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Megaproject Between La Boca and Puerto Madero Close to Winning Approval

On November 2, 2011, In ba government, real estate, by InvestBA
Solares de Santa Maria

Mayor Macri has the necessary votes to win approval for the new waterfront development.

A $900 million mega-project envisioned for the southeastern part of Buenos Aires is on the fast track to approval in the Buenos Aires Legislature. The Solares de Santa Maria project would be built on a 172-acre piece of property between Puerto Madero and La Boca, the largest remaining parcel owned by the City of Buenos Aires.

The land in question was the site of the old Boca Juniors Sports City, a poorly planned sports complex dating back to the 1960s. (Google Map) The original idea was to build Boca Juniors the largest futbol stadium in the country with capacity for 140,000 fans. When plans for that were scrapped, the Ciudad Deportiva was converted into a low-end waterfront amusement park and ultimately faded into disrepair.

Fast forward half a century and a new developer wants to purchase the parcel and build more high-rise condominiums in an area of Buenos Aires that is already saturated with vertical construction. In lobbying for the project’s approval, IRSA has vowed to cede 40% of the land to the city and make the project accessible to the general public with eight access points and a mix of housing, hotels and shopping.

According to multiple sources, Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri supports the development and apparently has the necessary 31 votes to win the project’s approval. (Full Story in Spanish)

For more information about investment opportunities in Buenos Aires, download the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

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Buenos Aires Metrobus Arrives in May

On March 26, 2011, In ba government, buenos aires events, by InvestBA
Buenos Aires Metrobus

As in other Latin American metros, the BA Metrobus will slash commute times and greenhouse gas emissions.

Months after the launch of Mejor en Bici, Buenos Aires is two months away from taking a major step forward in public transportation. The Metrobus, a dedicated two-lane bus corridor intended to expedite cross-town bus trips, begins service in May. The first Metrobus line will extend the length of Juan B. Justo Avenue running from Palermo to Liniers with 25 raised-platform stations currently under construction.

City of Buenos Aires Urban Development Minister Daniel Chain tells La Nacion’s Angeles Castro the Metrobus will shave approximately 35 minutes off the current one-hour trip time from Liniers to Palermo by bus. The covered stations will be spaced every four blocks and feature wheelchair ramps and digital clocks displaying arrival times.

The Metrobus is essentially absorbing the 34 and 166 bus lines currently servicing the Juan B. Justo corridor. The unified bus service will share the same color, and Castro speculates they will sport the yellow of the PRO party. The yellow partitions surrounding the stations under construction would suggest she is right.

Metrobus projects have taken off in other Latin American metros like Bogota, Cali and Mexico City which received a 2009 award from John F. Kennedy’s School of Government for reducing commute times and greenhouse gas emissions by 80,000 tons per year. (Full Story in Spanish)

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BicingBA: City of Buenos Aires Launches Free Bicycle Service

On December 1, 2010, In ba government, buenos aires events, lifestyle, by InvestBA
Mejor en Bici

Mejor en Bici: The City of Buenos Aires plans to have 5,000 free rental bikes in circulation.

From the Tour de France jersey to Lance Armstrong’s Live Strong bracelet, few colors are more emblematic of cycling than yellow. Fitting then that the City of Buenos Aires rolls out a fleet of new yellow bicycles today as part of an effort to reduce traffic, curb emissions and promote cycling in and around BA.

The effort began in earnest three years ago when the City of Buenos Aires Urban Planning Division under the direction of Mayor Mauricio Macri began to create a network of protected bike paths throughout the city: 36 kilometers have been completed and another 80 kilometers are currently under construction. (Map of Ciclovias Protegidas)

Creating protected lanes was a critical first step in a city like Buenos Aires where driving is a full contact sport pitting commuters against testosterone-fueled taxistas and bus drivers. Today begins Phase Two, the launch of free bicycle rental stations on strategic points along the Ciclovi­as.

“In December 2007 when the Legislature mandated the creation of a rental network, it seemed like a Utopia but three years later ‘Bicing’ is about to become a reality,” says Clarin’s Nora Sanchez. The first three rental stations with 34 bikes each are located at Retiro, the Facultad de Derecho and the Aduana Plaza. The City plans to roll out a dozen more stations over the next three months bringing the total number of free rental bikes available to 500, and the City’s ultimate goal is to have 5,000 bikes in circulation. (Full Story in Spanish)

For more information about getting around Buenos Aires, download the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

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Cultural Warriors: Why Buenos Aires Loves Her Books

On August 10, 2010, In arts & entertainment, buenos aires events, culture, tourism, by InvestBA
El Ateneo bookstore in Buenos Aires

When you've got bookstores like this, who needs a Kindle? BA's cultural commitment garners praise.

As governments around the globe are seeking ways to curb spending and slash deficits, Andrew Cohen says “cutting culture” is not an option in Buenos Aires. Cohen, the president of Canada’s Historica-Dominion Institute, pens a smart op-ed praising the cultural commitment one sees daily on the streets of BA from the bookstores to the theater to annual gatherings like arteBA and the Feria del Libro.

Cohen describes BA as “a city in love with books” where small, independent booksellers are on equal footing with the big box hipermercados thanks to laws requiring books be sold at the same price throughout the country. He then traces Argentina’s modern-day obsession with books back to the cultural priorities and donations of founding fathers like San Marti­n and Belgrano.

The piece concludes with a 1-on-1 conversation with a serious BA cultural warrior, Hernan Lombardi. “If you don’t invest in culture, you go home,” Culture Minister Lombardi tells Cohen adding “In a crisis, we worry about losing identity. That’s when we need to support culture.”

When Lombardi was named Minister of Culture, it coincided with a decision to place the city’s tourism promotion arm under the umbrella of culture. At the time of his appointment in 2007, La Nacion said it showed the Macri administration’s commitment to attracting more domestic and foreign visitors to BA for major cultural events. The renovation and re-opening this year of the Teatro Colon was another feather in the City’s ever-expanding cultural cap. (Cultural Capital by Andrew Cohen)

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Under Mayor Macri, City of Buenos Aires Government Making Up For Lost Time

On December 14, 2009, In arts & entertainment, ba government, competitiveness, culture, foreign investment, lifestyle, technology, visionaries, by InvestBA
All first graders in BA schools study English today; only 2 schools offered classes in 2001.

All first graders in BA schools study English today; only 2 schools offered such classes in 2001.

December is usually the time for making resolutions for the year ahead, but the Government of the City of Buenos Aires is looking back and celebrating the many achievements since December 2007 when conservative Mauricio Macri was elected Mayor.

“In 2 years, we accomplished more than in the last 10,” declares the city’s microsite, “We’re making up for lost time.” The accomplishments are numerous and organized into eight broad categories including Health (20 new Health Centers, 35 new ambulances), Education & Culture (Broadband connectivity in 98% of schools, record attendance at Buenos Aires festivals), Economic Development (an emerging Technology District, the opening of an Investor Assistance Center for foreign investors), and Security (the new Metropolitan Police force, a state-of-the-art Urban Monitoring Center).

Another noteworthy achievement is designed to prepare the next generation of portenos for a more competitive global environment: English as a Second Language is now being taught in all first grade classes in the City; second and third grades will be added in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

The website is a shining example of transparency and accountability for a city government that has delivered on many 2007 campaign promises, is working today to improve the quality-of-life in Buenos Aires and is preparing for Bicentennial celebrations in 2010. Hence, the new website’s tagline: Hicimos, Hacemos, Haremos (We Did It, We Are Doing It, We Will Do It).

For more information about the City of Buenos Aires’ Audiovisual, Design and Technology Districts, download the new issue of InvestBA Privada.

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