tour theirs to relieve the plots affected by work processes, those that are for sale and those that have granted demolition permits. As of March, they found that there were 143 plots in these conditions. And concerned about the situation, they developed a bill that entered the Buenos Aires Legislature.
Villa Ortúzar, Chacarita, Núñez, Bajo Belgrano, Villa del Parque, Colegiales. There are many neighborhoods that are besieged by construction and changes that are basically modifying the spirit that characterizes them. Neighborhoods of low houses, single-family homes. This morphology is in check due to the new Urban Code, which was voted in 2018 in the Buenos Aires Legislature.
Specifically, the new Code enabled more construction volume, which triggered a densification process. Just to mention some changes: it allowed to build buildings on the corners, advanced the front line and reduced the lungs of the block (on the other hand, an identity character of all the neighborhoods of the City).
And a decisive change: the elimination of the formulas that limited the occupation of the land, that is, how much could be built on each land. Without the formula that linked buildable surface to lot size, an increase in density was generated. Fixed heights were imposed, which change depending on the neighborhoods.
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The transformation of Chacarita
Neighbors put together a map with the lots that can become buildings and change the face of the neighborhood
Tap to explore the data
Source: Neighbors of Chacarita Infographic: Clarín
And in parallel, the City -through the Buenos Aires Legislature- has granted dozens of exceptions that authorize building beyond what the Urban Code itself allows; In return, the development companies contribute money or public works, such as squares.
Based on this context, the neighbors organized under the collective "Amparo Ambiental Chacarita" and surveyed the neighborhood. With the geolocated plots, they assessed that something had to be done; This is how they presented a bill to ensure that the new regulations are urgently suspended and that they return to the pre-2018 standards.
On these autumn days, the neighborhood has some streets that are a postcard. Profusely wooded, the yellow and orange colors of the leaves that begin to fall form a carpet on the sidewalks. It is enough to walk a few blocks to detect immediately what worries the neighbors. For example, on Fraga, where plots for sale are chained, works, demolitions and flags hung on the facades of houses that withstand the gale of construction: "No to the new urban code, greener less cement".
Construction sites and neighbors on alert in Chacarita. Photo: Luciano Thieberger
The concern grows in the neighborhood: "In the internal framework, it went from a maximum height of three floors (9 meters) to one of seven (23.5 meters). The exponential increase in demolitions, works and new buildings alters the quality of life of those who inhabit it. There is more and more cement, more traffic, less absorbent surface, fewer trees and less sky, "say the neighbors.
José Weisman is a neighbor of the neighborhood and told Clarín: "Here the changes were not gradual, suddenly we find many houses for sale. In general, there is a repeated story: they are low houses, about 70 years old, whose original owners are no longer there and their children, or heirs, sell them. We are very close to Palermo and Villa Crespo, which are collapsed neighborhoods, so the real estate pressure spilled over into Chacarita."
The project is based on three central axes: lowering the construction heights, protecting the heart of the apples and limiting uses. That is to say, that the commercial authorization is not out of control. In addition, prevent the plots from being included, which is used to increase the constructive capacity.
Construction sites and neighbors on alert in Chacarita. Photo: Luciano Thieberger
José says that the neighborhood organization "was quite incredible. There were a few of us who started looking for information, trying to understand the Code and seeing what was happening in other neighborhoods. We made an open call and 50 neighbors came. And in the second, another 50 have already been added. Today we are an active group of 120 neighbors and we put together a very pragmatic group, very oriented to seek results, the discussions are short and we do not go through the branches debating issues that have nothing to do specifically with this situation. "
In other neighborhoods, changes were achieved that put a brake on construction, for example in the Lomitas de Nuñez and in two areas of Belgrano, Bajo Belgrano and Barrio River. There are other neighborhood organizations that achieved very important things from a sustained collective struggle, such as Manzana 66 and Plaza Clemente; in the first, the City promoted the construction of a stadium and in the second, a shopping mall.
"The neighbors contacted us and from the Legislature we encourage them to work on the project, because they are the ones who know their neighborhoods best; We offered them the technical equipment so that when the project enters it will be in a position to move forward. So the neighbors present the law and we take it," explained Claudia Neira, a legislator with the Frente de Todos.
Construction sites and neighbors on alert in Chacarita. Photo: Luciano Thieberger
This happened with the residents of Bajo Belgrano, who worked on the law together with the ruling bloc; or those of Lomitas de Núñez, who did it with legislators of Evolution.
"With some specific differences, the problem is quite similar and crosses the neighborhoods, there is a saturation of land use and an uncontrolled mixture of uses, on which no controls are carried out. For example, the growth of gastronomy without reinforcement of services, such as waste collection," explained Neira.
The bill of the residents of Chacarita is already in the Legislature, it must advance through the different commissions and reach the premises. It is not foreseen when it will happen but they hope it will be soon. It happens that in the meantime real estate developers ask the City for urban planning certificates to build, whether or not they have the project, whether or not they have the money. They already have "stepped on the norm", that is, if the new changes in the Code are approved, the developers have already secured their permission.
This urban certificate is one of the 80 procedures that are now free, according to the announcement made by the Buenos Aires Executive.
Meanwhile, the neighbors continue with their task of visibility and promoting the need to preserve the identity of the neighborhood; for example, with guided tours such as the one made by the landscaper Fabio Marquez (@paisajeante on Twitter).
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