In Buenos Aires territory, the
decks that extend the sidewalks
next to bars and restaurants are already
part of the urban landscape.
Almost an institution despite the fact that they do not have a long history in the City, just six years, since they were enabled by law in
October 2017.
However, the coronavirus pandemic amplified and extended their use to all neighborhoods.
But they especially multiplied in
Palermo,
where almost all the blocks have some of these structures.
For residents, it is a concern that has been increasing, in parallel with the constant and persistent installation of gastronomic platforms.
Among other problems, they invade public space - collapsed sidewalks and streets -, interfere with
water runoff
, add noise pollution and
take away parking spaces for residents.
And both the neighbors and Commune 14 (Palermo) have done their own surveys about the situation.
To have an overview, it is worth knowing the official data, collected as of November 2023: out of 446 existing platforms,
only 33% have an enabling permit (149 platforms).
There are 212 that set up the structure but did not start the process (represents 48%) and 61 have the process in progress.
But even those that have permission do not comply with some basic requirements of the specific regulations.
For example
, they have electrical connections (which are prohibited), they invade ochavas and storm drains.
Julian Alvarez and El Salvador.
Under the deck, a storm drain.
In the flood of February 7, the platforms prevented the water from draining.
Photo Federico López Claro
This situation became evident on February 7.
In the midst of the heat wave, a deluge caused flooding, cancellation of flights, almost 90 thousand users without electricity and took the subway network out of service.
In Palermo the problem of the decks was added, which did not allow the water to drain.
Neighbors documented
structures mounted directly over storm drains.
En el barrio entienden que la situación es multicausal, no responde a un sólo factor: "Por un lado, se manifiestan los grandes problemas que trajo el Código Urbano, que habilitó el falso concepto de "mixtura de usos" y que afectó seriamente la característica residencial del barrio, al que terminó transformándolo en polo gastronómico, aunque la tendencia ya se veía venir incluso desde antes. A esto se sumaron la pandemia y la normativa, que no explicita formatos, lo que deja todo librado a la decisión del comerciante", explicaron a Clarín desde el colectivo vecinal Palermo Resiste.
Respecto a esto último, la diversidad es total: decks de madera, de hierro, con piso, sin piso, con techo, sin techo; con vidrios, con ventiladores, con y sin toldos; negros, verdes, azules; delimitados con macetas. Algunos increíblemente lo tienen todo: piso, macetas, techo, toldos y hasta ventiladores.
Deck, barra y¿vereda?. En la esquina de Gurruchaga y el pasaje Coronel Cabrer. Foto "Palermo Resiste"
Hay dos que puntualmente llaman la atención. Uno es el que está ubicado en la esquina de El Salvador y Julián Alvarez. Además de que es un tipo de deck con "todo", se encuentra justo encima de una boca de tormenta. Una parte del deck es rebatible, al menos esto debería permitir que la Ciudad pueda hacer la limpieza de los sumideros (lo que se conoce también como bocas de tormenta, en Buenos Aires hay 30.000 que deben ser limpiadas y chequeadas regularmente).
El otro deck da un paso más allá en el uso del espacio público, porque directamente rodea un árbol y lo transforma en el corazón de una barra. Está ubicado en la esquina de Gurruchaga y el pasaje Coronel Cabrer.
Desde el Ministerio de Espacio Público e Higiene Urbana aseguraron a Clarín que en enero se inició un plan de ordenamiento y adecuación integral de los decks gastronómicos. "En esta primera etapa -que concluye a fines de febrero- estamos relevando la totalidad de los decks, incluyendo las solicitudes de permisos denegadas y que se encuentren en infracción", explicaron.
El árbol adentro de la barra. Foto "Palermo Resiste"
"Algunos comerciantes ya fueron intimados a resolver la situación y tienen que levantar las estructuras; la Ciudad también tiene potestad para desmantelarlas si fuera necesario. Se trata de casos que, por el lugar en dónde están ubicados, no tienen posibilidad de adecuarse", detallaron.
"We are doing everything possible so that they can
regularize their situation
and we are also working on a new regulatory framework that simplifies and organizes this situation in the future. And at the same time we seek to accompany all gastronomics who use decks as a key
tool
to the economic support of your project," said sources from the Ministry of Economic Development, whose head is Roberto García Moritán.
And there are three other reasons on which the ministry relies to intimidate the merchants: either because they are on a block where parking on both sides is prohibited;
or are located in places where they represent
a risk to the circulation of vehicles and pedestrians;
or those that have been reported by neighbors.
Until the end of 2023, permits were granted by Citizen Assistance and Community Management, which depended on the Chief of Staff;
while the controls were carried out by the Government Control Agency, the AGC.
Since January, both actions depend on the Ministry of Public Space and Urban Hygiene.
Rescuing the boards of a deck, in the middle of the storm.
Photo "Palermo Resiste"
In addition, merchants
do not pay any fee for the use of public space.
The thing is that during the pandemic, when bars and restaurants remained closed, decks were a viable option to avoid closed spaces.
But in addition to exempting them from payment, the conditions were not modified even though the pandemic ended a while ago.
And to this general disorder is added a problem that is already seen in all the neighborhoods where there are decks: vehicle drivers who park parallel to the platforms.
Assuming that these are like
the "new" curb on the sidewalk.
S.C.