The largest urban reconversion investment in Romania was approved by the Cluj-Napoca Local Council – half-billion Euro in a mixed-use project on the former Carbochim platform

The project proposed by IULIUS and Atterbury Europe transforms the former industrial platform into a complex open to the community, with culture, park, entertainment, shopping, and office components.

The urban zoning plan (PUZ) for the reconversion of the former Carbochim industrial platform and the restructuring of the 1 Mai Square was approved today by the Cluj-Napoca Local Council. The investment by IULIUS Company, estimated upwards of half-billion Euro, is an endeavor geared towards recovering and developing a partially utilized (30%) industrial area and transforming it into a pole of urban attraction accessible to the entire community. The complex will open towards Someș River by fitting-out the green-blue corridor as a social platform and in connection with the city center nearby. The current concept designed by UNStudio, a resounding name among world leading architecture firms, is the result of a comprehensive process for the analysis and implementation of requests formulated by the authorities, specialty committees, various institutions, and the local community. Thus, the new Part of Cluj proposes as follows:

• A pole for the socio-economic development of the city, implementing objectives from the urban development strategy for Cluj-Napoca
• The shaping of the green-blue corridor by developing, expanding and improving the perimeter of the Someș riverfront
• Completing the green belt with a new urban garden spanning more than 52,000 sqm, in connection with Armătura Park and Feroviarilor Park
• Preserving two industrial heritage buildings and including them in the public circuit
• Restructuring the area via urban mobility solutions: road bridge and pedestrian walkways across Someș River, new roundabouts, widened and upgraded streets, bicycle lanes, alternative transportation facilities
• family-friendly project: high-end brands, family-friendly and home&deco specialty anchors, the most diverse mix of international coffee shops and concept-restaurants in Romania, fresh market, local services and products, family entertainment and edutainment concepts marking national or regional premieres
• premium office spaces and spaces supporting local entrepreneurship

The first phase of this endeavor was relocating the Carbochim factory, the largest manufacturer of professional abrasives in Romania, into an area suited for industrial manufacture and adapted to its business (only 30% of the platform’s approx. 14 hectares area was in use), and upgrading it with high-performance equipment. The process was also carried out by IULIUS and entailed 7 million Euro investments to date, helping to optimize and streamline the business without any disruptions.

The project completed the analysis and approval stage, which was essential for developing the concept by implementing the requests formulated by the authorities, specialty committees, various institutions, as well as the local community. The local community expressed their expectations from this project using the public survey online platform at www.partedincluj.ro, which has been active throughout this period and generated around 9,500 opinions.

Comprehensive studies were also conducted with local, national, and international specialists, from those studying and 3D scanning existing heritage buildings, traffic surveys, arboricultural surveys, through to market research on the project and its uses, which indicated that 8 out of 10 Cluj residents who were familiar with the project believed it was a very good idea for the development of the city. The same studies also revealed a high degree of favorability towards the project: 89% of respondents believe that integrating the old industrial areas into the city development plans is beneficial, 92% said that the urban garden is one of the most important uses for them, 91% expect that the project will boost the economic growth, and 90% believe it will contribute to the development of the green-blue corridor of Someș River. Concurrently, 94% of respondents believe that the new IULIUS project – which includes national premieres in the form of cultural uses, as part of a real estate project (performing arts center, auditorium), as well as entertainment concepts unrivalled in the region (interactive entertainment centers for all ages) – is beneficial for diversifying the leisure offer available in the city. Thus, 93% of respondents said that the new cultural center dedicated to performing arts to be integrated in the project was a good and very good idea, while 92% said that including the concepts designed for children and the youth was a good idea.

“This project measures up to European standards and integrates our entire expertise in developing and operating mixed-use urban regeneration projects over the last decade, as well as the international vision for the future of cities. This endeavor has been about the people from the very beginning, being inspired by their expectations and designed to become part of their life. We are delighted by the engagement and support from the local community and the business community, which attests to the capacity of our proposed project to contribute to the economic, cultural, and social development of Cluj-Napoca, where we have been operating for 17 years now. The project has the local nature and history at its core, restoring an industrial area back to the people and smoothly reintegrating it as a socio-economically active area of the city,” said Sorin Guttman, Manager of the urban reconversion project proposed by IULIUS in Cluj-Napoca.

Industrial heritage buildings reconverted as community spaces

The project proposes the implementation of international sound practices for integrating industrial heritage elements into a real-estate investment, by preserving buildings that are symbolic of the local identity. According to the studies that were conducted and the expert assessment reports, this approach was practicable for the arcade hall and the administrative building which carry ambient-related value. The arcade hall built in the 1950s will be converted into a performing arts center that will be managed in partnership with the Cluj Cultural Center and will help support the local artistic and creative community. The administrative brick building, an iconic component of Carbochim and a landmark for 1 Mai Square, will be preserved and used as interactive spaces dedicated to the entrepreneurial community.

Besides the performing arts center, an auditorium will also be created here, both of these cultural concepts marking a premiere for a real-estate project based in Romania. In fact, the project will include a comprehensive entertainment component, as it is also bound to include outdoor event spaces, the latest cinema technologies and open air cinema, family-friendly interactive entertainment centers, a concept-bookstore, and dedicate sport and wellness areas. All of these are part of the retail area, alongside approximately 400 premium and mass market brands, family-friendly and home&deco specialty anchors, the most diverse mix of international coffee shops and concept-restaurant in the country, fresh market, local services and products, medical hub, etc.

Urban garden with mature trees extending the green-blue corridor

A major element of the project is the integration of Someș River as an anchor for the new development, with the entire project set to open towards this central element that will become accessible to the public. The investment by IULIUS in redeveloping the Someș River waterfront is in line with the Municipal strategy for developing the green-blue corridor, joining the efforts of the public administration that are either completed or in progress in the vicinity.

The green-blue corridor will extend through the project via a new urban garden with more than 52,000 sqm of landscaped green spaces, designed based on the company’ expertise in similar projects in its mixed-use developments, using large trees that offer the benefits of a mature park. This garden will be fitted with more than 700 trees that are up to 60 years old and standing at heights up to 13 meters, which are already accommodated in a nursery of USAMV Cluj. These include trees that were salvaged from the former industrial platform and will be replanted in the new project. The new park will also integrate 100,000 decorative plants of various sizes, as well as a Japanese garden.

Restructured urban area connected with the city center

The project targets an area that, despite its location nearby the city center, is unappealing to the general public as a result of the industrial activities therein. The investment proposes the urban restructuring of the entire area, both by remodeling the natural axis generated by Someș River and opening it to the people, and by rethinking the infrastructure of the area to increase its connectivity with the vicinities and the rest of the city.

Thus, ample investments are proposed in planning and optimizing the urban connectivity of the entire area, undertaken by IULIUS based on an agreement with the Municipality worth approx. 66 million Euro, including direct and indirect benefits for the city, community spaces, as well as infrastructure works worth approx. 30 million Euro, such as:

• A new four-lane road bridge over Someș River with sidewalks and bicycle lanes
• Street upgrades for Porțelanului & Câmpul Pâinii streets and coordinating their junctions with Paris Street
• Two pedestrian walkways towards Armătura Park and the green area adjacent to Nădășel Street
• 3,200 linear meters of bicycle infrastructure along the entire perimeter of the project, including along Someș River

The project will include approx. 4,800 underground and aboveground parking spaces, 900 of which will be fitted with electric vehicle charging capabilities, as well as upwards of 2,500 bicycle parking spaces.

The investment will be made in partnership with Atterbury Europe. The project is currently in the building permitting phase. The first phase of the works, namely the dismantling of the former industrial facilities, is nearing completion, as this endeavor is independent of the approval and permitting process for the new project.