World cities - Regeneration

Meatpacking district 

The Meatpacking district is an area of Lower Manhattan in New York.

History

In 1900 the area was home to 250 slaughterhouses and packing plants, and by the 1920s what had been a neighbourhood based on mixture of marketplaces became more tightly focused on meatpacking and related activities. The area's decline began around the 1960s as part of the general decline of the waterfront area. Containerisation of freight; the advent of supermarkets which changed the distribution pattern for meat, dairy and produce from a locally or regionally based system to a more national one; and the development of frozen foods and refrigerated trucks to deliver them were all factors in this, but meatpacking continued to be the major activity in the neighbourhood through the 1970s. Beginning in the late 1990s, the Meatpacking District went through a transformation. High-end boutiques catering to young professionals and hipsters opened.

What has happened?

• Since the area was rezoned to allow residential uses along the avenues, a number of luxury condominium buildings have been developed or are currently under construction. Towers had to be a maximum height of 250 feet.
• An elevated historic railway of 1.5 miles was made into a park.
• A bike path and a walkway was created beside the Hudson River Waterfront.
• Many of its factories have been transformed into loft spaces, light manufacturing, parking or automotive uses.
• There is an array of art galleries, restaurants, tech companies and boutiques.
• They have preserved features like the cobblestones.
• It is now one of the most fashionable places in New York having millions of visitors visiting this once run down area.
• It it continuously evolving with the development of the piers to be underway soon.

Port Maravilha

Port Maravilha is in the port area of Rio de Janeiro. It has been targeted for regeneration due to the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

• The project foresees the development of the region based on principles of sustainability , with the restructuring of streets, squares and avenues, bringing improvement in the quality of life of current and future residents.
• The total cost of the operation is 8 billion reais.
• Urban operation covers an area of 5 million square meters.
• Bike racks will be installed that will encourage, along with the bike path, transport by bicycle.
• Light railways and a cable car are also being planned.
• 70 heritage buildings are to be renovated.
• However, hundreds of the poorer residents will have to be displaced.