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WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS
Tourism & creative industry . Valencia, July, 11&12th, 2013
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the potentially economic rewards it stakes. However, the evaluation of
those urban regeneration programs is a complex issue, given that several
aspects are concerned: urban, cultural, social and economic, among
others. Furthermore, the beneficial effects like the improvement of the urban
environment and living conditions, the upkeep and restoration of facilities
that are designated as cultural heritage, the additional urban structures
and infrastructures, the restoration of historic built heritage, etc. result in
externalities which have an impact on the economic activity, employment and
well-being of the area. These externalities involve all the factors identified
as contributing to the overall quality of the neighborhood, and therefore
influencing creative people’s and creative businesses’ choice of location,
including diversity, tolerance and safety, environmental quality, aesthetics,
urban landscapes, new amenities and facilities, opportunities for recreation,
culture and an environment supportive of lifestyle choices. However, not
all urban regeneration programs have succeeded; problem arises when
the scheme of some of these urban regeneration initiatives created greater
expectations and, in the end, they have failed; for example, when talking
about avoiding inner segregation and less privileged areas. The purpose
of this paper is to analyze some cases in order to check the main points
and catalysts which have contributed to a well-designed urban regeneration
process or, in the worst case scenario, to a non satisfying one. Considering
as main benefits: the creation of local employment; demand and training
of high-skilled workers; place of distinctiveness to live and work (creative
industry); increase of the tourist and investment appeals; provision of leisure,
recreation and educational facilities; improvement of environment (safety,
quality and well-being); compact urban structure (avoiding sprawl and
reducing further land consumption) and greater cohesion (avoiding internal
segregation); accessibility; cultural heritage recovery; urban branding; etc.
among others. We will try to provide some evidence about the causes which
lead to a success or failure of those regeneration processes
Previous Research
The historic centres of some European cities have undergone a gradual
degradation and segregation process which speeded up in the second half